Friday: I walked with Miriam for most of the day. We walked along the top of the mountain with the beautiful views of the lake. Then down through a valley, up mount Arbel then a steep descent via some caves and ancient forts. We arrived in a small town where I had ice cream and she had beer, then some guys at the cafe left falafel, so we ate there scraps- I feel I'm turning into a wild savage! Haha! We wanted a supermarket and so hitchhiked a couple of km's to get there before it shut for Shabbat. Then we walked to the camp. It's a nice spot in a field only 200m from the lake!! We had some drama as the guy in charge lost his temper with Amos, who got upset and was gonna leave. I must admit you have to respect him for doing this experience with his Aspergers, as a lot of people have no patience with him and he can get very annoying! I done some washing (hopefully the final lot before I can use a real washing machine). I went litter-picking; that is one of the worst things here- there are such beautiful places, but the Israelis come for picnics and just leave piles of rubbish everywhere! I said farewell to the SA couple- sad to see them go- it was so nice to have a couple of more mature and English speaking people in the group. I read a bit and then Jenny- the pregnant German with the annoying dog who was shagging one of the Israelis- returned after more than 3 weeks break! She is here til the end and bought a German friend- Benny! So, we filled her in on all the gossip. The woman who organises the walk had her parents visit and do a barbecue for the group! Unfortunately, as a veggie I ended up with some tomatoes on a kebab stick, but I'm hardly starving! They are bottom of the buffet league table though. Rather windy in my tent tonight!
Saturday: the usual lazy Shabbat! I read a book that the Hawaiian old biddy had finished- clichéd chick-lit nonsense. I dozed and went to the beach to swim- it's such a pretty place!! We had a drumming band turn up- a couple of them had done the walk before- and they performed for us, which was different. I ended up doing dinner again- I still can't believe how lazy some of the group are!
Sunday- a good day with a beautiful hike through a valley! It was boiling, 20km and a lot of climbing, which was a bit dangerous with my flapping shoe! But I walked with Ron for most of it and we stopped a couple of times- he made us tea as we made a little fire and we sat chilling in the shade before the final big climb to the camp. Poor Miriam was very upset this morning as she was fed up of the group treating her like s***, so I met her at the camp and suggested we walk to a nearby town to escape the camp and let the others do dinner for a change. She got beer- she is verging on alcoholic on this walk, which she assures me is just her way of coping in this group, but it's funny as she literally sweats the smell of Arak- a horrible ouzo-like local drink because she drinks it so often. I got an ice cream then we sat for an hour or so away from camp. But we still arrived back at 7 to no dinner being prepared! We refused to do anything and so I retreated to my tent for a while. Food materialised and I chatted to the new German Benny. While some of them got drunk and stoned and Miriam slept with Ron. It's a bit gross how some of the group have swapped partners, but I guess it is "walk about love"- although I'm left feeling rather old and boring as the teetotal singleton.
Monday- it was about 20km again and we climbed Mt Meron after first passing through a valley with some beautiful springs- I paddled but the water was freezing! I walked alone but met an Israeli guy who's doing the trail alone and so walked with him for a couple of hours amidst every child in Israel who seemed to be on a school trip here today!! I arrived at camp about 3- the same time as the truck, so I unpacked and set up the fire area. Half the group didn't walk today- "it's too hot", "I'm tired", one of the girls tripped yesterday and sprained her ankle, but hearing her wailing on the phone you'd think she'd nearly died! I was tempted to label Israelis as weak and feeble, but then I remembered Sophie crying on Walton pier and many people I know back home and they would probably be exactly the same on this trail. I did dinner again!! But Fima (kibbutz man) arrived to join us for the rest of the walk and he bought me strawberries and biscuits and peanut bars!! It was very kind of him! In the night we woke to a big argument between a couple of local Bedouin men- the Israelis were scared and called the police.
