Sunrise over the dead seaBy some miracle, none of the beds collapsed during the night - including Portnoy's piece of shit. Before breakfast, I saw the sun rise over the Dead Sea, and it was an absolutely spectacular sight.
Nahal Arogot hike[This morning] we set out from a trail that began right at the hotel [in En Gedi], up a bare hill of sand and rock, with magnificent views all around us: up ahead, the barren mountains that form the start of the Jerusalem plateau; and down below, the Dead Sea and the mountains of Moab (start of Jordan), their bases shrouded in thick mist.
View of the Dead SeaWe took a great many photos, what with the fabulous scenery, but got very tired and went through heaps of water.
Ibex of En GediWhen we stopped for a rest, some people went up on the rocks to pose for photos. Michal fell on the rocks, and in our first medical incident of the trip, hurt herself and was bleeding badly. Fortunately, Einat was nearby and patched her up nice 'n' quick.
The hike continued for about 3 hours, winding along the side of forbidding gorges, mesas and cliff faces, going up and down and round about. Along the way, we stopped at some ancient ruins where it is believed that King David once hid in a cave from King Saul.
At En GediFinally, we came to the springs of En Gedi, and took many photos in front of a beautiful waterfall. We continued to the Wadi of David, and along the way met many Americans and Pommies. The Yanks fell for my accent, actually thought I was American: I've never tested it before, but it worked!
Rock pool at En GediThe Wadi of David is a beautiful, ancient natural swimming pool, with water entering through the falls, and exiting by a stream. Most people were too chicken, but myself and some others stripped down to our swimmers and went for a swim. The water was a bit cold, but delightfully refreshing. I was very surprised that we went in the cold water, and the Pommies didn't.
Israeli schoolgirlsSwim having been swum, we finished off the hike and stopped at a café area for lunch. We met a group of 16-year-old Israeli girls, and talked about movies and music.
We left En Gedi, and caught the bus to the Bedouin area. About halfway there, we stopped the bus while Burnett stopped to take a piss. You could see the urine blowing in the wind - charming.
Bedouin camelsWe got to the Bedouin area, and pretty much straightaway started our camel ride through the desert. Asher and myself shared a camel. It was nice riding through the desert, but I got a sore ass, and my balls were squashed into pancakes. On the way back, Daniel and Beck's camel was sick, so they had to walk back.
Camel convoyHaving finished the ride, and having no testicles left at all, we went to the tents, dumped our stuff, and started a game of footy. We played a few silly games to pass the time, then went into the eating tent for dinner.
The Bedouin meal was so cool! First we had really sweet, yummy tea; then really disgusting, bitter coffee; and finally, a big meal of pita with lamb, rice and salad stuffing. We ate it all on the floor, and all made a terrible mess. I got it all over myself.
After dinner, Beck told the funniest joke I've ever heard - the "Oogalaboogala" joke. The ending [which I've edited out, so as to not spoil the joke] was so [something], I just couldn't stop laughing.
We started a campfire, and for a while we roasted marshmallows, sang heaps of silly songs (e.g. 'Rock Around the Clock', 'Tell me More' from Grease, and of course 'Hinei Matov'). All of that under the starlit desert sky. It was a bit smoky, but as with every campfire I've ever been at, the atmosphere was nothing short of heavenly. Also, we drank heaps of yummy Bedouin tea.
A night in the Bedouin tentWe're now all in mattresses in a huge Bedouin tent, where we're spending the night. I'm surrounded by people talking, massaging and playing games. We have a 3am start tomorrow morning, because we're hiking up Masada for a view of the sunrise. The Bedouin experience has been amazing so far. The Bedouin guy was really funny when he said: "We can have up to 4 wives, but one is more than enough for me".