Things weren't going particularly well at work, I was at a bit of a low ebb and needed something fun to do.
So, I booked a relatively last-minute trip to Jordan in the middle east.
Jordan had never really been on my radar but, in hindsight, I'm not sure why. It's a fantastic country.
Despite being surrounded by some of the most dangerous places on earth (in 2021 at least), such as Syria and Iraq, Jordan feels like the grown-up in the middle eastern room.
It's reputation is one of peace-making and sensible governance, welcoming business people and tourists to come and see why it packs such a punch.
And so I found myself on a November evening touching down in the capital, Amman, and picking up my companion for the next few days: my trusty Opel Astra.
I decided to do a road trip so I could take in most of the major sights of the country in the 5 or so days I had available. I'd read that it was an easy country to drive in, and so it proved.
My first night was in a nondescript hotel on the outskirts of the airport area. It wasn't the finest establishment but it did a job.
What a view!
The toilet that got soaked by the shower.
In the morning I set off south. I'd planned my itinerary before leaving the UK and had decided not to visit Amman itself. It didn't get much love online and I was tight for time.
So, I put my foot to the pedal and started covering some miles south, towards the dead sea.
By late morning I'd reached Mount Nebo, a cool spot with great views.
By mid-afternoon I reached my hotel - the Ramada - on the north edge of the dead sea.
The hotel was a step up in class from the previous night, with a striking design and a big pool.
I have no idea what the context of these trainers and sign was. And still can't work it out...
The hotel provided a short 5-minute taxi ride down to the shore of the dead sea, the lowest point on earth.
I was warned by the hotel to not, under any circumstances, put my face in the sea or touch my face with a hand that had been in the sea. The salt makes for a painful experience.
So there I was, treading carefully as I made my way into the water. With the water up to my waist, I gently laid back.
The sensation was bizarre. It was like leaning back into a warm, wet, squidgy sofa. The water was thick, almost hugging your body.
When I lifted my legs off the sea bed, I was suspended on the surface of the water, including my neck which was cushioned and propped up by the water - just like a pillow.
After a few minutes enjoying this unique sensation, I went back to my towel and got my book, which I took back with me into the water.
I re-assumed my laid-back position and read a few chapters while floating in this deadest of seas.
In the evening, I got in the car and drove to the nearest town. Everton were playing, so my mission was to find a bar showing it.
On the way I had to give way to some camels crossing the road.
After a couple of blank faces in bars, I found a place showing the match.
Everton 0-0 Spurs. I probably should've stayed in the sea reading my book.
The following day I had a few hundred miles to cover as I headed south to Petra, so got up early and got going.
I made a couple of stops along the way and enjoyed coasting along semi-deserted roads, occasionally passing through small villages and towns.
Travelling alone, having a car and being the master of my plan and destination. There are lots of different ways to travel, but this is surely one of the best.
At one point my Google Maps got confused and led me down some barely-there roads in a town. I had a few people staring at me as I struggled to get back on the right route.
And then I found myself on a road that was being dug up by JCBs. My car was bouncing all over the place as I tried to avoid an expensive blowout in my hired car.
By early afternoon I'd made it to Petra.
I checked into my hotel, booked because it was right outside the main gate to Petra, dumped my bag and headed into one of the seven wonders of the ancient world.
Because I'd made a relatively last-minute decision to travel to Jordan, I hadn't done much research. I obviously knew about Petra and seen pictures of the famous carved stone Treasury building in the rocks. But that was about it.
What I found in reality was mind-blowing.
Petra is vast. A huge area of red/yellow stone, with stunning buildings and carvings dotted between looming rock faces and towering mountains.
I spent two or three hours walking to the far end of the complex. It was epic.
At the far end of Petra, the crowds were thinning out and I spotted a sign tempting me to climb up the mountain. So I did.
At the top I found a tiny shack where a local bedouin man was selling sweet mint tea for 20p a glass.
I sat on the hessian rug at the top of the mountain and gazed out at the valley below and across to the other peaks dotting the horizon.
What a place.
I could've stayed for hours but had to drag myself away.
I retraced my steps, walking the couple of miles or so back to the entrance gate - all the while noticing more incredible sights.
The weather and the light were perfect. It was easy to see why people fall in love with Petra.
Considering Petra dates back to 600 BC and was obviously constructed without any modern machinery, you've got to wonder how on earth they built it.
By the time I walked through the exit I'd driven for 3-4 hrs and walked almost 30,000 steps.
But I didn't have long in the country so wanted to make use of every minute. I quickly freshened up at the hotel and walked into Wadi Musa, the town positioned next to Petra.
I found a place doing good veggie curry and juice, so filled my boots.
I wasn't intending on seeing Petra twice, but a couple of locals had mentioned that the night-time experience was not to be missed.
