A Flying Rug and Other Modes of Transportation

“Leaving so soon?”

“I have a long way to drive: I need to pick up the kids from my mom’s, and then drive all the way back home in Madaba. It will take me over an hour and a half.”

“Then, I have to give you my flying rug!”

“Aaah, won’t that be wonderful!”

Vanetsov's Ivan and the Firebird

Of all the modes of transportation, a flying rug would be ideal: it can’t weigh more than, what five kilos; it comes in a myriad of colors and patterns (think floral for this season); it is easily stored: just roll it open to go or fold and stash it under the bed. Not to mention the cute frills it  has, and it is TOTALLY Oriental magic.

YES. I have a problem with transportations.

Henry Ford was successful in creating a self-propelled vehicle. Since the introduction of his horseless carriage, the automobile industry has provided numerous choices to suite the different economies, and now environmental standards. From electric cars to autos that drip water from their exhaust pipes. Really good stuff!

Then there is public transportation that allowed greater number of people to ascend the same vehicle, as opposed to a six-horse carriage, or camels’ caravans. Those include busses, trams, trains, which underwent amazing upgrades. Of course, in Japan, they have Shinkansen, or the bullet trains with maximum speed of 240 - 300 km/h.

Japanese Train with Mt. Fuji in the background

Parallel to that development, came a new form of business that focused on making roads\rails\wires better for those vehicles to fare on. Needless to say, that such development, an economic sector on its own, has served in advancing ALL other economic sectors in any given country.

In Jordan, the roads are supporting the car mechanics and car wash economy, thanks to poorly asphalted roads, pitfalls, holes, bad drainage, generally speaking, and even un-asphalted roads, with only base coarse covering the path, which really reduces the durability of tires, covers the body with dust, and makes the driver and his wife nervous, not to mention the wear and tear of the car itself.

I cannot claim, though, that Jordan does not have wonderful highways, bridges, circles, traffic lights and speed control radar systems. We really do have them. I am saying though, that the wonderful Abdoun Bridge which took over four years to build (2002-2006), and now stands with Y’s supporting its monumental structure, allows cars to drive from one place to another, but has made it quicker for us to arrive at the next traffic jam!



Abdoun Bridge at night

There is also the wondrous Bus Rapid Transit project near the University of Jordan, which was launched in 2010 and was supposed to be a quantum jump in public transportation. Now, as a result of the unfinished 32km project stretching in the middle of the narrow Queen Rania Street, vehicles need to slow down. Luckily drivers have become alert to avoid bumping the next car. A bottle neck. It is now suspended by a decision of the government, and causing speculations of corruption among citizens.
Here, I must say I wonder how difficult it could be to create a train or tram line to serve the beautiful Amman and connect it to other cities in Jordan. The Turks were able to do that in 1900. The project was operational in 1908. The 1303 km long Hejaz railroad is still standing and in fact the train is functioning between Mahatta area in East Amman and Damascus, Syria ( according to their website which has not been updated since October, 2010), as well as to the South of Jordan, making the allegations that “it can’t be done now,’ ridiculous. I am just saying!

Hijaz Train in Amman

My husband decided to bike between work and home. The trip from the 8^th circle in Amman until our home in Madaba is about 32 km. On the first ride, it took him an hour and 20 minutes. He downloaded an iPhone app, and now he’s monitoring his progress in speed and time. It is better than a gym exercise. By car, the same trip takes around 35 minutes counting in all 10 traffic lights stops. By bus, it takes about an hour on a beautiful day. Then we need to walk 10-15 minutes from the bus stop to go home, or we take a taxi for a short ride.

There is also the citizen solution of private cars and yellow taxis charging JD1 for each passenger up to four passengers, to drive them to Madaba. It takes around 40 minutes to arrive to the city because the taxi driver likes driving slowly to keep a low profile in case there were police cars on the road, in which case we claim we are all cousins.

I don’t know of any other way to travel within and between cities, yet. And I don’t have information about ways to travel to other cities, but I presume they are pretty much the same.

What do I want from a transportation system?

Many things, infact: swiftness, speed, and security, I am not sure the last one is possible in a flying rug, especially when riding with children, I am thinking “keep your hands inside at all times’, and ‘DON’T PUSH YOUR SISTER!”

There is the social part. Public and private transportation can really make people show their real skins. Are they cooperative, allowing other cars to pass first? Do they stand to let an elderly man sit? Do they stand in line until it is their turn to ascend the bus? Do they use blasphemy to express their anger at women driving? How much body language do they use? Do they save people lives by allowing pedestrians cross from the wrong side of the road? How much tolerance do they exhibit towards children in the back seat, or the seat next to them?

Personally, when I go by bus, I like to take a book, preferably something by Osho. It is usually a good chatter starter with the lady seated next to me. “What are you reading? I never heard of him. I only read the newspaper.” "Really, i haven't had time to look at it today. Any news?"

I often meet amazing people, and sometimes I encounter those who make me wonder how they have missed evolution. But in general my prayer in public transportations is: “Thank You Allah for I only have to endure this ride today, and tomorrow my car will be out of the repair shop.” 

Soon it will be Ramadan. It is the icing on the cake where transportation and driver-passenger-pedestrian relationships are concerned. It is going to be hot this year. At this point, I am thinking that the magic carpet is a beautiful solution to watch the sunset just before Azan. And then, what could be better than a few dates and a quenching cup of iced hibiscus?



Victor Basnetsov - Flying Carpet