Mount Everest

Mount Everest is one of the tallest mountains in the world. It is part of the Himalayan Mountains. They were formed in the last few million years. After the supercontinent of Laurasia broke up millions of years ago, India moved slowly north towards Asia and then crashed into it.

The seabed between the two plates (the earth's crust is divided into large areas of land called plates) was crumbled and pushed up on the northern rim of India to form mountains. These two plates of the earth's crust are still moving, so the Himalayas are being pushed up higher.

The highest mountain on the planet, Mount Everest is growing two inches taller each year. Satellite technology says the mountain is currently 29,107 feet tall. First recognized as the highest peek in 1852, it got its western name ten years later in 1862. Mount Everest was named for Sir George Everest (1790-1866), a British surveyor. Surveyors don't agree on the height of Mount Everest. The British government in the 1800's thought the height was 29,002 feet.

In 1954 the Indian government said it's 29,028 feet, but a widely used unofficial figure says it is 29,141 feet! Mount Everest sits on the border between Nepal and Tibet. People from the western hemisphere weren't allowed to climb Mount Everest until the early 1920's. The first known climb that made it to the top was made by a New Zealander named Edmund Hillary and a Napalese named Tenzing Norgay.

They climbed the mountain in 1953. Since then Everest has been climbed by 400 people. Access is restricted by the Nepalese to prevent too much damage to the environment.Mount Everest is 97 degrees below freezing, talk about cold!

Petra

Petra is a site in the Arabah, Jordan that was discovered by a Swiss explorer called Johann Ludwig Burckhardt in 1812 and is considered to be, yet another splendid beauty in the history of mankind. Arabah is a section of the Great Rift Valley and it is located between the Dead Sea (north) and the Gulf of Aqaba (south) forming part of the border between Jordan (east) and Israel (west).

Petra represents the ancient world’s heritage culture. It is a beauty hidden behind layers of mountain. The ones who have seen it say it is a treasure beyond comparison. It is now said to be one of the seventh wonder of the world and it belongs to the UNESCO world heritage site. The entire red rose city of Petra has such a charismatic appeal that it attracts anyone & everyone who enters the city, taking them to a different world of divine beauty and mystery. Petra mainly is admired because of its picture perfect architecture, its complex structure, quality and the non mentionable mere size.

The one’s who visited it say that it is a site that can never be forgotten. The city of Petra takes its name, which is the Greek word for “rock”, from the fact that it is most notable for its buildings and tombs that are carved directly into the red sandstone that serves as the city’s natural protection from invaders. Its popularity with tourists may also have a connection to the city’s Biblical significance. It is here where King Aretas called for the arrest of the Apostle Paul at the time of his conversion.

How to Get:
This historical fortress is located 170 miles southwest of Amman, Jordan on the edges of the Wadi Araba desert. It is also 50 miles south of the Dead Sea and the only way to enter the city is through a narrow crevice called the Siq. One has to uncover a very narrow path of mountains, kilometer by kilometer before they get to see the majestic beauty of Petra.This path is only about five meters wide, with sandstone walls towering up hundreds of meters high on both sides. This long, narrow & not very well lighted gorge is very cool & soothes the visitors before it unfolds the mystery step by step.

A taxi is the best means of transportation to get from the Queen Alia International Airport to Amman. Remember to ask the driver to take you to the Wahdat bus terminal, since there are two major bus stations in Amman. Destinations are usually printed in Arabic on the respective buses, so if you do not read Arabic, ask to be shown to the bus that will take you to Petra.