So Bad It Hertz

So I neglected to mention that I rented a car while in Jordan.  I rented it from the guy with a desk and a cell phone in the hotel lobby.  Good hotel, so I assumed, normal rental car company.  That's called foreshadowing.

He didn't give me any kind of receipt or anything when I made the reservation.  Should have been first clue.  I reserved it with my hotel room number.  You see, but then due to a long story, the hotel moved me to a new room.  Didn't occur to me to inform the rental car guy and his cell phone.

So when I finished work on the appointed Friday and returned to the hotel to pick up the car to pick up Katie and the kids from the airport (which turns out to be about 90 minutes from downtown Amman), there was no car.  You see, when the guy attempted to confirm the reservation, he couldn't find anyone in the previous room.  Precious time ticked away.

At length, a car arrived.  But not my car.  The guy said to get in his car and he would drive me to my car, which I assumed would be close.  It wasn't.  I didn't know how to get back to the hotel from my new car.  Not to worry, said the guy, you can just leave from here and go straight to the airport and you'll make it just in time.  Alas, my driver's license, passport, cash, cell phone and other items necessary to depart for the airport were back at the hotel on account of my not realizing I would be driven several miles therefrom.

So I meandered my way back to the hotel with only one wrong turn, retrieved said necessary items, and then began meandering my way to the airport, already late to pick up Katie.  Turns out the way to the airport is not as direct as I had imagined.  A few wrong turns later, I was on my way.

Turns out the guy gave me the car on empty.  Turns out gas stations are not easy to find in Amman.  Then I started getting texts from another guy saying he was with my wife and that she was on the corner thumbing for a ride.  So I was looking for a gas station, trying to read mostly Arabic street signs, and trying to text to some strange guy to tell Katie I was on my way.

Anyway, it was awesome.  Then I got lost on the way back to the hotel and we drove all over Amman. At length, I stopped at a gas station and found a man in a Mercedes MacLaren who spoke English.  He said he would drive to our hotel and that I could follow him.  Suddenly I was in Le Mans racing around Amman in my rented Mazda 3 at about 100 mph chasing this Mario Andretti.  At length, I recognized some landmarks and knew the way.

On the final hill to the hotel, the Mazda 3 gave up the ghost.  Dead.  100 yards from the hotel.

Don't rent a car in Amman from the guy with the cell phone.

(But chasing the MacLaren was fantastic.)

Marketing Exercise

So I'm a big fan of marketing and brands.  As such, on a lark, I attempted to pick five brands that would give a good sense of our family even if you knew nothing else about us.  Here's what I came up with (in no particular order):

1. Disney
2. BYU
3. Apple
4. Red Sox
5. Star Alliance

Then one clarifying brand for each individual:

Katie: Snowbird
Tim: Nike
Madeline: Harry Potter
Caleb: Wild Kratts
Henry: Marvel

The Reason I Took This Job

Riding to Petra entrance.  "Dad, stop asking if I like it, I'm busy riding a horse."

Henry is sucking on the Camelbak, if you were wondering.

Horseback ride included in park entrance fee (with a $10 tip per horse)

At which point I heard these magical words: "This is the awesomest day ever!"

Henry is making Spider Man fingers, if you were wondering.

The Treasury

It's a long walk to the Monastery

Henry almost fell off the donkey, if you were wondering. Saved by his foot getting tangled in the rope.

At which point I heard these magical words: "This is like a real adventure, not a pretend adventure."

Henry fell asleep with three miles to walk back to the entrance, if you were wondering.

I was a tough negotiator and got the price down from 20 dinars to 10 for this life-saving ride back to the entrance, only to find out I only had a 20 dinar bill. Driver's lucky day.

Overlooking Jordan Valley

Entrance to Karak Castle

An ice cream-like snack

Clearly discussing something very important

That's the Dead Sea in the background

Dead Sea (and wife and daughter)

(Not) swimming in the Dead Sea

At the Dead Sea resort

At the Dead Sea besort

Jordan River baptism site

Mount Nebo

I'm a Believer

Geography increases my religiosity.  When I'm far from those I love, I yet feel connected to them.  This in turn prompts religious sentiment.  It seems I can feel my family's prayers/love/hope/faith (whatever you want to call it) as a physical thing.

