How difficult is it to drive and park in Amman? I'm thinking about hiring a rental for my trip. I'm staying around University of Jordan for one night then driving south for Petra, Wadi Rum, and Aqaba.
I know one's judgment is relative so I'll provide you with a picture of what I'm used to. I'm American but I'm comfortable driving in European and East Asian urban traffic.
Thanks in advance!
No problem driving and parcking a car in Amman.It is a very organised city when it comes to traffic rulles.
Um, yes. Finding one's way about is something else, though! By-passes, underpasses, overpasses.....
Oops im sorry I hv forgotton that not every body can read road signs in Arabic .Its easy for me ,who can read arabic and folloow road map,and knows the city a bit.
The majority of roads signs ie 90% are in English / Arabic
During the period 0800-1900 hrs you might find the University area
busy with traffic. Other than that its quietish !! Friday is a quiet day
and Saturday half / half.
If you are going from the University area to Petra - it will be easy and
you have a choice . . . either go towards Sweilah/Jerash direction (about
2 kilometre distance and then turn left into Medina Tabiyeh Street (signposted the AIRPORT) probably - you will just keep going straight all the way to the desert road or the dead sea road (whichever route you want to take to
Petra.
Alternatively, you can go through West Amman Al Medina Al Munawara
Street towards the 7th circle and then proceed towards the airport signs
(same road as above) - you might find it a bit tricky to get back on
Medina street depending upon which side of the University you are on.
Parking is relatively easy in most side streets.
You will manage fine - really !
Thank you all for the information! Let me know if anyone ever need help with Washington, DC, New York City, Los Angeles, Taipei, or Santiago de Chile.
I arrive extremely early on a Monday morning and am staying the night with a friend at the American Center of Oriental Research (ACOR). I'm told ACOR is right next to the University of Jordan (Which is off route 15 if my reading of google map is correct? But it's hard for me to tell since I'm not used to the Jordanian system of street addresses. Everyone seem to use postal boxes as addresses). From there we're heading to Petra, Rum, and Aqaba.
I have an unplanned day the morning (Monday) I arrive. Is it sensible to have a day trip from QAIA straight to Madaba or Jerash, then return to Amman after 19:00hr when traffic is lighter? It seems to make little sense for me to spend the day in Amman traffic rather than seeing the country.
I've only 6 1/2 days in Jordan so I'm quite torn about places I'd like to be. Up to me I'd spend the whole time in Wadi Rum's desert solitude. But I can't really justify missing Petra while in Jordan.
Will you be picking the car direct from the airport ?
If so - you might need to get your friend to help you
find ACOR (which sits on a hill overlooking the University)
and isn't probably that easy to find for you. Apart from
main roads where the names of the streets are used -
not many people use street names. They kinda use land
marks ie next to MacDonalds, opposite the post office etc.
I don't know about the google thingy but if you ask anyone
in Amman for Route 15 they won't know what the hell you're
on about . . ha haa !
Post Boxes are no indication of where a house is. These PO
boxes are all in the Post Office.
I guess your first day actually depends upon what time you arrive.
If its 3am - then there's no point - everything will be closed.
Jerash is only about 35 minutes from ACOR - as is Madaba.
As you have a car - then you can see many of these places.
Most of them are very quiet - if you want to feel like the guy
in Legend (the last man on the Planet) go to the Panorama
overlooking the Dead Sea - its very l o n e l y !!! Lovely, peaceful
view of the Dead Sea and Palestine and the sun set. If you pass
another car on the road you are lucky.
Jordan is very small by comparison - see as much as you can.
Driving will be a doddle for you - compared to LA - its a piece of cake
at the busiest of times.
You could ask your friend to mark ACOR for you on Google Earth.
Mesha,
Thanks for the clarification. I'm arriving at QAIA at 4am. I am assuming that it'll take me at least an hour to clear immigration, customs, and fetch my pack from the luggage transfer. I requested for the rental agency to meet me at 5am.
Thanks for the suggestion about the Panorama overlooking the Dead Sea. I was trying to figure out a time to see the Dead Sea (I can feel like I'm a little bit closer to home since I grew up camping in Death Valley, the lowest point in the U.S. , during the winter). Perhaps going there for the sunrise would be nice. I was also thinking that if I can negotiate the rental agency to meet me at QAIA that early, I would drive to Madaba and find a good place for tea and breakfast. I'm circumnavigating the world in 14 days. A little food and down time wouldn't hurt! Perhaps my friend can come out to join me outside of Amman a day early.
Thanks also for the suggestion about asking my ACOR friend to meet me. I'm comfortable driving in traffic. But just would hate to get lost in roads I don't know. So far, I found the Jordanian system of identifying locations both charming and challenging.