Tuesday, May 6, 2014

Negev Day 2


     Our second day was a very relaxing, and sweet time.  After checking out of our rooms we walked along the Machtesh Ramon ridge, towards Camel Hill and then descended into the crater.  Benj asked us to take the hike down in silence and prayer.  In a sense I got to hike with God.  There had been many questions and thoughts that I had been avoiding, and it was good for my soul to have this memorable quite time with the Lord. 
    When we finished that hike we started our drive towards Eilat.  Along the way we drove through the Wilderness of Paran where Benj gave us some time to read the Word on our own in the desert. We read though  Numbers 13-14, and Deut. 8 and were able to take time and reflect on what it must have been like for the Israelites when they found out that they would not see the Holy Land, or when the spies came back with the news of the giants. 


     As we continued to drive down south, many of us were weary from the hikes and fell asleep along the way.  I awoke to Benj telling us that we were driving right along the Egyptian border!  It was cool looking over the barbed wire fence into a country that I have heard about so many times. Surprisingly it did not look too different than the land that we were driving on in Israel, but it was still neat! 
     When we arrived at Eilat, we were instructed on what to do and what not to do while snorkeling.  It was my first time, and it was so neat swimming with the tropical fish!  Lamaya and I both enjoyed trying to figure out how snorkel goggles worked as well. Another highlight of the day was our lunch.  Benj had ordered us pepperoni pizza!  It had been a long, long time since I had had non-kosher pizza!  We spent some more time at the beach snorkeling, freezing, and playing catch with a football. 

     
     That evening before dinner we walked on the boardwalk and looked at extremely overpriced stores and restaurants.  Our dinner was delicious, and we got to drink out of actual glasses!  (You have to understand that most of the time we use our water bottles, camel backs, or these small plastic cups.  So getting to drink out of real glasses was a treat!)
    That evening the group went back to the boardwalk and wandered around.  We ended up splitting into groups as some wanted to go to a store here, and others wanted to go there.  Four of us decided to find a little coffee place and just chat over a cup of something sweet. It was nice and relaxing to get to know them a little more.  The day was not super academic, but it was memorable and enjoyable! We did learn that only three kings were able to control and hold ports at Eilat: Solomon, Jehoshaphat, and Uziah.

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