TEXT FPO - Driving Sports TV

country knew of the rally, which was rather refreshing
after experiencing almost the exact opposite in
Japan around Rally Japan time (“Rally? What’s rally?”
was one of the most common reactions in Japan).
so when we went out to the stages and hardly saw
anyone, it sort of threw me off. Where were the local
spectators? Maybe it was the locations we went to,
but at some spots I saw more members of the press
than locals. but the few spectators we saw were all
enjoying the rally under the blindingly hot sun,
cheering loudly whenever a rally car went by. Many
were young people, often in single-gender groups as
Subaru World Rally Team driver Petter Solberg
enjoying local hospitality prior to competition.
RALLY JORDON TRAVELOGUE
is common in Jordan (unmarried singles aren’t supposed
to be together out in public). The service Park
was very compact, with vending areas in the middle
with starbucks and burger King. after eating only
local food for 10 days straight and sweating all day, a
Frappuccino and a Whopper sure tasted good.
Getting around the country was quite easy. all
the signs in the country, from big cities to small
towns, were in both arabic and english, and with
the three major highways running north-south,
you couldn’t really get lost. My friend and I didn’t
even have a detailed map of the area, but the general
maps in our guidebooks and the rally map did
the job. If you’re a traveler and love having the freedom
of choosing your own places to visit during the
trip, renting a car is highly recommended. The occasional
spotting of herds of goat, sheep and sometimes
camels adds to the fun. The only drawback is
that your rental car is likely to break down or have
a puncture very, very often. The customer service
aspect of local companies (ours was a local branch
of an american rental car company) is very, very
weak, and you’re not likely to get the service you
deserve, such as a replacement to your problemridden
rental car. but if you’re a mechanic and can
handle mechanical problems, go for it by all means.
The country is full of amazing places, and it’s best
to get around on your own without relying on public
transportation. The locals drive in a style I would
describe as ReCKLess, and overtaking cars in front
of you is expected; drivers often cross over to the opposite
lanes in order to pass cars in front, but as long
as you don’t crash into others it’s not a big deal. Jordanian
highways are all beautifully paved, and with
the rolling hills with a great view (although very dry
and brown for most part) it makes for a great driving
experience between historical sites and nature
reserves.
after spending two full weeks in Jordan, I can say
that I look forward to going back there again soon. I
couldn’t see all the places that were on my list, but
moreover I want to see how Jordan Rally evolves, especially
with the way they set up the ceremonial finish.
a great distance was felt between spectators and
the drivers/co-drivers, because the podium was so
far away and facing only the photographers (general
spectators were allowed only on one side). I personally
didn’t feel that the spectators were considered
part of the ceremonial finish, which is regrettable
because that’s one of the highlights for spectators,
but that’s probably the organizers’ first-year promotional
effort. The stages were easy to go to, so I
do hope that won’t discourage rally fans from other
countries from going. I look forward to floating on
my back in the Dead sea again, and next time I’ll
make sure to do the “Dead sea Float” – with an issue
of Subiesport in hand. <
SubIESpOrt MagazInE 85