Negev Desert and Bedouin Tents

Wednesday: We slept in this remote, but nice, place on Tuesday night in the desert near Ovdat and woke up to breakfast outside our doors at 8:00 a.m.. By 9:30 a.m., we were all ready to get on the bus and travel to the city of Be'er Sheva where we would go biking in the Negev Desert! For biking we were split into teams and had to try to find different sheets of paper around the area with numbers on them (there were maps to show where they were). While biking, we saw some really amazing desert views. After we finished, we ate a picnic lunch and then walked towards DavidBen Gurion's grave, which was nearby. After that, we headed back onto the bus until we stopped about half way to where we were staying with the Bedouins that evening. We met an Israeli "lone soldier", an IDF soldier who comes from another country. He told us both his story and answered questions about the IDF and lone soldiers. We then did some fun army-like activities such as learning the hand motions for how IDF soldiers communicate on a mission (ex. Two hands in forward motions means two lines) and put on some camouflage face paint. Next, we went back onto the bus and drove to the Bedouin tents near Mitspe Ramon. The first thing we did once we got there was go on a camel ride which was very fun and we had great views. We then went into one of the Bedouin tents and was told by a Bedouin man about some of their customs. We then just hung out until our dinner in a large public-type dining room where we sat on the ground around a table (there were a lot of small tables it wasn't one big one). After a very good meal there, we again hung around for a little while until we went to a camp fire for a dessert of banana stuffed with chocolate chips. It was a great day!

-Jake Meisel