After this was the moment a lot of us were waiting for, camel riding!! It was a good thing we had all found out camel buddies beforehand, because we quickly met up with them and ran to our desired camel. This was so much fun and made for an awesome picture taking time (so many selfies with camels)!
After a short drive we floated in the Dead Sea which was surprisingly cold, but who could resist. We found out how quickly the sea is evaporating, it might not exist in 20 years.
The hike was incredible. A few minutes after starting we reached a small oasis at the bottom of the valley. I felt so small looking up above at the walls of the valley and wondering how far up this hike would take us if at all.
We got to try vegetables and fruit native to Israel and the juices from them. We made our own bread with homemade spices and had authentic Israeli ice cream before heading to our bus.
We took "once-in-a-lifetime" pictures riding on the camels and each group gave their camel a name. We gathered for a Bedouin style dinner and cooked s'mores at the camp fire. Some of us even saw shooting stars!
We took pictures in front of a spectacular view and took a moment to absorb the splendor of the Negev. Next, we drove to become immersed in the Bedouin culture.
We had a very meaningful day today at Yad Vashem, Israel's Holocaust museum. The community of our group was apparent as we supported each other through the museum.
There is only one way to appreciate the essence of the desert. With the sun shining bright, we held on for dear life as we were led by Bedouins on the backs of camels!
It was a beautiful hike to a waterfall and up to a gorgeous view. Like all Israeli trails, it ended with a giant staircase and ice cream (for some reason hikes in Israel all seem to end that way).
They live in tents and are very spiritual people from my understanding. One of the Bedouins spoke to us about their culture and the way they live. They have very little communication with the outside world and rely solely on themselves for resources.