After a wonderful trip in Petra, we headed down to the southern tip of Jordan, toward the border with Saudi Arabia, in a bid to get a taste of Mars on Earth. With its reddish-orange dunes colored by iron oxide and gargantuan sandstone and granite rock formations created by Mother Nature, Wadi Rum, aka the Valley of the Moon, has captivated tourists for years and even stood in as the Red Planet in the blockbuster movie The Martian.

It took our driver some time and a few calls to locate the pickup point written on the confirmation letter of our accommodation. A man dressed in a crisp white thoub introduced himself as the staff of our campsite and led us to a small snack shop where he offered us a cup of coffee and a few tour options. In a few minutes, we were whisked to the back of a run-down jeep and kicked off the bumpy ride that had my butt flown off the seat and my bag jumped out of the vehicle. Fortunately, the observant driver noticed my flying bag while I was still wondering why he suddenly shut the engine off.

The next time the jeep pulled to a halt, our guide Mohammed pointed to a giant rock with interesting petroglyphs carved some 12,000 years ago. There are over 20,000 petroglyphs documented in Wadi Rum, and if we could decipher what the bevy of camels and tiny human figures signify, we could have poked into the earliest beginning of humanity. The jouncy ride continued until we reached Lawrence’s House. Legend has it that British General TE Lawrence sheltered here during the Arab Revolt in 1917. But before his arrival, this structure was used by the Nabataeans as a station for passing caravans. Climbing up the cliff behind the house, we found piles of small stones balancing atop one another. The stone towers functioned as waymakers for Bedouins in the past, but with tourists adding their creations, it’s just as useful as a photo background. For those who have the nerve of steel and are wearing hiking shoes (very important as the sandstone is very slippery), climb all the way up and take in break-taking views of the mountains.

Along with a few 4x4s, our jeep then headed to the Um Fruth Rock Bridge, a 15-meter-high rocky arch shaped by wind and water. To reach the top of the bridge, one has to climb up a slope that’s both steep and slippery. No stairs or climbing ropes are available, but you could see some obscure footholds that have been tested and tried by many. After scrambling up the slope and moving like a Spider-Man along the cliff, I got stuck in front of a giant rock beyond my height. My shoes had no way to grasp the sandy surface – it was probably my hundredth time regretting not wearing hiking boots – and the worst part was that I was blocking people behind me. “You can step on my hand,” a selfless woman offered her palm and pushed me up. A few seconds later, I’m at the end of the queue for the photo spot in the middle of the narrow bridge.

“Did someone die here?” I asked a question that seemed inappropriate at that moment. “Yes, a few tourists dropped from here,” the tour guide in front of me said casually. I am not scared of heights usually, but my legs were sore and trembling after the hike in Petra the day before. It took me a lot of courage to lumber to the center of the bridge and smile for the photo.

On my way back, I saw a little girl sitting midway down the path, accompanied by her worried mother. “Are you doing okay?” I asked. “She is unhappy that she cannot make it to the top,” her mother looked up and explained. “It’s too high for her and we don’t have the right shoes.” I sat down beside the girl who was on the verge of tears. “You’re very brave,” I said. “I felt scared as well. It’s not easy to climb up the slope and make it here. You’re doing great.” Before I clambered down, her mother said something special to me. “Thank you for saying that. Everyone just walked by and made the climb look so easy. It made her feel weak.” That’s when I realized showing empathy to people can sometimes be more powerful than we could imagine.

Having conquered the height challenge, we continued our trip to the Little Bridge. As its name suggested, it’s only 4 meters high from the rock below and 7 meters high from the valley floor, making it a much easier rock arch to climb up to. Before the sun slipped down the horizon, Mohammed took us to a far-flung dune away from the tourist crowds. Only accompanied by a few resilient tiny flowers, we plopped ourselves in the red sand, breathed in the serene silence, and soaked in the last ray of day.

The drive back to our camp was swift, seemingly to escape from the swallow of the dark. We are staying in a bubble tent for the night which is in a dome shape and transparent in the front and on the roof, allowing you the chance to gaze at the stars while falling asleep. However, even though we set an alarm at 5am, the full moon was so bright that it was impossible to marvel at the constellations or the Milky Way with the naked eye. On the positive side, we got more time to rest for the next day’s adventure.