Stepping out of the plane[Approx. 6:30 am] Touching down [in Israel] was the most powerful experience of my life. The entire plane gave a huge cheer when the wheels hit the tarmac of Ben Gurion airport. We clapped and screamed; we sang Shalom Alechem; we jumped for joy.
kissing the groundThen we got out, and we all kissed the beautiful (if cold and a little dirty) concrete of Israel. We took a million photos, were exhilirated beyond belief.
Our first truly Israeli experience was when we got on the shuttle bus from the plane to the terminal. We were all squashed in, and everyone was pushing and shoving. Then we arrived at the terminal, went through customs and immigration, and got our baggage.
At the lookout over Jerusalem[Around midday] We got to a beautiful lookout on the southern end of the city, where I had my first panoramic view of Jerusalem: and what a breathtaking view it was! We also got to know our tourguide Nimrod ('Nim' for short), who knows heaps about Jewish/Israeli history; and Ely, the really cool, really funny Madrich and security guy.
View of Jerusalem from the lookoutNimrod explained how Jerusalem is divided into Jewish, Armenian, Christian, and Arab quarters: and hence what a complicated mess it is. From the lookout, we could see for ourselves how close all the quarters were to each other, and how this holy city is truly the most volatile place in the world.
Sataf SpringsIn the afternoon we went on our first hike, from the lookout down the hillside, to the Sataf springs. Nimrod explained that these springs were built to give Jerusalem access to fresh water. They're a long way from the city, but were connected long ago by an aqueduct.
We got to climb right into the tunnel where the spring comes out. From the mountainside, it issues into a large pool that's filled with dodgy green water. We went up the tunnel in groups of 5 - it was dark, slippery, and extremely narrow.