There are countless reasons to travel. It is a glorious mode of discovery, offering the chance to see unchartered terrain and encounter icons. It will make the unknown familiar and remind you of the scale and beauty of all that is out there. It also has a way of being remarkably good for the soul, which London-based writer and photographer Ellen Hancock discovered on her solo jaunt through Jordan. She craved something different, a break from the norm - a destination rich in history and culture, enhanced by a landscape that is not quite of this world. “I found all of this and more, Jordan is truly one of the most mesmeric places I have traveled to but I also found a community of people so welcoming, loving, kind and peaceful. In discovering their past, I walked off my own, replacing stale nostalgia for new encounters.”

Embrace the wanderlust.