So I put my trainers back on, paid my entrance fee again and joined dozens of tourists on the snaking, candle-lit walk through the Siq.
As we turned the well-trodden corner at the end of the Siq and saw the famous Treasury, we were met with the sight of hundreds of candles illuminating the centuries-old carved building. It was stunning.
After taking that in, I walked on further. While I'd walked the same paths a few hours before, seeing it at night was a completely different experience and well worth the second visit.
So, a brilliant, exhausting, unforgettable day and night. Right up there with my most memorable travel experiences.
(the roads were so quiet I could stop the car, get out and take a pic)
I'd arranged to meet Mohammed, the person whose accommodation I'd be staying in for the night, in the small Wadi Rum village at 9am.
I parked my car up and soon Mohammed was there. I picked up some snacks and then jumped in his 4x4.
He took me to his house as he had a couple of family things to attend to. I had some tea, met his family. It was chill.
We had a chat about what I could do that day and agreed on a camel ride to his Wadi Rum Bedouin Camp inside the desert, and then a jeep tour in the afternoon.
The camel ride was worth doing, although I'd have been happy with 10 minutes rather than the 60 minutes it took to walk slowly over the sandy terrain.
Camels aren't the most comfortable of animals to ride and my undercarriage took a battering as my camel lurched from side to side. Enough, thanks. Time to get off.
The camp was one of a few that had sprung up in recent years, the brainchild of savvy entrepreneurs like Mohammed who saw an increased tourist influx and decided to act.
It was made up of a large communal eating and socialising building alongside a collection of huts and stargazing pods along wooden walkways.
My words probably can't do justice to quite how beautiful the setting was, so I'll let the pictures speak for themselves.
I'd asked around in the camp to see if anyone wanted to join me for my jeep trip in the afternoon, to split the costs, but unfortunately everyone already had other plans. I'd be flying solo with my driver.
That afternoon was a cracker.
We zoomed around the wide expanse of Wadi Rum, stopping at various spots to walk through canyons, hike up (and surf down) giant sand dunes and climb naturally-formed bridges of rock.
(Note the small stencil of Saddam on the back)
My driver was belting along, at times weaving in and out of other jeeps containing other tourists, enjoying the competitive buzz of seeing who could take the fastest line or tightest corner.
All the while I was in the back of the open-top Mitsubishi, bouncing around and being blown around by the warm Jordanian air. No roads, no seatbelts, no man-made structures for miles around.
It was exhilarating.
At one point the driver took me to a farm owned by his friend, where I got close to some camels and had some more tea.
As the day turned into early evening, the light changed and the desert threw up more beautiful scenes.
We walked through a canyon and then skidded down a sand dune on surfboards.
Glad to have given the local guides a laugh. I was still finding sand in parts of my body days later...
A memorable afternoon was drawing to a close, but not before we stopped at this high rock bridge for a pic.
And then my driver teamed up with another couple of groups to find a secluded spot with great views over the desert basin.
We sat and watched the sunset, drinking more tea and chatting about our travels.
Back at base I had dinner and then went to bed in one of the small huts. No windows or toilet - just a nice bed to rest my weary bones.
I didn't need to set off too early the following day so took myself off on a solo walk from the camp without a real plan in mind.
I spent a couple of hours skirting round the rock behind the camp, climbing up over a large rocky hill and then back round to camp.
Mohammed dropped me back at my car in the village and I set off for the long journey back to Amman.
Being in Petra and Wadi Rum was a lovely bubble to be in for a couple of days. Unforgettable scenery, friendly people, adventure and fun. That's why I love to travel.
My flight back to the UK was the following day, so I had a nice leisurely drive back north. It took about five hours in total, including the odd stop.
At one point I was flagged down by the police. He couldn't speak any English but I'd heard this was a relatively common practice and they needed to see my hire car and entry visa papers.
After a bit of non-verbal back-and-forth as he displayed displeasure at what I'd shown him, he tutted and waved me on my way.
I'd booked a nice hotel near the airport, where I had some lunch on the rooftop.
I went for a quick dip in the small indoor pool and it was soon time for dinner.
The next morning I had, yep, falafel for breakfast before driving the short distance to the airport and dropping off my car.
At my gate I spotted various ex-SAS soldiers from Channel 4's Who Dares Wins (including Jason 'Foxy' Fox, seen over my right shoulder).
Turns out they'd just finished filming the next series of the show in Wadi Rum. It's a vast place, so no surprise I hadn't seen them, but I enjoyed watching the series a few months later. Took me back.
It's a shame the middle east has become such a no-go zone in recent years, as this will undoubtedly be having an effect on peaceful countries like Jordan.
I'd love to visit Lebanon, Israel, even Syria one day. But the way the world is going, it feels less and less likely.
My advice? Go to Jordan if you're looking for a hassle-free adventure just a few hours from England. It's a great energiser.
