I hate guided tours, with buses, and rules, and rolling bags. I vow never again to do a trip like this. I don't care about how our ancestors flocked here, and how we're here now. I realize that, thank you. I don't want to hear that this will change me, I've traveled enough to know. Yes, I understand that for many people, this is what they want - ease, comfort, rules - but not me. The only guided trip I will ever go on again is one that I'm leading.
We arrived at a a hill in Jaffa over looking Tel Aviv for our first stop. Our tour guide blabbed about "deep" shit that I'll never remember - the only thing I'll remember from that moment was that I had to stand there and listen to her speak while I could've been exploring, photographing, and living in the moment. At one point, I had to ask permission to go and take a photograph - PERMISSION! Forget that.
We left the hill (the name of which I don't remember), and made our way to a market, at which we had clear boundaries - "you can't go past that block that way and the blue awning that way" and had only twenty minutes to explore. Never again.
Sarah Nagel and Jason Donders
From there we went back to the bus with our belittling tour guide and headed to Jerusalem. We passed some amazing scenery and an unbelievable amount of history as I struggled to stay awake (no naps! I must make it to night fall!)
At the Kibbutz Hotel, I'm rooming with Corey and Avichai. We had dinner and icebreakers, than were re-told the rules. I met three girls from Philly whose uncle is dating my stepsister Tamar. Such a small world.
Now off to an early night's sleep.
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