Along the way we made a stop for breakfast, stopped at a monument for soldiers that have lost their live's in that part of the desert in war which was made from old military items. We also stopped at the real Baptist site of Jesus which is just across the border in Jordan, you may remember I mentioned that Danny told me this when we visited Yardenite which claims to be "close" to the original location which obviously its only a few hundred miles close. The site had a long drive up to it then the area, all around though was fencing with signs pinned up saying Danger-Mines. After this we drove for around an hour and then I could finaly see the Dead Sea, we stopped again for lunch at a service station where danny knew everyone there, he kept telling me "we should get a photo of you on a camel" at first I thought he was joking so just kept replying by haa yeah sure. Just before we were about to set off he spoke to one of his friends and asked me if i wanted to, I said I don't mind but he said what are you scared? Truth is I actually wasn't scared about sitting on a camel but once he said that I had to show him that us Brits aren't afraid about sitting on a camel so me and his daughter both had a go on a camel ride around a service station in the middle of the desert which wasn't too bad although I wouldn't trade the use of a car for a camel. If it was a motorbike, quad bike or something with an engine I would have been on it like a shot! But I can now say I've rode a camel in the desert even if it was for a few minutes. After the camel ride we set off for what was to be around another hour in the car but didn't seem like it as during the drive on my left side I had amazing views of the Dead Sea and on the right I had all the desert mountains. Along the drive we also stopped at a nature park where the weather was very hot and they had many spring pools which look like they would be full and lovely to be in come summer time.
Real Baptist site in Jordan
View from the Nature Park.
But finally after around 6 hours of driving including stops we arrived at En Gedi which is one of the places where you can enter the dead sea to swim/float. The weather was a bit chilly and windy so we decided to just admire the views and get a few photos as we all agreed once we got out the water it would be pretty cold so we would see what its like tomorrow. Our hotel was just 5 minutes drive from here and located in Masada which had excellent views of the desert. Here is a photo of the view from the balcony and of the Dead Sea at En Gedi:
We had a couple hours rest in our rooms to shower etc after the long drive which started at 6:30am. After this we went back out in the car, we drove off road into the desert where 360degrees around us you could see you were in the middle of the desert with nothing around. We went to some caves in the desert where you could walk around and see how the weather had created it, the stone was so soft you could pull it apart by your hands, it looked like it was man made and the set for a film. The rain and wind had created swirls and patterns all over the rocks that looked amazing and like they had been done by an artist.
After this little visit we went back to the hotel as we looked like building contractors from the sand etc from the rock that was over us from climbing up the rocks and exploring but it was good fun, we also went through one of the caves which exactly had a signed saying not to enter but we went all the way through darkness out to the otherside to sunlight again.
Back at the hotel I enjoyed few english channels they had, one which had the latest european football news and the other which was called Yes comedy and had shows such as Friends and Seinfeld. We then wen't out to get dinner, it was around 9:30pm when we headed back to get our heads down for the night. In the morning we packed up our things and checked out of the hotel then headed out to do something before we left. We went to a nature trail which Danny told me usually had no water but this year because they've had what they call a good winter, meaning lots of rain there was now a flowing stream where last year they would walk. We walked a few minutes down the river without getting our feet wet before realising that we would have to walk through the water if we wanted to carry on, Danny sent his son to the car to go get the crocs, Danny let me wear his pair which were a size UK 12 and I'm usually a UK9. As you can see from the photo below I was well prepared for this day..or not.
It was a really nice walk up the river going up mini waterfalls along the way where eventaully at the top there was a larger pool and cave with a waterfall next to it, once again its hard to imagine the walk without the sound of the water or the water itself actualy being there.
Opening of the cave at the top of the walk
After we got to the top we went back the way we came, we got all the way to the car when danny realised he had lost his keys, now we had just been walking up stream in the water so they could be anywhere, we all headed back out to try and find them so i got to do the walk twice, we got all the way near the top again without finding them so at this point we were wondering what we were going to do but somehow luckily someone had found them back near the car. We then headed back to Akko with just a few stops including lunch along the way so the journey took around 4 hours this time, another stop to mention is in the middle nowhere along the way we stopped at a small fruit and veg stand as its in the middle of the fields where its grown and there were a few stands along the way. Danny told me how this is the place to buy it as its fresh and very cheap, I was wondering how much cheaper fruit and veg can really be seeing him buy a bin bag size full of carrots and many carrier bags with other vegetables, when he got back in the car he told me all of it was 15 shekels which is about £2.50. Once I got home I rested and watched some TV and that was the end of the Dead Sea trip.
Sunday was the start of my last week and I was at Rambam school where when I got there all the children were heading to a tournament where all the schools in Akko will be playing, I had already been invited to the tournament by 3 of the other schools I coach at so I asked the co-ordinator at UJIA who run the project here if I could go but never got a response. The children at Rambam were asking if I was going with them and getting excited but the P.E teacher and her friend were going with them and told me that I would be with a cover teacher. I was a bit annoyed about this as she told me before that she knows nothing about football so I didn't understand why her and her friend who also know nothing were going. Throughout the day I had the boys by myself outside and different teachers were coming to take the girls inside. It went ok but it can get a little long as nobody speaks english so you cant communicate well plus at break time there were no teachers outside but I decided to sit outside and ended up breaking up 3 fights that were going on and pulling them inside to the teachers. Sunday evening I was at Ben Gurion a friendship house where we just played some games as it was my last week, when they found out it was my last week they kept telling me to stay longer or come back next week and not to leave, the organiser there said exactly the same thing but we had a lot of fun and this was one of my favourite friendship houses, at the end I left them a couple of footballs which they were very grateful for.
Monday was a very hot day and I was at Eshkol school, one of my favourites. The children are great to work with here, always so happy and excited plus well behaved. Because it was my last week I promised them the previous week that I would let them play games so thats exactly what we did and I joined in with some of the classes with smaller numbers. Once again when I mentioned its my last week everyones heads went down and were asking why I had to leave. But I loved being at this school, at the end of the classes all the children would come up and shake my hand or show me some skills they can do with the football. A few of the children today were crying at the end of the sessions aswell which i had to tell them not to do or they may set me off!
Me and a couple of the children after one of the sessions, boy on the right is one of the happiest children I've met, always smiling and would always tell me who arsenal were playing, the scores and goalscorers. (all the children were excellent)
So that was the last day of Eshkol however I am planning to go back there this week to go to some of the classrooms to say goodbye to everyone and see the Principal as she wasn't there today plus bring them a few Arsenal things.
After the school because it was a lovely day me and Avi went to the local mall to get some ice cream and look around a few shops before ending up in the arcade, Avi wasn't happy that I beat him at basketball again and beat his top score.
Anyway thats it for now, my last update will be this weekend which will be my last and probably updated from back home in England but I will be sure to have another blog ready for my next adventure in April to Barbados doing the same kind of thing with Arsenal in the Community again.
Thank you to everyone who has got this far in reading the blog.
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