mafraq, jordan: a student's cheap thrill (and cold nights)

i landed in mafraq with a backpack that smelled like a gym bag and exactly 12.5 jd to last three days. the plan was to 'experience the authentic jordanian countryside' on a shoestring, which is basically my specialty. i’d read a TripAdvisor thread about mafraq being a 'hidden gem' (yeah, okay) and decided to roll the dice. big mistake. or maybe the best mistake? i don’t know yet. first order of business: find a place to sleep that doesn’t cost more than a kebab. i asked around at the bus station-well, i didn’t ask, i just listened to the chaos. someone told me there's a 'hostel' run by an old lady near the mosque, but i couldn't find the mosque because the signs are in arabic and my phone had died. brilliant. after wandering for an hour i stumbled into a internet cafe where the owner, ali, let me charge my phone for a small fee (2 jd, student discount not included). i checked the weather app because i could feel the chill in my bones: it's 11.1 degrees celsius right now, feels like 10.15, humidity 72%-i’m not crying, it’s just the wind. the pressure’s 1007 hpa, whatever that means, and the ground level’s 882, which sounds like a video game stat. basically, i’m in a damp desert cold that seeps into your bones, and i have no jacket because i packed for the beach. student travel fail. found a couchsurfing host eventually, a guy named omar who lives in an apartment above a bakery. the catch? i have to be quiet because his grandma sleeps early. fine by me; i’m too tired to make noise anyway. he handed me a thin blanket and said 'welcome to the real jordan'. i wasn’t sure if that meant 'no heating' or 'more humidity'. turned out it was both. the next morning i set out to explore. mafraq isn’t exactly bustling; it’s a quiet town with dusty streets and occasional tractors. i headed towards what google maps claimed was a 'historical castle'. on the way i passed a small falafel stand run by a man named abu hani. the falafel cost 0.5 jd each and was actually the best i’ve ever had. i ate four. someone had recommended it on a yelp review, but the review was from 2019 and said 'abes falafel changed my life'-well, it did change my morning. so here’s the link to that hidden gem (if you’re in mafraq, go: Abu Hani on Yelp). i’m not kidding, you’ll thank me later. maybe. i asked abu hani about the castle. he laughed and said 'the castle? it's been closed for years. but the guards outside still take 2 jd for photos, and you won’t go inside. don’t bother.' i heard the same rumor from a traveler at the hostel later that night: 'someone told me that the castle is a scam, but the view from the hill is worth the climb.' i decided to skip the castle and instead walked to the outskirts where the desert starts. the landscape is all low hills and scrubby bushes. the wind never stops. i swear i’ve blown away twice. i took some pictures (see below) and tried to imagine what it’d be like to live out here. probably awesome if you have a 4x4 and a lifetime supply of tea. speaking of tea, i’ve been drinking more mint tea than water. it’s cheap (0.3 jd per glass) and warms you up just enough to forget your toes are numb. i’ve also discovered that the local bus to amman leaves at 6am and costs 3 jd roundtrip. if you get bored, amman's just a short drive away, but the bus is the only option if you’re a student like me. i missed the 4pm bus because i got caught up in a conversation with a retired history teacher who insisted the whole region was once part of the nabataean trade routes. fascinating, but i nearly missed my ride back to omar’s place. lesson: set an alarm. the weather here is a character in its own right. i checked again: still 11.1°C, still feels like 10.15, humidity still 72%. at this point i’m convinced the weather app is broken. i’ve been reading a few online forums to get the real scoop. there’s a Jordan Travel Board where someone posted: 'mafraq is the most underrated place for stargazing.' i tried that last night-lay on a blanket outside omar’s building and looked up. the sky was indeed clear, and i saw more stars than i ever have in my life. also saw a satellite or two, and maybe a drone? not sure. but it was free, which fits my budget. now, about those rumors: i heard that the best mansaf (jordan’s national dish) in a 100km radius is actually served at a family restaurant called 'beitlimat' but it’s only open on weekends. i’ll try to go tomorrow if i can scrape together 5 jd. also, i’ve been warned about the 'taxi mafia'-they charge 20 jd for a 2km ride. i just walk everywhere. saves money and i get to see more of the dusty streets. i should probably mention the map. i’m currently somewhere east of mafraq, near the coordinates you see below. i’m not exactly sure where i am, but the view is insane. it’s like being on another planet. here’s a map so you can see the general area:

see that? that’s where i’ve been wandering. endless desert, occasional goats, and the occasional military training area (don’t ask). i’d recommend bringing water, a hat, and maybe a compass if you’re as directionally challenged as me. oh, and a jacket-i’d kill for a jacket now. i took a couple of photos along the way. the first one is of the desert hills near where i got lost. the second is of abu hani’s falafel stand (he let me take a picture after i promised to write about it). here:

i’m not sure how much longer i’ll stay. i’ve got 2 jd left, which buys either a bus ticket back to amman or one more night at omar’s couch (with a promise to help his mom with chores). i might just walk to the next town and see what happens. that’s the budget student way: no plan, just vibes. and maybe i’ll write a yelp review for omar’s couch: 'comfortable, cheap, but bring your own blanket and earplugs for grandma's snoring.' if you’re thinking of coming to mafraq, my advice is: bring warm clothes, learn some arabic phrases (i’m terrible, but i try), and don’t trust the castle hype. instead, find the falafel guy, drink tea, and stare at the stars. and if you’re broke like me, the desert is free. just watch out for the wind-it’ll steal your hat and your dignity. i’m off to find a bus, but first, i think i’ll have another mint tea. because why not? it’s cheaper than coffee and it’s the only thing keeping me from turning into a popsicle.

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