Israel is one of those places I’ve often thought about visiting, but never had the opportunity. So when a friend mentioned that he wanted travelling companions for a short visit there, I jumped at the chance.
Because we were only going for a little while, five days in total, we decided we would try to cover as much ground as possible. Our main focus was a shared passion for swimming – despite being a relatively small country at just over 8,000 square miles, Israel is blessed with four huge expanses of water: the Red Sea, the Dead Sea, the Sea of Galilee and the Mediterranean, and we intended to take a dip in them all. During our four-day adventure we covered almost 1000 miles, really putting our car through its paces, but it was worth it, since we saw and experienced virtually everything we had planned.
On arrival, we found the airport procedures surprisingly easy to negotiate, without restrictions or any additional security checks. It was already late, but we reckoned we still had enough light to head south for quite some distance, planning to make camp somewhere in the desert. Unfortunately however, when we reached our intended camping spot, we found entry was restricted due to military training going on, so we decided to switch to Plan B.
What was Plan B?
Well, we didn’t actually have one – when you want to make life an adventure, planning every last detail kind of takes away from it!
But no matter, we still had some energy, some fuel in the tank, and a shared sense of optimism that all great adventures stem from some form of adversity. We carried on looking for alternative campsites, only to find everywhere blocked off by more official-looking signs – we were rapidly discovering that Israel is among the most militarised countries in the world. Eventually, we reached Eilat, the most southern city in Israel, and a major resort because of its coral reef and famed nightlife. Finally locating a campsite that bordered the shore of the Red Sea, we pitched our tent for the night beside the main road and settled down to a night beneath the stars and a well-earned rest. In the middle of January it was still pretty windy, but warm in comparison to the snowy landscapes we’d left behind in Northern Europe, so we slept reasonably well.
We woke early just after 6am, just after sunrise. As we breakfasted we could hear the sound of people running nearby, and for a scary moment we thought we might have set up camp in the middle of a marathon route, and that soon dozens of runners were going to come through and catch us in our thermal underwear! But on inspection, we realised we had stumbled on a military training exercise in the Red Canyon, a well-known hiking destination. Below us we could see around 60 soldiers working their way through narrow labyrinths, much like those you saw in that amazing movie “127 Hours”. So far as we could see though, everyone had both their hands where they’re supposed to be. Refreshed after a peaceful night and a good breakfast, we enjoyed a short hike through the canyon, before heading north, to the Dead Sea.
On the way we passed the border of Jordan, which demonstrates the good relations between the two countries, just a small fence compared with the almost fortress-like dimensions of the border with Egypt.
A few hours’ driving brought us to the shores of the legendary Dead Sea, although it’s more of a lake now, unconnected to any ocean. Our streak of bad luck seemed it was going to continue, as the beach we planned to swim at was closed. It was not yet high season, and everywhere people were fixing structures, renovating, in preparation for the influx of tourists. But we got talking to a couple of friendly construction workers and they allowed us to leap over the fence – thanks guys if you happen to be reading this!
The slope down to the water was steep, but we made it okay. There were already a couple of locals in the sea, so we figured it was safe to just head in. As soon as you put one foot in, you notice the difference between the Dead Sea and pretty much any other waters – it felt almost greasy, as though chemicals or oil had been spilled, but was completely scentless. Kind of a weird sensation, but not really unpleasant. Our swim was incredible – the high saline count in the water makes you completely buoyant – it’s impossible to sink. Floating gently along under the sun, it’s a deeply pleasurable feeling. Another friend who had joined us, not such a strong swimmer, enjoyed it so much we struggled to get him to leave. One tip I would give for anyone visiting though is not to let the water get in your mouth, as it can leave quite a harsh burning sensation.
It’s interesting that the closer you get to the equator, the more balanced daytime and nighttime become. In Israel we noticed that the sun went down pretty fast, at a speed unusual to those of us from a more northern part of the world. We decided to make a move and find our next campsite before the darkness caught us out.
And what do you know? Exactly same problem as the previous night. We just couldn’t get lucky. In fact, it was worse, because it had begun to rain. We made the call that we would try and find a hostel to spend the night, but even there we were stymied, as we couldn’t find a decent budget place in the area, and our trip finances wouldn’t stretch to a fancy hotel. So we did what any hardcore adventurer would do – we slept in the car.
It was a tough night as you can probably imagine – the rain fell heavily on the roof, keeping us awake, and we were far from comfortable. Dawn found us slurping down some very welcome hot, sweet tea. Tired, in need of a shower, but still in a great mood. This is such an amazing country, full of beautiful landscapes and friendly, welcoming people with a fascinating culture and history, that nothing could keep us down.
Today we were heading for Masada, an incredible fortress carved into a plateau on the edge of the Judean Desert. Here, according to legend, a small group of rebels once held out against a siege by the Roman army for months. It is now one of Israel’s best-known tourist attractions, and wandering around the ruins we were struck by the scale and beauty of the place. A must-see, if you ever come here.
Following Masada, we intended to visit Jerusalem and Nazareth, with a short detour through the Palestinian territories. There’s no need to dwell on the tragic conflict between these two sides as it’s well-known, but it was a harsh insight into the difficulties endured by the Palestinians in the area.
The rain was still falling heavily by the time we reached Jerusalem. We wandered briefly through the Old Town, its charming narrow streets and crowded marketplaces. We saw the Western Wall, also known as the Wailing Wall, one of the holiest sites here, before returning to the car to continue on to Nazareth. The streets became difficult to navigate, and eventually we had to abandon the car and make our way to the hostel on foot. And here, finally, we got a hot shower! We felt great to have arrived, and eager to share our stories with our fellow guests, but warm beds were calling and we quickly gave in to fatigue.
By now we were in central Israel, and the landscape was markedly different from the south. Here there was less desert, and more rocks and greenery. Next day we explored Nazareth for a while, before driving to the Lake of Galilee. After the Dead Sea, this is the lowest lake in the world, up to 215m below sea-level. It being wintertime, the water had a chill to it, so we weren’t in for very long.
The final leg of our journey was to Tel Aviv, but we took a great detour along the way, north to Metula, the border with Lebanon, and the Mount Meron region where we had a great little hike.
Tel Aviv is a small place, with a population of only around half a million. We got there late in the evening and checked into our hostel, which was, if we’re being completely honest, a bit crap, and didn’t smell that great either. But we’re not naming it, so that’s okay. We showered and walked into the centre for something to eat, eventually settling for delicious kebabs from a corner store.
Our last day was Shabbat, a day of rest for Jewish people, so the city streets were almost deserted. We decided to visit Yafo, also known as Jaffa, a small Arabic town very close by. Busy with tourists, this old port was still very scenic, and you can easily see why it’s so popular as a wedding location.
We made our way to the airport. Leaving the country was a lot more complicated, with some exhaustive security measures involved.
This was an amazing short trip. Tiring, yes. Frustrating, at times. But absolutely worth it. If you like to try new experiences then few things compare to floating in the Dead Sea, staring across the open desert from Masada, or tasting a juicy kebab in Tel Aviv. I can’t wait to return.
Experience travels in another way. Experience gifts by Tinggly:
