Christine Bergholdt set out on a bold 600-kilometer journey along the Jordan Trail, stretching from the rolling hills of Umm Qais to the red sands of Wadi Rum. Traversing one of the Middle East’s most scenic and challenging long-distance routes, she experienced Jordan’s breathtaking beauty and punishing elements.
Before setting off, Christine spent days searching for the right travel companion. Eventually she found an unnamed donkey in a market and named him Sabar, Arabic for patience. Together they navigated steep mountains, unmarked trails and sweltering heat, often journeying without GPS signal due to interference near conflict zones.
Through it all, eye protection was critically important. The desert’s harsh light, dust, grit, and reflective terrain make it a harsh environment to traverse without strong eye protection. VALLON’s Heron Desert sunglasses, with side shields and polarized Cat. 3 lenses proved essential to block out sunlight from all angles, and keep wind and sand at bay.
“They shielded my eyes in brutal conditions, were sat on, stolen, tried on by kids - and still held up.”
After covering 250 km, Christine had to part ways with Sabar and he was entrusted to a local goat farmer. Travelling through sandstorms, and withstanding theft from looters, she was determined to continue. She traveled onto Petra in search of another camel.
Despite many shaking heads, and disbelief that she was seeking to acquire a camel, eventually she was directed to a gas station where she met a towering male camel, who she named Pete. With no formal instruction, she learned to ride and care for him on the go. The pair crossed 270 km of Wadi Rum’s surreal, The Martian-like landscape, were welcomed by Bedouin hosts, and guided by the stars.
The journey's final stretch to Aqaba was grueling, with logistical hurdles and extreme dehydration, but they finally together managed to reach the Red Sea. In celebration, Pete drank 20 buckets of water from a child’s sandcastle bucket, and Christine spent days recovering on the beach with a stray dog as her companion who had followed them to the shore.
“My Heron Desert sunglasses made me look like a heroine out of Mad Max - but more importantly, they worked.”
This journey across Jordan tested Christine’s resilience and redefined her view of what’s possible alone in wild and at times, desolate landscapes. Through sandstorms, towering dunes, and bumpy camel rides, her Heron Desert sunglasses were as enduring as her spirit - the right gear to lift her confidence, and keep her adventure moving forwards until the finish.
Follow Christine’s journey: @christinebergholdt
