Back in 2011, the original mission was simple: land in Beirut, grab a taxi, and cross the border into Syria. Unfortunately, history had other ideas. The outbreak of the civil war shut that door firmly (you can read the saga of how we nearly got stranded there in my first blog post, Syrian visa included.)

Mid-trip pivots are part of the game, so we swapped the taxi for a flight to Amman, snagged a rental car, and set our sights on Petra

The Petra Survival Guide

If Petra isn't on your bucket list, put it there. It’s breathtaking, but let’s be real: it’s a marathon, not a sprint. To keep your sanity (and your skin from melting), you need to be at the gates the second the sun peeks over the horizon. The midday heat is absolutely oppressive

I might be stating the bleeding obvious but take your own food and plenty of water

If you’re chasing that "National Geographic" shot, be prepared to suffer for your art. We’re talking a full day of trekking just to nail one specific angle. Is it exhausting? Yes. Is it worth it? Absolutely

Pro-Tips for the Rose City

• Location is Everything: There are some stunning boutique hotels in the area now. My advice? Pick one within walking distance of the site entrance. Your future self will thank you, don't spend all your time in a coach

• The Camel Clause: Eventually, your legs will stage a mutiny. When that happens, look for the locals. There’s always a friendly face with a camel ready to ferry you back

• The Art of the Deal: Never take the first price. I broke out my classic "take it or leave it" routine, which led to some world-class banter before we settled on a fair fare

After we’d had our fill of dust and ancient architecture, we traded the desert boots for swim trunks and made the drive down to the Dead Sea for a well-earned float. It’s funny how the best travel stories usually start with a plan falling apart