I don't know whether to think that that's true because you appreciate them more or maybe it's supposed to be a nice send off but what it ends up being is torture. The only part of traveling I'm horrible at is saying goodbye. While this time I'm not in Heathrow crying because there are too many wazungu around me, it's still pretty hard and has only been made harder by the fantastic last five days that I have had.
DAY 1 (Sunday... aka the beginning of the end): So I bought the ticket Saturday night and the cheapest flight I could get left Friday at 05h25. Which meant that I was not going to waste another day in Netanya. Honestly, I wasn't a huge fan. It wasn't necessarily the farms fault. It was just a really crowded area but I was still completely isolated from everything. There was no community to speak of. So I just ended up getting really really lonely which probably made it a lot easier to book a flight home. Anyways, I had recently been whining to Tal (whose base is in Haifa) about how everything was going wrong and even though I had tried a couple of times, I had yet to actually make it up to Haifa to complain in person. So that became my first stop.
I think the first night I ended up spending a total of 20 minutes in my hostel. I checked in, dropped my things and ran to the beach. Until it was too dark to see and then went to the German Colony to see the Bahai Gardens at night. See my photos below for reference. Suffice to say it was gorgeous and incredibly relaxing. In between wandering about and eating really mediocre fast food (my only real complaint about Haifa is that all of the restaurants close by like 18h00), I was in touch with Tal who said that he could get off base after work that evening until 7h30.
So at 23h00 theres not much left to do but hit bars and wander about the city right? Well partly. First we went to a bar where the bartender publicly outed what a lightweight I am by making me refuse a shot. So that was good for a solid half hour of entertainment for everyone who wasn't me. But then when that bar closed, it seemed like there was nothing left to do but call it a night. Except that Tal and I are creative and decided that a late night train trip to Hof HaCarmel to hang out at the beach sounded like a splendid idea.
At 7h00 I got back to my hostel and had to explain to them that I hadn't slept that night because I had decided sober to sleep on the beach and therefore would be too tired to check out by 11h00 ... and would therefore just have to stay another night. Which leads to ...
DAY 2 (Monday aka denial day): In which I slept until noon and then spent a solid 8 hours lazing in the sun listening to music, denying reality, and being hit on by creepy men. The lounging was interrupted only be frequent dips in the ocean. Not much more to say except that there was also a distinct lack of food on denial day.
DAY 3 (Tuesday aka my triumphant return to the Arava): And of course also easily identified as Slavik day. I made my way to Be'er Sheva with only a few misunderstanding that required police to sort out and arrived by early afternoon. To be met by Slavik! Who is out of the IDF! Freedom! And he used that ample freedom to help me while away a few great hours in Be'er Sheva.
First order of business: Felafel. Because at that point I was starving from two days of nonexistant Haifa food.
Second order of business: spending several hours trying to tie flies onto leashes. Unfortunately, my hair is no longer long enough to use as a leash so we ended up using a thread with mixed results. Plus, Slavik taught me his time tested and hard earned foolproof fly killing technique. I suppose compulsory military service really is good for something! I hear they get lots of free t shirts in the army too so I suppose there's also that. But anyways.
Third order of business: going bowling. Because what else is there to do in Be'er Sheva? Luckily I'm a bowling pro. But really I'm awful. The only times I did fairly well was when Slavik and I figured out how to send two balls down the lane in one turn. The fourth order of business was going to be air hockey but my performance was so lackluster as to not really be worth going into detail. But I suppose that happened.
After parting with Slavik at the bus depot (and nearly getting backed over by a semi truck due to the ridiculous construction traffic near the bus/train stations), I made it to Ir Ovot without a hitch (pun intended). Slowly beginning to recognize familiar wadis and mountains as they passed my bus window made it feel like coming home. This was a feeling that was compounded when I walked into Ruth's house to be greeted by girls running at me from every direction to give me a hug.
If laughing at my bad Hebrew with Ruth's sisters and playing jungle speed wasn't enough, it was also the first night the pub at the dairy was open. I never knew there were that many young people in the area! I mean, a lot of them were just passing through but still! It was amazing to be sitting out under the stars on a cool night with loads of interesting people. Heavenly.
DAY 4 (Wednesday aka nostalgia day): This was like living all of the best memories from the Arava over again on a loop. I played rummikub and jungle speed with the family and had time to journal. I spent the night in my hammock on their porch and woke up for the gorgeous sunrises. I planned out how to meet up with Ruth in Colorado. At sunset, Avigajil and Orijah and I literally ran up Ari's mountain chasing the sunset. You can see how worth it that mad dash was below. Jehonathan even dropped by to loan me his laptop so I could steal a bunch of Israeli music before I left. It was horribly sad at the end of the day as one by one Ruth's family members slowly drifted to bed, hugging me and saying goodbye as they did.
DAY 5 (Thursday aka the last hurrah): Ruth had to go to Be'er Sheva in the morning and so we both caught a ride with her neighbor. As I was explaining my quandry to them both (they wouldn't let me into the Kotel with my huge bag... let alone my leatherman) it was suggested that I just go to the airport, check in for my flight, check my bags, and then go to Jerusalem. It was so crazy it just might have worked except that it didn't. Instead, I discovered yet another reason to love Ben Gurion Airport (other than the orchard outside and free wifi)... they have a baggage storage center. You can leave your bags there any time until 20h00 (at which point security picks them up and you get in really big trouble). But at this point it was 11h30 and it would take at least 1.5 hours by bus to get to Jerusalem (darn transfers and expensive sheruts).
The bust nearly broke down/ there was nearly a riot when the air conditioning went out on a 38-40 C day but somehow we made it to Jerusalem central bus station. Foolishly thinking it would be fun, I walked all the way to the old city and wasn't even rewarded with one of those divine cream puff things from the market because he wasn't making them today. Sad.
Anyways, a funny thing happened on the way to the Kotel. But really. I got lost (which is difficult enough because the old city is really tiny and pretty much every road from Jaffa gate leads to the Kotel). But the funny thing was that when I stopped to ask for directions I was chatted up by these nut vendors (like hot caramel almonds... stop that). They invited me to stay for free nuts (stop it...) but I said I was really just in Jerusalem to go to the Kotel one last time. And then I was on my way.
Not so funny you say? Well the real funny thing was that I got lost again on the way back and ended up at their second location. One of the guys from the first stand had moved to the new one and called "Hey pretty lady" which I automatically respond to of course.... since that's what everyone pretty much calls me. He then asked if I had made it to the Kotel and the rest of the conversation went as follows (oh yeah... his name turned out to be Ben)
Ben: did you make it to the Kotel?
Me: Yes... eventually
Ben: Well did you pray?
Me: What else do you think I was doing there for the past hour or two?
Ben: Well did you leave a note in the wall with a prayer?
Me: Uh yeah... of course.
Ben: Do you think if I went to the Kotel right now and prayed really hard I would come back with a note with your number on it? [gotta give the guy points, right?]
Me: hahahaha you might but my Israeli number will only work for the next 5 hours or so... I'm leaving the country kind of unexpectedly.
Ben: well then we have to hurry [grabs my hand and starts pulling me towards the Kotel]
Me: haha joking aside, I really should be heading back to the bus station
Ben: Well surely you could spare a half hour to drink a glass of wine with me
Me: maybe the time but probably not the money...
And then he bought a bottle of wine and we sat around the old city drinking wine and eating caramel almonds. Because that happens to normal people on normal days. A quick stop to grab a colossal avocado and some bread and I was headed back to the airport and that's where I am now...
...practically in tears at the prospect of leaving thanks to the best last five days ever.
Until next time, Israel.
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