If there is a road to joy and wonder, I can say for three families that it is 3,450 km long. We returned to the delights of Jordan. Often we discover that it is either the place or the people that makes us want to go back; in Jordan, however, it is both the place and the people.

The history of Jordan and its magnificent attractions make it an impressive tourist destination. We planned a trip to Jordan in a convoy of cars and it was more fun and certainly gave the holiday a unique flavor. Our group — eight adults and five children in three cars — had its first taste of Jordanian hospitality at the entry point near Aqaba. The security guards went out of their way to welcome us into Jordan and then wish us a memorable holiday.

For me, Jordanian hospitality was not new as this was my third visit. I had met the exceptional Hamad Farajat, then working as receptionist in the Petra Forum Hotel, during my first trip to Jordan 12 years ago. Our group of 18 had arrived in Petra about 10 p.m. on a chilly night only to find Farajat saying that the hotel was full. What amazed us even more was not the gentle way Farajat broke the news but that he took it upon himself to find if rooms were available in other hotels. Unfortunately, all he got was a “No” in response to every inquiry. Then something unbelievable happened. He simply took all 18 of us to his house, made arrangements for a comfortable stay, treated us to a typical Jordanian dinner and then breakfast the next morning. His parents, sisters and brothers, as well as the neighbors, were all unusually hospitable. When we left Petra, his only request was that we should make it a point to attend his marriage in a month’s time. Farajat is now married with four children and works with Jordanian Tourism. This time, when planning our trip, we got in touch with Farajat and told him that a group wanted to drive around Jordan. And Farajat, helpful as always, smoothed our way and offered invaluable suggestions and help.

AQABA: Aqaba is some 20 km from the border with Saudi Arabia. Farajat’s representative was there to receive us and take us around the small coastal town. We enjoyed Aqaba’s major tourist activities, especially the boat rides and the leisurely lunches in the restaurants on the sea. The glass-bottomed boat gave us astounding views of multicolored fish and coral. Pleasant weather, camel and horse rides and a dinner served to the sounds of Jordanian music were the highlights of Aqaba. When we left Aqaba, we proceeded to Wadi Rum.

WADI RUM: The wide valley of Wadi Rum was lovely. Its magnificent sandstone mountains and its spectacular natural arches and bridges are things of beauty and wonder. There are a number of tourist attractions there but unfortunately, we were only able to visit four of them.

Farajat received us in Petra where he had booked us into the Taybet Zamman Hotel. The hotel has stone villas with thick walls as were common in l9th century rural Jordan. Special care has been taken to keep the original architectural style and furnishings intact. The well-lit heated villas and the typical village atmosphere delighted us all and we were even happier to be awakened not by alarm clocks but by donkeys braying and cocks crowing.

SMALL PETRA: The visit to small Petra gave us a preview of what was in store for us the next day. Farajat surprised us by taking us to a bedouin camp where the tents were cozy and warm even though the outside temperatures were neither. The woman in the tent welcomed us and introduced us to all her seven children, served us tea — all of which underlined the hospitality of the country.

PETRA: The ancient Nabatean city is magnificent, mysterious and thrilling. Well-known in poetry as the “rose-red city half as old as time” because of its red stone building and red cliffs, it is very well preserved. Access to the center of Petra is through a very narrow passage called “Siq” which lies between two high mountains. We walk through the Siq for a kilometer to the “khazana” — the treasury. It is the magnificent facade of a tomb adorned with columns and statues carved in rose-red rocks. We visited the remains of the historical city, the theater, natural colored sandstone formations, the Candy Caves and some tombs, both complete and incomplete. Farajat once again surprised us by taking us straight to a mountain spot where his family was waiting with food and drink. In fact, it was a typical Jordanian meal — makluba and salads in a fantastic setting.

SHOUBAK CASTLE: No trip to Jordan would be complete without a visit to at least one castle. We visited Shoubak, built 900 years ago on the top of a hill.

AMMAN: Amman has changed considerably for the better in the last decade. Excellent roads, subways, new buildings and hotels are all in evidence. Like Rome, the city is built on seven hills; it was cool and we stayed two nights, enjoying city-life Jordanian style.

MAIN HOTSPRINGS: Some 40 km from Amman, we drove along a beautiful hill road. All of us enjoyed the natural hot water shower coming down with great force and also the natural sauna in a cave. As one goes up, the heat increases as if nature were adjusting the thermostat. Many Jordanians were also there enjoying the springs. From there, we made our way to the Dead Sea.

DEAD SEA: The Dead Sea, a salt water lake 399 meters below sea level, is the lowest point on earth. It is the saltiest body of water on earth; it is said to be seven times saltier than a normal sea. It is fed by the River Jordan and has no outlet. It is known as the dead sea because its waters are devoid of life and its waters have a high magnesium, sodium and calcium content. Many people with skin problems and arthritis come to bathe in the salty waters.

DANA PRESERVE: We had an opportunity to visit Dana Preserve and a nearby village. A place of spellbinding scenery, what was more enjoyable was the friendliness of the local people. One elderly man was happy to introduce us to one of his sons while proudly claiming that he himself had 24 children.

JERASH: On the next to the last day of our holiday, we visited Jerash which dates from the fourth century. We had a trek through the remains of the well-preserved Roman city and we also saw the Roman Open Air Theater. It is here that the “Jerash Festival of Light and Sound” is held in July/August; normally more than 20 countries participate.

With the end of our holiday upon us, we were given yet another taste of Jordanian hospitality. From out of the blue, a friend of mine, Mohanned Khayyat, invited us to his farmhouse. And what a welcoming party it was!

Some 30 people — Mohanned, his family, mother, cousins and an old uncle — greeted us on arrival. They entertained us to a sumptuous barbecue, showed us around the farm and wished us well on our return journey. Such a pleasant holiday and such hospitable people: We are all ready to go back. It is easy to have a memorable stay in a country where hospitality and kindness are a vital part of the national character.