A Bedouin Marriage Proposal
A funny and juicy story of unrequited love from the book "Far and Wild"
Dear Friend:
In my last newsletter, I revealed how juicy stories from my 20 years of travel as a single woman made it into my book “Far and Wild.” Some stories are juicy, some are funny, and some, like the one I tell in this letter, are a bit of both.
The circumstances were a 2012 trip to the famous rock city of Petra in the deserts of Jordan. I was again in the company of my dear friend and travel partner, Simona.
That’s when I met a handsome young man with dark eyes. Here’s how I tell the story in the book.
Bedouin Arabs are beautiful people, slender and tall, with coffee-colored skin. They enhance their beauty with a traditional black cosmetic called “kohl,” which they apply around their eyes to darken their eyelids and lashes, making them look like Johnny Depp’s Captain Jack Sparrow from the Pirates of the Caribbean films. Kohl, or “kajal,” has been used by the Bedouins for centuries for cosmetic purposes and the medicinal and protective properties they believe it possesses.
Simona and I were visiting Jordan’s famous rock city of Petra when a handsome Bedouin man called out to us. He held a stout horse by its bridle.
“Come stai?” he said in Italian. “You are Italian, yes?”
“Ignore him,” I said to Simona. “He just wants money. Keep going.”
“But he’s so good-looking,” Simona said, flashing a smile. Let’s find out what he wants.”
“I know what he wants, Simona, and so do you. C’mon. Let’s keep moving.”
“It’s a hard climb to the top, where the monastery is,” the Bedouin said, his black eyes piercing from behind the kohl. “You will be happier with a ride on my horse.”
“No, grazie,” I said firmly. “We’ll walk to the top.”
“Why trouble yourself, signorina? I am happy to guide you for free.”
“No, grazie,” I said again, this time more forcefully, and Simona and I started hiking up the mountain.
The hike was a bear — a steady, grueling, nearly two-hour slog up stone steps until we reached another one of Petra’s awe-inspiring spectacles — a 48-meter (157-foot) tall ornamental facade carved by ancient people into a sheer stone cliff. Seeing it was worth the hike!
When we got to the bottom of the mountain, sweaty and tired, the Bedouin prince was waiting for us.
“Signorina,” he said, clearly addressing himself to me. “I have not stopped thinking about you since we parted. I can tell you you are a strong woman and beautiful.”
“What do you want?” I said, annoyed.
“I seek a wife. I have a good life, with a steady income from this job. Our Bedouin ways are good. We can be happy together. Will you marry me?”
“Absolutely not!” I said, and I left him sitting on his horse, looking mournful.
That is how I missed the opportunity to become a Bedouin princess, a desert queen, and one wife of many (Islamic men are allowed four) living in the golden, alien landscape of the Wadi Rum desert.
The Long Road to Marriage
There are other spicy and juicy stories of fun, frolic, and love gone wrong in “Far and Wild,” none X-rated. We kept the book clean. After all, my mom and dad read it!
But none of my lovers ever became a husband. I was (and still am) picky. I never (never!) thought I would marry an American!
So, how did that happen?
The crazy story of how I met and fell in love with Brant the American is found in the final chapters of “Far and Wild.” The book is more than a collection of travel and adventure escapades — it’s a love story, too!
It’s Always an Adventure
None of us knows what the future holds. Brant and I certainly did not expect that we would end up living in Türkiye for five years. We did not expect we would marry in Italy. Honestly, with COVID, none of us knew what to expect.
We are presently back in Türkiye, where civil unrest adds more uncertainty to our future. But that’s okay. “Life is either a daring adventure or nothing,” said American Helen Keller.
Stay with me to find out what happens next. It’s going to be an exciting 2025!
With love,
Wonderful tale. But as to living in trying times in Turkey, trying times are coming to the USA, if not here already. Hope to see you in Croatia in June
That Petra experience was incredible and your Desert Adventures with Brant also amazing
I love that you include photos of your travel with girlfriend. I look forward to reading Far and Wild while I take a vacation to Guemes Island, Washington State this Summer. Currently reading Brant's book, Making the Second - Half Man. His father was mysterious and took the family everywhere. Ogre King, is the result.