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A New Jersey resident, Caitlin Redden, had an unexpected encounter on her visit to Petra, Jordan, when she was invited to spend a day with a local Bedouin tribe. The experience nearly initiated a missing person’s search while she stayed with the tribe.
Caitlin said she arrived at the Petra park early in the morning with the intention of beating the crowd for her social media pictures. She had just begun appreciating the treasury when a local Bedouin man approached her offering tips for interesting photo spots.
As they conversed, he revealed that he was part of the local Bedouin tribe, a community of nomadic animal herders who reside in Middle Eastern deserts. The man invited Caitlin to visit his cave dwelling in Petra, an invitation she accepted.
Upon arrival at the cave, Caitlin was introduced to the man’s family. During her visit, she got a firsthand glimpse into the simple yet interesting lives of the Bedouin tribe, even accompanying them on a trek to meet other tribe members on their donkey, Shakira.
The visit extended into a late-night dinner and an unexpected sleepover at the cave when Caitlin drifted off to sleep. This caused worry at the hostel where she was slated to spend the night, even nearly leading to a police search.
Upon waking, Caitlin quickly allayed the concerns by calling the hostel to assure them about her safety and promised to return later in the day.
After breakfast, she joined the tribe in their search for a lost donkey, taking a car ride through a dried-up riverbed. Eventually, they gathered another donkey and a mule for a trip to Petra monastery, marking an end to Caitlin’s remarkable albeit unplanned visit with the Bedouin tribe.
Reflecting on her experience, Caitlin stated she felt as though she had a private tour of Petra.
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