We woke up early and after breakfast we went on a hike up mt. Zfahot which is in the desert. Since we hiked early it wasn't terribly hot but it definitely heated up as the hike progressed. It was a bit difficult walking in the desert because the sand made it hard to get traction.
From the summit we were able to see israel's neighbors: Egypt, Jordan, and in the distance we saw Saudi Arabia. The views of the Red Sea were incredible and it was a really great hike overall.
Then we went snorkeling in the Red Sea. Our guide told us to wear our "shoes water" meaning water shoes, and it was the funniest thing that our group cracked up at. I wasn't expecting to see many different fish but my low expectations were exponentially exceeded. We saw all different species of fish from little colorful ones to big blue and yellow ones. I really wish I could identify them better for you! I also saw a bunch of sea urchins and my favorite siting was a clam that was breathing and had an electric blue inside. At one point, my friend said, look jellyfish!! I was looking down below and couldn't see them but when I looked towards the surface they were right in front of my eyes! I freaked out because I've heard jellyfish stings are the worst! I felt one brush against my leg and I almost shit my pants. I soon after left the water, enjoyed a coffee slushie and relaxed near the shore. I then realized I had a puffy scratch mark on my side and after consulting a few people and our medic to determine if it was a sting, we concluded it was not and nobody had to pee on me. I think I probably just scraped myself on the coral!
Our next stop was to ride the camels through the desert, while we didn't exactly take a trek with them, it was more of a big loop, it was still a lot of fun! I rode one with my friend Rachel and had a blast on our bumpy ride!
That night we would be sleeping in the desert in the Bedouin tents. The Bedouin people have a unique culture. They are nomads and wanders. We all slept in one big tent on tiny sleeping pads-- slumber party style! We then had a talk with one of the Bedouin people and had some excellent tea as well. We learned how they make their tea and that the loud noise that comes from grinding the leaves is a calling for everyone to come to the tent to enjoy the tea. Also, the amount that the tea is filled in the cup signifies different things. If the cup is all the way filled up it means you are no longer welcome in the tents. I forgot what the other levels of tea mean but anyways- it's a very symbolic & delicious drink.
I walked around the camp grounds to get my bearings and soon after we had dinner. It was an excellent dinner of cous cous with veggies and a naan-like bread. We also had some amazing hummus & I tried soy balls (like veggie meat balls) for the first time- pretty good!
For dessert we had some fruit and Turkish delight- which is a chewy candy that is a bit chalky.
I then did some more exploring, hammock hanging, and wandering looking at the beautiful dessert and mountains surrounding me.
We had a group activity that night that the Israelis planned for us that involved some fun games! We had to guess what songs people were listening to based on interpretive dancing, we passed around a gift that was wrapped with a lot of layers and tasks for each layer, and we acted out skits from Disney movies. It was seriously a slumber party.
We then started up a camp fire, Matan played guitar and we sang songs and made s'mores. I took some time to reflect on the trip and do a bit of meditating under the full moon and stars and appreciate the beautiful surrounding nature.
I then sat by the campfire admiring the music and peacefulness before heading to the tent to sleep!
Sending smiles from the desert,
Rebecca
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