Water, water everywhere, and not a drop to drink.

After exploring the ancient mysteries of Petra and the alien world of the Wadi Rum desert, we ended our incredible week in Jordan with a 2-night stay by the Dead Sea.

Nine times saltier than the ocean and resting at the lowest point on the Earth’s surface, the Dead Sea is a true natural wonder. I still find it difficult to comprehend being 1,388 feet below sea level. I wanted to see if the air felt denser, if the land felt lower, and of course — if it was really possible to float with such ease in the salty water, as I had seen in photos.

But more than anything, I wanted to make sure we saw it — and swam in it — before it disappeared. Due to climate change, mass mineral mining and the overuse of the River Jordan, the Dead Sea is losing its life source, and is now rapidly shrinking as a result. I felt it would be a great shame to miss seeing such a significant place of history, where the great religions of today were born.

Little did I know that this part of our trip would hold special significance for me, one that would outshine any of the sights we had seen during our time in Jordan.

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On 12 March 2019, we began the 4-hour drive from Wadi Rum, a journey that took us from red, barren desert to sparkling sapphire shores. From every angle, the Dead Sea remained flat and still, like glass. At certain stops, we could even see bright white salt mounds on the water’s edge. The land around it was dry and rocky, almost crater-like, and at times I felt like we had just discovered water on a distant planet. We had to stop more than a few times just to admire the view.

Our destination was the Hilton Dead Sea resort and spa. It was easily the nicest place I’ve ever stayed in, and I couldn’t believe how luxurious it looked inside and out.

When we arrived, I immediately went off to check out the views from the lobby. Meanwhile, Patrick went to check us in — but I didn’t notice the hushed conversation between him and the concierge. We got the room keys and went up to unpack. But when we walked in, I was surprised to see the bed covered in rose petals!

The room itself was also massive, featuring huge windows that looked out to a great view of the Dead Sea. I couldn’t believe it. Had they given us the wrong room? Patrick brushed it off and said they probably did this for all guests, especially in the off-season. Needless to say, I was pretty confused but excited to be living the good life.

Patrick suggested that we relax for a bit, then go down to the beach to watch the sunset. But first, he wanted to shower and iron his shirt — something I thought was strange, considering we never iron our clothes while travelling! Suddenly there was a knock on the door and a member of the hotel staff presented me with a red, heart-shaped cake. He sat it down in the room and left with a quick ‘Congratulations’.

Now, obviously at this point I began to suspect that Patrick had something special planned for the night. A proposal, perhaps? When he got out of the shower, I showed him the cake and his confused yet concerned reaction confirmed my suspicions — he knew the surprise had been spoiled! Not wanting to ruin his plans, I didn’t say anything more about it. Again we said, ‘Well maybe they do this for all their guests…what great service!’

We went down to the beach and the sunset was indeed beautiful. I was all pins and needles, waiting for something to happen. Then, Patrick got down on one knee and popped the question. I said yes of course, we both shed a few tears, and then he gave me a gorgeous emerald ring made in Budapest (our home at the time).

To celebrate, we went to dinner in the resort. Patrick had clearly booked a table beforehand, because the hostess immediately said ‘Ah yes, Connolly – this is for the engagement, yes?’ Thank god he had already proposed or she would’ve completely ruined the surprise!

We spent the evening laughing about the various ways the hostel staff had actively tried to spoil the surprise. We realised that when Patrick had emailed them ahead of our arrival, he probably hadn’t made it clear that he was planning on proposing during our stay — the staff clearly thought he was telling them that we had just got engaged and they therefore wanted to help us celebrate! All of their efforts were extremely sweet and they really went far and beyond to ensure we had a wonderful and romantic stay. And, thanks to them, our engagement story is even more memorable.

Bathing our feet in the River Jordan

After a late night of video-chatting with family to celebrate, we had a lovely breakfast by the poolside, then set off to explore the Dead Sea area. To really learn about the history of the area, we drove to Bethany Beyond the Jordan, were a guided mini-bus tour took us to the main baptism site in Jordan — and the spot where Jesus was said to be baptised.

The River Jordan wasn’t anything like I had pictured. When you think of pilgrims, ancient and modern, immersing themselves in a river to cleanse away their sins, you automatically picture clear, sparkling water — a river fit for a god perhaps. But at first glance, the River Jordan appeared shallow, brown and incredibly murky. The riverbanks were overgrown and the standing docks were falling apart.