Tuesday: I walked with Miriam today. It was 18km and fairly flat, but very hot!! We arrived about 11- before everyone so we hitchiked to a nearby town. No prizes for guessing what Miriam bought..... But we got hummus and bread too and I had cold diet coke and we sat for over an hour chatting which was nice. Then we hitchiked half the way back and walked the rest. I unpacked the truck and then had my final cold shower in the truck, although it's not working so I just poured bottles over me, but it was refreshing because it was so hot. Again most of the group didn't walk! In the evening, I sat with Rhea and Olga (the organisers) and shared with them some material I had put together for their website and ideas for the future (got to earn my £280). They offered for me to go and stay with them after the walk and said they would pay me for further work I do for them, but I used the excuse of my visa running out to say I had to move on.
Wednesday- most importantly it's auntie vic's birthday!! A lot of tension in camp and arguments as people care less now we come to the end. I walked with German Benny- pregnant Jenny is too pregnant to walk and asked if she could go with a group of the young people who were going by car to a spring because they didn't want to walk and they said no- this sums up the lack of compassion and division in the group. It was about 38c, but it was only 18km and other than a couple of short but steep climbs not too tough. Although we acquired a dog along the way that wouldn't leave us alone, but we left it with Yaki when the 3 of us reached camp first about 12. Me and Benny walked to a nearby village and got an ice lolly and bumped into Miriam and Ron who'd taken a shortcut to the village. We sat in a garden in the village- Miriam drinking beer- and was joined by Fima, Linda and then a few of the others. Most of them left but then a local guy told us they had a special house for the trail hikers! So we went to this nice place with a small kitchen, toilet, cold shower, book exchange, mattresses, etc. I picked up two great books! We chilled a bit- it had a piano which Linda was playing for us- so random! We had a nice campsite for the night and good food (probably because I didn't cook). But I've come out in 100s of bites on my back, bum and legs- so itchy! I'm really hoping it's not bed bugs and maybe just an ant or flea got into my sleeping bag or trousers.
Thursday- penultimate walk! I walked with Benny again and it was about 20km with some fun climbing at the start then around a mountain ledge with views to Syrian mountains topped with snow on the easy and Lebanon in the north. We arrived about 1! I paddled in a spring here and prepared dinner as Rhea had bought stuff for pizzas. We had a "talking circle" where we sat round the campfire and reflected on our experiences. I was honest and said that it had been a very mixed experience and thanked those who had been good to me. There was lots of alcohol (not for me) and a speaker with music! I danced a bit before my final night in my tent! Still got a rash with lots of bites, but not sure if they are new ones. I have been invited to join Miriam and Ron to go to the Golan heights (nearby mountains) and camp and walk for a couple more days or to go with some of the group who are hiring an apartment nearby for the weekend or with rhea and Olga to their place or to Fima's kibbutz. I kind of just want a break from people and so planned to go to Tiberias for a couple of nights in a hostel before I cross to Jordan at a nearby border after Shabbat.
Friday: a few hungover people in camp this morning. Said farewell to a selected people and then my final walk- only 15km today. I walked alone but along the way bumped into lots of people. Down the mountain and then to a national park area with springs which you have to pay 28 shekels (£6.5) to pass through- they were nice but nothing nicer than what we'd seen before, although you had to walk barefoot through the streams. I crawled under the fence to enter, but then got caught on the exit. I played the dumb tourist and also explained I'd just walked 1000km, so the guy left me off. A lot of others had to pay though. A final stretch and I reached the finish line! So I did it!! I walked 1000km and the whole length of Israel. It had its highs and lows- literally! But overall I am pleased I did it- some fantastic and varied views and so nice to be part of nature and living the simple life. The tent and shoes are now in the bin- they both did me proud.
The buses stop running at 3 cos it's Shabbat, so Rhea was giving people lifts to a nearby bus station. Fima arrived and insisted I go to his kibbutz. It will be interesting to spend more time in the kibbutz, although it's a bit of a journey back to the border, but I save £35 on hostels. We caught the last bus- 2 hour journey, then one of his kibbutz friends picked us up and even used a buggy cart once in the kibbutz to carry our bags to his house. I've had a hot shower and have put in my first lot of laundry! We soon go to the dining hall for a special Shabbat supper.
I hope you are all ok and the weather is half as hot as it is here! I haven't seen rain for weeks- I'm starting to miss it. I look forward to sharing the next part of my adventure with you!