By Jonah Jaffe, Bus 7 Participant
Going into this trip I was incredibly excited to experience Israel’s nature. I’ve been here twice before, but I’ve always been in big cities. The desert here did not disappoint. The hikes were stunning with incredible views, and at night you could see entire galaxies of stars. It was very different from the forests and the waterfalls I’ve hiked around before. The place seems so devoid of life and sound, so when we saw a family of gazelles it was unbelievable.
My first time in Israel I went to the Dead Sea, so I wasn’t expecting to be surprised by its unusual properties. Once I got in however, the water was warm and I just floated on top. It was really peaceful. It was also fun to paddle around with my friends on top of the water. Later we got to put on Dead Sea mud and some kids got very into it.
Some of my favorite times come during pizur, which is our time to go shopping and to buy food. The falafel and hummus here are delicious and it puts American copy’s to shame. Also, during pizur we often bargain in stores. Bargaining in Israel while sometimes challenging can be very rewarding. I was in shop and I wanted to buy a chess set. I got the seller down from 280 to 130 shekels. My friends got a seller from 360 to 70. Overall, I’m really enjoying myself on this trip so far.
