A Journey Across the Arabian Peninsula – Jordan, Oman & What It Left on My Heart
- Michael Simmons
- Mar 3
- 2 min read
There are trips you plan… and then there are journeys that change you.
My recent time in the Arabian Peninsula, exploring Jordan and Oman
was truly the trip of a lifetime. Even now, back home for just over a week, part of me is still
wandering through sandstone corridors, desert silence, and mountain air that smelled of juniper and salt.
Jordan welcomed me first.
Standing before Petra at night watching the Treasury glow under candlelight as stars slowly revealed themselves above and is something I will never forget. Photography aside, it was sacred in a way. Ancient stone holding centuries of story. Silence broken only by whispers and desert wind.
In Wadi Rum, I had the privilege of living alongside local Bedouin families. No distractions. No rush. Just tea over fire, stories shared next to a fire and beneath vast skies, a way of life deeply connected to land and legacy. Sleeping in the desert, walking among camels, watching the crescent moon rise over sandstone towers, it strips life down to what matters.
And yes… I did get an opportunity to dip my feet in the Red Sea a moment of stillness between adventure and reflection.
Then came Oman.
Muscat stunned me immediately, majestic mountains rising straight from the coastline, jagged and dramatic against turquoise waters. From there, the landscapes only grew more diverse and wild. Towering sand dunes that seemed to move with the wind. Ancient juniper trees clinging to mountain slopes. And the temperature swings were something else 80 degrees in the day, then dropping to near 40 at night when staying high in the desert mountains. The kind of cold that makes you appreciate a small fire and a deeper silence.
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What struck me most across both countries, though, was the people. Their hospitality. Their generosity. Their pride in culture and faith.
I arrived home just before tensions in the region escalated with Iran. Watching the headlines now feels personal. I can’t help but think of the families I met, the guides who shared their stories, the shopkeepers who welcomed me with tea. I genuinely pray for their safety, their freedom, and their peace. The world can feel fragile but the human spirit I witnessed there is anything but.
Travel reminds me that landscapes are incredible… but people are what truly make a place unforgettable.
On another note***** if you’re local to Texas, I’d love to see you in person. I’ll be one of the 10 featured photographers at the Texas Photography Festival in Georgetown, Texas on March 21st. Come say hello, talk night skies, and swap stories.
And lastly, we’ve had a last-minute opening for the April Capture the Cosmos Astrophotography Workshop. If you’ve been thinking about joining us under some of the darkest skies in the country, this is your opportunity. Shoot me an email for details and I’ll extend a special discount to fill that final spot.
Grateful for the journey.
Grateful to be home.
And already dreaming of the next horizon.
Thank you for the support!
-Mike
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