Back in Jerusalem, had 1 schwarma

So we're back in Jerusalem after two days of hiking through the Negev desert. We had two hiknig options on the first day, the "hard hike" and the "fun hike." The hard hike was described as mostly rocky desert which all looks the same after five minutes, the fun hike as beautiful views and river beds. With no physical reward for the effort, and since I don't believe in the whole "challenging yourself" for no reason doctrine, I proudly opted for the fun hike. I know I made the right choice. We spent one night in the Bedouin tent, a wonderfully inauthentic, hokey experience with delicious tea. We also went to the Dead Sea. I forgot how sore it makes your asshole and balls, your whole grundel area really. It's also very oily. That will be my last trip there this year.

The most Israeli Israelis we've gotten to hang out with thus far were the medic and security guards on the hikes with us. They were fairly chill, laid-back modern Orthodox guys. One in particular was very cool. I shocked him a bit when I asked if he could shoot an Ibex we encountered so I could eat it. But I told him I was kidding (though I was only half-kidding) and we bonded when we discussed how he rediscovered Judaism after spending his post-military service year in India, among the Hindus. He now wants to pursue alternative medicine.

I'm now feeling ready to start the volunteer experience. We spend shabbat in Jerusalem but then are on to our Track 1 areas, in my case Beer Sheva, without air conditioning. Jah Bless.

I had schwarma yesterday at the Dead Sea, but it was without the Pita and not very good, though I digested it fairly well. That's 1.