AG I think your plans rock. Petra sounds like a good time. I saw a PBS series on traveling around the world and one stop was Petra then to India. I'd say go for it. Coming from one who financed his parents to visit Alabama before his father died you should do this. Work will always be there and you can get a blackberry with worldwide service. No worries.
From experience the desert can cleanse you and help you set your priorities. This is worth more than 10 trips to the Turks.
Trust me on this one. I loved it when we left the relative safety of the base to live among the snakes and the bad guys in the sand. It really set your priorities until you ran out of coffee. I now know why various tribes elected to reject the relative ease of living of the cities and cling to the old lifestyle.
Go for it. (did I say that?) I like LA but one can find themselves in the desert. Do it in the winter and dress warm cause it gets 125 plus in the summer and so what if it's dry heat. It's hot!
"All I want is a weeks pay for a day's work" Steve Martin
