Tomas Mac an t-Saoir

I've seen so many incredible places around the world, that it now takes something utterly out of this world for me to say "wow"

Well, Petra is "wow"

Well worth the blistered feet to walk around this incredible location! #ardorothar

A pretty special day 😍

All those thousands & thousands of hard fought miles around the world are so worth it when you can visit magical places like Petra #ardorothar

Chonaiceas Hegra i Al Ula trí seachtain ó shin i Saudi Arabia 🇸🇦 Anois tá dhá lá agam chun siúl timpeall Petra i Jordan 🇯🇴 #ardorothar

A tough, cold day today, but made it to Wadi Musa (Petra). The descents got so cold I stopped at the first clothes shop I came across & bought a pair of gloves... My hands were in bits. Epic epic day beautiful scenery #ardorothar

Left Wadi Rum yesterday, and Petra bound. About 75k to go, with about 1200m of climbing, so today by no means will be an easy day! Looking forward to a nice warm shower later, it's been cold, & sandy 😁 Pic of my camp last night, pretty shite night's sleep 😅🤦 #ardorothar

Fingers cold to type

Superb first day cycling in Jordan 🇯🇴 25k from Wadi Rum. Tea now, then into tent as it's quite cold! Set tent up just off the road, beautiful scenery around

#ardorothar

Will take things a lot easier in Jordan. Not to say the cycling here will be easy, it won't. It's a hilly country, with brutal steep climbs especially in the north. But the next section of the trip is going to be intense, so I'll try cruise Jordan as much as I can #ardorothar

First beer since Oman, & only my 3rd in the Gulf Region ( I'd 2 at the home of a fellow Kerryman in Oman ) . Well deserved I think after thousands of kilometers since UAE! #ardorothar

About €3 for all of this. I always search for where the locals go. Plenty of fancy restaurants to cater for tourists in this resort town, but with many more months of travelling left I'll try to stretch my budget as much as I can #ardorothar

Dia Dhaoibh ó Jordan!

Hello from Jordan!

A short but fairly brutal cycle to Aqaba. The wind blown me back to 10 KPH, & a nice bit of climbing too. Luckily back to cheaper accom options (hostel tonight, which don't really exist in Saudi) #ardorothar

Well... Made it back to coast. Looking across at Egypt (hadn't realized it was going to be so close! So cool. Been a long time since I cycled Egypt, back in 2018. Challenging day, with no less than 3 punctures. But made it to Haql just as it was getting dark. Food, then camp

Tent sent up for my second last night in Saudi Arabia 🇸🇦

Been here about 6 weeks now, & had a great time. At times the scenery has been nothing short of breathtaking, & the people always so friendly, no matter which nationality I encountered throughout the country. #ardorothar

Nearing the end of Saudi Arabia 🇸🇦

Been here about 1.5 months now, & what a time it's been. When I first set out cycling across USA nearly 9 years ago, never did I envisage I'd still be touring today, but here we are. Plenty of ups & downs, but no regrets 🍀💚 #ardorothar

Nearing the end of Saudi Arabia 🇸🇦

Been here about 1.5 months now, & what a time it's been. When I first set out cycling across USA nearly 9 years ago, never did I envisage I'd still be touring today, but here we are. Plenty of ups & downs, but no regrets 🍀💚 #ardorothar

And as per norm the Saudi's are also keeping me hydrated! Such generous folk stopping me multiple times a day to hand me drinks/snacks, making sure I'm okay. They'd often offer me a lift to, but I like to try cycle every KM. #ardorothar

The days were long, & not very exciting. Saudi is a huge country, 14th largest in the world. Gaps between towns/cities can be a couple of hundred kilometers, & when faced with such a gap on a bicycle it can be daunting. I always ensure I carry enough water/food #ardorothar

& a beautiful sunset to finish a long day. I rode well after dark, finishing on 164k so I could get as close to Tabuk as possible. After Al Ula there wasn't much on the road,- 2 small gas stations & a small store. As always @irishhistory kept me sane with his podcasts #ardorothar

2 South Africans living in Tabuk told me of a brand new highway that is being built, but unfinished. For much of yesterday evening I had a huge 4 lane highway pretty much all to myself by the odd vehicle to break the noise of the silence around me #ardorothar

Well. Made it to Tabuk. First shower since I left Medina, about 652k ago! You can imagine how bad I smelled, & how crappy my gear looked lol. Very near Jordan now, about 240k away. #ardorothar

A shout-out to all the Saudi legends who stop me multiply times everyday to hand me stuff

Lost count today the amount of times people pulled over, to see if I was okay, to offer any help or to hand me water/drinks/food. One guy even gave me some Arabic coffee today #ardorothar

The Saudi's are now getting creative with their road gifts.. Today I was given a medal! For what I've no idea. Maybe for the slowest ever cycle home from New Zealand to Ireland? 😂🥇#ardorothar

Jabal al-Rumah

Where the Prophe had positioned archers during the Battle of Uhud with the strict instructions not to move. It was the desertion of their posts by many of the archers on thinking the battle was over that led to a reversal of fortune for the Muslims in the war

Away from the centre of the city

#ardorothar

More pics from Medinah

A quick stop here, been seeing the sights and spending time with Adrian & Simon. Tomorrow I continue for Jordan, & they go to Riyadh

#ardorothar

Al Masjid an Nabawi, the Prophet's Mosque

Absolutely incredible to visit this famous Mosque in Medinah, what a surreal experience. Even more incredible to visit during Prayer time, the sheer crowds were both claustrophobic & memorizing

#ardorothar

Spent the last days waking at sunrise & cycling until sunset 🌞

Absolutely magical days, chasing every bit of daylight. As soon as the sunset I'd get off the road & find a place to sleep with my tent. Saudi, along with other Gulf countries, are very safe & I don't hide my tent

Reunited with my Canadian friends, Adrian & Simon.

Had my first shower in 4 days, a good hearty meal, got my stinking dirty clothes washed, & feeling as good as new!

Time to chill now for a few days, Adrian & Simon go to Riyadh & I continue north to Jordan

#ardorothar

Hello Medina 😁 4 tough days of cycling from Jeddah, averaging 100k a day. Now time to explore & have some rest too 🍀

#ardorothar

Well. Had to come to Jeddah! Unfortunately bike trouble pulled me away from the cooler mountains, & I'm in the sweat box of Jeddah. Fortunately my bike can be repaired today (broken rim) so I can get moving again tomorrow towards Medina 🍀 #ardorothar

Safe to say today was cut short... Dense fog that didn't clear, along with rain. Not ideal cycling conditions at all so I was pleased to even just get 30k done! The race to Medinah is getting more difficult with each passing day due to my shorter days, but luck should change soon #ardorothar