A few people in our tour group chose to wade deep into the water, while others collected the water into small jars to take home to family. This isn’t surprising as many consider it to be holy water, and our guide even felt the need to warn us not to drink the water. Patrick and I were content to just dip our feet in it.

And we weren’t the only ones stepping in. At one view point, we could see pilgrims on the Israel side plunging themselves deep into the brown water. The difference between the two sides of the river was pretty stark — where the Jordan side felt almost forgotten, the Israel side was all built up with grand visitor centres, where massive crowds of people were queuing up to dive in. It was clear where the money lay on the River Jordan.

As we explored more, I found I preferred the wild oasis that the Jordanians had preserved. It felt more authentic, as if the land hadn’t changed that much since Moses crossed its shores. This was surely a river where the humble, every-day man or woman would’ve washed away their sins, just like Jesus.

Where Christianity began

Our next stop on tour was the supposed spot where Jesus was baptised by St. John the Baptist. Known as ‘Bethany’ in Hebrew, which means ‘House of the poor or afflicted’ and ‘Al-Maghtas’ in Arabic, meaning ‘Baptism’, this holy place has long been a popular pilgrimage for Jewish and Christian peoples, documented as far back as 333 AD.

It was here where Moses and the Israelites crossed the river on their way to the Promised Land while carrying the Ark of the Covenant, and where the prophet Elijah ascended to Heaven in a chariot of fire. At that period of history, the river flowed into various natural springs and brooks, in which John the Baptist washed away the sins of visiting pilgrims (a safer place than the dangerous river). In one of the brooks he baptised Jesus, and a basilica was built beside it called the Church of St. John the Baptiste in the Byzantine era.

Today, the River Jordan has completely changed course, no longer flowing into the brooks that once welcomed the sinners of the ancient world. The baptismal site has all but dried up, and is mainly used for archaeological excavations. Still, it was great to see the stone steps leading into the water — you could almost imagine a crowd of robed pilgrims waiting to wade in.

From Bethany Beyond the Jordan, we could see the golden dome of a church in the distance. We were told that many churches have been built around the area over the years, with the latest being this stunning Greek Orthodox church built in 2003.

The Church of St. John the Baptist sits in its own little oasis, surrounded by palm trees and nature. While it looks fairly modern or simplistic from the outside, we were blown away by the beautifully detailed frescoes and mosaics inside.

Floating in the Dead Sea

After our busy morning, all we wanted to do was go relax at the pool and swim in the sea back at the hotel. Knowing that this was our last night in Jordan, we really wanted to take it all in and contemplate all we had seen over the past 9 days.

We ate lunch by the pool and sipped cocktails by the pool bar. As it was March, the unheated pool was pretty chilly, but I figured it was one of the few times I’d ever get to enjoy an infinity pool!

Then we headed down to the beach for a mini spa day. We did our best to cover ourselves in the famous Dead Sea mud, though we had fun drawing on moustaches and other silly designs. Known for its restorative, anti-inflammatory properties, the mud here is thick and salty, but it does feel cool and soothing on the skin. We saw a few people literally cover themselves from head to toe before burying themselves in the hot sand.

After rinsing off in the outdoor showers, it was time to try floating in the sea. My feet immediately sank deep into the thick, oozing mud as I stepped in and for a moment I pictured myself being swallowed up by quicksand. But I quickly learnt that the easiest way to wade into the Dead Sea is to simply sit down in the water, lay back, and let yourself float to the deep end.

You hear stories of being able to float in the Dead Sea, but experiencing it is just incredible. I’ve never felt so weightless or relaxed. The water felt slick, almost slimy, and I could feel the salt on my body after drying off.

As the sun set over the Dead Sea, we said a tearful goodbye to Jordan. We had had a brilliant time exploring this beautiful country and we were sad to leave it. We had travelled through Petra like Indiana Jones, roamed through the Mars-like desert of Wadi Rum like a true Bedouin, and stepped foot in the River Jordan like so many pilgrims who had come before us. And, it was the place we got engaged. No trip has yet to match it, and I doubt I’ll ever feel as strongly about a place as I do for Jordan and all its wonders.