Surprise guest

Saturday, December 14th

7:30 am. I have a quick breakfast and then make my way as quickly as possible. Although Hanni won't arrive until quarter past 11 today, I want to take the public bus to the airport, which is by far the cheapest option, and you never know what might happen. I've been told that the buses depart from 7th Circle, where my taxi driver will take me. However, I still need to find out exactly where I need to go there.

Before my driver drops me off, he asks how much I'm paying for the bus, but I already know what he's getting at. I'm sure that most taxi drivers here at the big roundabout will try to persuade me to take a ride to the airport. Obviously, he also doesn't know where the buses depart from here, and takes me to a small bus stop below 7th Circle.

Not the right place, as the bus drivers there tell me, who are otherwise very friendly and try to explain to me where I need to stand at the top of the roundabout. So, I go back up the stairs again, and a taxi driver follows me, desperately trying to get me into his taxi through his open driver's window. "20 JD Airport!", his first offer. I decline, and he immediately halves his price. "The buses are finished for today. 10 JD!". I know that's a lie, and even though I know he may need such lies, I'm still annoyed by so much audacity.

Still not entirely sure where the buses stop when I arrive back at the Circle, so eventually I have no choice but to ask a taxi driver again. He gives me directions, albeit not willingly. "Hun," he says, "here." So I stand next to him, ignoring his attempts to offer me a ride in his taxi and hoping that I'm in the right place. I keep turning my head in all directions so as not to miss a bus coming from any direction, and after about 15 minutes, I am relieved.

A small bus appears with "Express" written on the front, just as the bus drivers told me. I get on and see that there are no seats left, but no problem: the bus driver says something in Arabic to the young man sitting behind him, who then gets up and gives me his seat. It goes against my grain, but I'd rather not cause a scene until I arrive at the airport. The main road to the airport is not very busy today, so I arrive at the airport easily shortly after 10. For 3.30 JD. Can't complain about that.

I sit in a café for an hour and then stand at the gate with my "Welcome to Jordan" sign and the cookies I've got. After almost an hour, when Hanni's flight has long been listed as "Arrived" on the display board, I receive a call from Hanni. She is at the visa counter, where there are obviously some problems. She needs my address. And my phone number, as the airport officer tells me, so she can give it to the officer who will take her cellphone. However, my message that I send in response doesn't go through, and I can't reach her either. I have no choice but to wait.

Just as I am informing Ferhad about the latest developments and then look up from my phone, Ramo is standing in front of me. I stare at him in disbelief with my mouth open, and only realize it's reality when I hear Hanni laughing in the background. They have definitely managed to surprise me. So next week, we will be traveling together as a group of three 😊

Hanni and Ramo have no problem taking the public bus, so we take the same route back to 7th Circle that I came from. When we arrive there, the taxi drivers pounce on all the tourists who get off our bus and offer exorbitant prices to get to the center of Amman. It is only the third taxi driver we ask who starts the meter normally and takes us quickly and at normal rates to our apartment. If you're new here and don't know the prices and customs, you're really lost.

We drop off our luggage, and then I give Ramo and Hanni a small city tour: first to the shawarma place in Jabal Amman, then through Rainbow Street and down our university terrace and the Zajal stairs to downtown. It's the perfect time to watch the sunset, so I then lead them to my "back entrance" to the Citadel. It works wonderfully as always, so we soon climb around the ruins of the Citadel and enjoy a really beautiful sunset with a pink cloud-filled sky. Standing up here in Amman for the first time offers a truly impressive view of the city.

Afterwards, we walk back down to downtown, then up to Weibdeh, where I show them Manara and then Jungle Fever. We have a coffee together there, and then I stay with my laptop to work on some assignments that are due, while Ramo and Hanni make their way home. Since there are two of them and Ramo speaks the language here, I can let them go alone with a clear conscience. It's definitely going to be a great week.