T.E. Lawrence (Lawrence of Arabia) is inextricably linked to British History in the Middle East. This was a man who undoubtedly held a special place in his heart for the Arabian desert and her people. He spent many years of his life exploring this region, attempting to understand its history and dynamics, whilst establishing close relationships with its inhabitants. He was made famous through his role as a liaison for the British army during the Arab Revolt against Ottoman Turkish rule between 1916 and 1918. The story of his involvement in this epic series of battles has been sensationalized through film and personally accounted for in his own book "Seven Pillars of Wisdom." Less well known are the multitude of other activities he partook in, not least of which was his first excursion to Ottoman Syria as a 21 year old where on foot he covered more than 1,500km in a quest to gather information on the crusader castles. One need not be British to be seduced by the adventures of this man who spoke 8 languages (including Arabic and Latin), a man who followed a personal desire to gain and share an understanding of a world largely unknown or inaccurately depicted by the West. His extraordinary achievements are made that much more incredible considering his life was cut short by a motorbike accident at the age of only 46.
Now imagine a journey to the Middle East that incorporates the fascinations of this man's life. Visit modern day Jordan's Wadi Rum which Lawrence and his army used as a base during the Arab Revolt. It was from here that they attacked the Hejaz railway, set up by the Ottoman Turks to expand their influence in the region. Wadi Rum is described by Lawrence in his "Seven Pillars of Wisdom".
“Day was still young as we rode between two great pikes of sandstone to the foot of a long, soft slope poured down from the domed hills in front of us. It was tamarisk-covered: the beginning of the Valley of Rum, they said. We looked up on the left to a long wall of rock, sheering in like a thousand-foot wave towards the middle of the valley; whose other arc, to the right, was an opposing line of steep, red broken hills. We rode up the slope, crashing our way through the brittle undergrowth”
Wadi Rum is an incredible landscape marked by massive granite and sand stone mountains, deep fissures and canyons. The mountains also hold the well preserved ancient rock paintings laid down by tribes through the history of time.
Luke & Suzanne can arrange for you to visit this fascinating area and get to know her secrets.
Contact us for more information here
Further Reading References:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/T._E._Lawrence
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wadi_rum
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Seven_Pillars_of_Wisdom
http://www.phespirit.info/places/2002_11_jordan_1.htm
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