After our long hike through Petra, shopping and afternoon, naptime somehow restored enough energy in our worn out bodies for a visit to the Petra Museum, dinner at Momma’s Kitchen, and a drink on the rooftop bar with our friends from London. I actually got to sleep in an extra hour before I hauled my sore, stiff legs to the treadmill, showered, packed again, gobbled down breakfast, and jumped on the Viking bus. 

We drove the scenic route out of Petra for more pictures, stopped briefly at an ancient Nabataean water storage reservoir built into the limestone, and made a couple restroom detours along the King’s Highway on the way to Jerash. Roman ruins in the “City of 1,000 columns” was the attraction. Our group performed Amazing Grace with a local bagpiper and drummer on the ancient stage surrounded by two stories of seats.  Lunch was at Ohm Khalil where smoking a Hookah was apparently an option. Friday is the holy day and beginning of the weekend, so folks were dressed in their finery. 

We finally arrived at the Amman W Hotel that will lead into 4 more nights at the London Park Street Grand Residence, followed by our final night at the Heathrow Renaissance, all Marriott properties, before flying home. We said good-bye to our fellow Viking tour group at the hotel’s Mesh Restaurant, anticipating another lengthy flight, number eight so far, this time to London after a mile on the treadmill. At last, we were on our own, without the worry of packing for a few days, and fully free to explore Bloody London. 

Saying farewell to the last of our Viking companions, we made it through customs and caught the Paddington Station Express and a British hackney to 47 Park Street, our posh digs for the next few days. Sightseeing by double-decker bus, a Thames River cruise, castles, theater, cathedrals, and Stonehenge were on our busy London agenda, as this trip-of-a-lifetime took a Dickens of an English twist.