I like science.  I read about science.  I especially enjoy physics and stuff about space.  I don't fully understand a lot of it, but it's cool.  So now and then some of the scientific stuff creates some confusion about how to interpret some of the religious stuff, and vice versa.

But you know what?  I just believe.  I can't really explain it and I don't think I have to.  What can I say?  I'm a believer.

Goal-Oriented or Anti-Social

So I go up to the hotel lounge to eat some eclairs and listen to the audio book of Guns, Germs, and Steel and this guy starts trying to talk to me. He's all like, "Hi, how are you?" and that sort of thing.  And I'm thinking, whoa there buddy, I have a 24 audio books-per-year goal that I'm behind on.

But do I say that?  No.  I'm all polite and stuff so I say hi back.  I even extend my hand for a shake and give my name!  Fatal error.  Never give your name to people with whom you do not want to converse.  Abort!

Too late because he's already like, "Bet you'll never guess where I live."  And then I go, "Wales?"  You know, 'cause he has an accent but I don't want to be all cliche and say London and, of course, I can't tell the difference between any of the accents over there anyway.

And then he goes, "Dallas, Texas!" and I'm all, "Wow, you got me" and he's all "I know, right?" And I'm thinking, when can I put in my earphones?

Then like a flash he's showing me photos of Petra and giving me advice about how to visit and giving me incorrect information about how far a walk it is and I don't want to tell him I've already been there and that I know he's exaggerating so I'm just nodding stupidly and stuffing eclairs into my mouth so I don't have to feel obligated to say anything.

I didn't listen to my audio book.  The eclairs were delicious.

Top 10 Songs That...

My blog and Facebook post frequency goes way up when I'm traveling.  I am presently compiling new playlists from my hotel room at the Amman Marriott.  I'm trying to come up with top 10 songs that are awesome when you imagine singing them to your kids but less so when you imagine singing them to your wife/girlfriend.  Top song on that list: "Hero" by Enrique Iglesias.

Also just discovered The Killers.  I don't know why it took me so long.  "Runaway" is, ahem, a killer song.

Apology to My Happy Band of Blog Readers

Just found out I had posted the last two videos as private. My bad. You should be able to watch them now.

First Game of the Season (Caleb)

My soccer coach used to get frustrated with me for slipping into "Tim's Playland" during games and not paying attention. So I had to include this first clip. Then there is some good action and a bit of nice defensive positioning. My kids might be natural fullbacks. Caleb had some good kicks but I did not get them on video.

First Game of the Season (Madeline)

I like the natural bounce as the ball approaches. I like the angle (some natural understanding of the game's geometry). Especially, I like the block. 

Politics Begins in the Home

First, I encounter the fact-checker:

7:25 am (10 minutes before school departure)

Tim, has Caleb eaten anything?

Define "anything."

Caleb, have you eaten anything?

Pants on Fire

Did you give them vitamins?

This week?

Pants on Fire

Is Caleb's swimsuit in his bag?

You didn't say which bag.

Pants on Fire!

Have you been reading The Wall Street Journal all morning?

What? No. Not all morning.

PANTS ON FIRE!

Then we review the broken promises.

Dad, remember when we were in Utah...

Buddy that was two years ago.

... remember when we were in Utah and you said I could have a pet.

Dad, you said you would read us Harry Potter tonight.

That was before you decided to stay up late playing Legos.

But dad, you said.

Dad, you said I could have chocolate milk.

That was before you had ice cream.

But dad, you said.

Henry Goes to School (and stuff)

My little buddy started school. The last one is out of the house. I'm a grown up (which realization is not wholly unrelated to my decision to go out for ice cream tonight).

Cairo American College, the school of my older two, instituted a new no-homework policy this year (which realization is causing significant helicopter trouble).