"Lawrence of Arabia" was my first cinema film. I tiptoed past the box office back then. After all, the posters said "aged 12 and over" and I was only eight. My legs dangled nervously in the folding seat in the front row. With my mouth wide open, I witnessed Sir Peter O'Toole in his iconic role as British officer Thomas Edward Lawrence. Tanned and with piercing blue eyes, he led the Arab tribes to victory over the Ottoman occupying forces. At his side are the dazzlingly handsome Omar Sharif and Anthony Quinn, with a monstrously enlarged hooked nose as Auda, the Howeitat tribal chief. Merciless action and monumental shots of a world of sand, blazing sun and mighty mountains that was completely unknown to me. My little adventurer's heart leapt for joy.
In just 15 minutes, we have climbed the ramp to the citadel hill above Amman by bike. After around 100 kilometres through the desert, we reach the Omayyad castles to the east of Amman - palaces of the ruling dynasty in the 7th and 8th centuries. A 1200 metre descent to the lowest point on the earth's surface, the Dead Sea.
Onwards to the destination of the journey: Aqaba.
(Text/Photos: Norbert Eisele-Hein)
