The Bedouin are nomadic Arabs that historically lived in desert regions. While many Bedouin are leaving their rural roots in favor of city-life, families living a traditional desert life still exist.

I started my morning with a visit to the Sheikh. Sheikh is an Arabic word meaning elder -- the elder of a tribe or a wise man. The Sheikh welcomed me into his home, a goat-hair tent. I immediately assessed the surroundings: thick carpets placed over the soft, red sand, thin cushions placed on the carpet floor for bed. In periods of rain and cold, these tents and personal belongings can be easily moved - often to seek shelter in a cave. My first impression: this must be an extremely difficult lifestyle.

I shared a cup of tea with the Sheikh and his family. It is customary for Jordanians to serve tea to welcome people. Served in small cups, it’s typically sweet and infused with mint or herbs.

After tea, Ali arranged for us to share a traditional Bedouin meal with a local family. On the menu - mansaf - a local delicacy of goat cooked with a special yogurt sauce. The head of the goat is placed in the center of the serving platter. As a sign of respect, guests are offered the best cuts of meat. It’s delicious and very filling! Afterward, everyone just laid around as their food digested. It reminded me of Thanksgiving in America and how everyone gets so full on turkey, that they resort to taking a nap afterwards.

After we recovered from the mansaf, Ali showed us some traditional head-coverings. He showed Ben and Jenny how to tie a keffiyah, which can be useful in a windy desert. I also learned a how to tie a scarf to protect my head from the sun and keep the sand from my eyes.

In the desert, jobs are few and far between. Some Bedouin raise goats, some are tour guides, and, yes, some Bedouin raise camels. Here, camels are a mode of transportation as well as a valuable food source. Both camel meat and camel milk are consumed; camel cheese is common. I was most interested in camel transportation -- more specifically, attempting to ride a camel. As you will see from the video, it’s a bit jarring when camels first stand up. My camel kept groaning loudly, though, I was assured, the loud breying is merely a sign of hunger. I must have had a VERY HUNGRY camel!

Learn a little Arabic before continuing your journey through Jordan.

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