Jordan At Last

We loved having Heather, Teo, Stevie, and Pablo say farewell to us at WW Airport.
We were, of course, exhausted for either no sleep, or 2.5 hrs of sleep the night before.
Good telephone calls from SeaTac Airport.
Good Kristin Fry bread sandwiches at SeaTac. And later at Vancouver Airport.
Met a young lady from Barcelona on flight to Vancouver. Multi-lingual. Hoping to study at NY University on International Studies.
Met US family flying to Istanbul to compete in world-class RC glider competition west of Istanbul. Dad is an architect, become architectural attorney in building disputes.
Loved the in-airport aquarium! Bought roller for my HEAVY computer case out of desperation.
Our British Airways flight was in the sleeper class. We rearranged seating so a Russian emigrée couple from San Carlos, CA, could sit near each other and Vonnie and I could also. Wonderful conversations. Celebrating 50th anniversary with Mediterranean cruise. Both Soviet trained engineers who love America. Promised to send them digital photos.
Good sleep (stretched out fully) after watching a movie in French during the dinner. (the “church” villains were despicable, but the alternative was mysticism with clairvoyance, Gypsies, and sorceresses, so it was out of the frying pan into the fire.)
Heathrow Terminal 5 was “interminable” (pun intended). ½ hour of walking! Discovered luggage was booked to Amman. Found our way with several detours to Terminal 3 and Royal Jordanian. Luggage was kindly tracked and would NOT be on flight to Amman. The Canadian Airline employee who helped us promised to look for it and put it on the next day's flight to Amman.
Loved our “flying feast” (flying carpet?) to Amman! Such wonderful attendants. So gracious. Willing to talk. Also time to stretch out and snooze. Much needed. Read in the Jordanian Times newspaper (English) that a hot-spell was blowing into Jordan and the Arabian peninsula. Over 40 degrees Centigrade! Didn't spot any young (or old) archaeologists flying in with us to join the Madaba Plains Project like we originally wanted. Perhaps they were able to fly in earlier and get some rest.
Arrived at Queen Alia Airport just after midnight. Everybody courteous. Registered our yet-to-arrive luggage.
Taxi to Golden Tulip Grand Hotel in Amman. Wonderful driver! Able to tell us in English that the city was founded on seven hills, (just like Rome) but now covering many more hills. Pointed out five universities along the 25 miles from airport to city center. Father of 3 month old. Paid 25 JDN. (One USD buys .70 JDN) Wonderful “honeymoon suite” on 6th floor. Hand washed our only clothes until luggage comes. Wonderful, longed-for shower. Tried to call Heather unsuccessfully. No apparent internet connectivity in the room.
Tomorrow!
3:05 am Jordanian time. 5:04 pm PDT. June 25, 2008