Walking the Wadi

So we left Eilat after swimming in the Red Sea and doing some sweet shopping in a makeshift bazaar.
I met some awesome girls at the hostel from America, they are super cool! There was a guy at the hostel who was a Druce, so we were talking to him and discussing our different world views. He used to be an officer in the Army and caught countless terrorists, and they are Mennonite(one of their foundational beliefs is non violence, so interesting.
Then we crossed the boarder into Jordan, there was someone gaurding the boarder and Micah(6) decided to announce really loudly that he had a big gun! AHAH.
As soon as we crossed the boarder two things happened.
First the guys were VERY forward. Paying us special attention, sometime traveling with 5 girls has its ups and downs. Second, after hours of driving in the desert with several signs telling us to watch for camels and seeing none, two camels just casually saunter across the road. Crys of joy came from all around.
Petra is about a 2 hour drive in the desert from the boarder. You might think that we would be sick of driving in the desert, but I for one was fascinated, there were Bedouin tents everywhere with their animals grazing along side(on what I have no idea, but grazing none-the-less). Half way there we stopped at a shop that was selling all sorts including coffee. It was very strong but you could get used to it. It was at that shop that it happened, something I have been preparing myself for a time for. A marriage proposal, as I said Jordanians are very forward and the shop keeper decided to ask my mother how many camels I was. SCORE. So if I don't find anyone at home I decided that I'll just move here :P

Then we arrived, Petra is breathtaking. Words and pictures do no justice. We climbed to the top of the monastery, a mere 905 steep steps up. When we got down it was getting late so our donkey owner(we got a donkey for Micah, a lifesaver) took us to the Bedouin village. Nothing really sets it apart as Bedouin anymore as they all live in houses except for the fact that they used to live in the caves of Petra and now all work there. Either giving donkey, horse or camel rides or selling jewelery and wares along the path.
That night we stayed in Little Petra, which is a Bedouin camp ala hotel. An experience I will never forget, sleeping in tents, eating Bedouin food. In the morning we saw a baby camel, only a week old, its owner taking it for some food, so gorgeous. But probably our favorite thing was theg Bedouin tea. Seriously, this tea is SO GOOD, it comes in little glasses, is strong, sweet and minty. We left promising to make lots of it at home.
On the second day we went to the Royal Tombs, the Byzantine church and the High Place of Sacrifice. While at the Royal Tombs dad decided to climb to the top for panoramic views, and mum and Micah went somewhere. So Selah and I hung out, as it was the middle of the day and getting very hot, one of the donkey owners(who we had quickly become friends with) invited us under the shelter of one of the jewelery shanties. The girls there were hilarious, they made us more tea and talked with us as we teased the donkey owner about liking one of the girls. The girls were Miriam 16, who was engaged and will be married in 4 months. I found out that her fiance had been her secret boyfriend and had her parents found out she could be killed, and Hannan 17, who we teased about liking the donkey boy but we found out that she had a secret boyfriend by looking on her phone( They all have cellphones!). Then we climbed up the minuscule 720 stair to the High Place of Sacrifice and saw Arron's tomb. Half of the way down we got Camels to almost the begining. One of the most terrifying and exciting things of my life!
As we were leaving I found out that Wadi Mousa translates into 'The Valley of Moses' and there is a place called 'The Spring Of Moses' too. Apparently I had been told this but had forgotten.
All the time I thought that the only real Biblical value was the Edomites(Esau's descendants) who lived on one of the hills. But they believe this is the place that Moses struck the rock and brought water from it.
I was kinda frustrated that I had forgotten it and walked the whole thing without that knowledge haha!
This trip is already starting to bring the Bible alive!
Now we are staying at a pokey little hotel and about to leave for the boarder again.
Sorry for all the grammatical errors, haha, this is done in a rush!

The Zin Wasteland

We're in ISRAEL!!
It is seriously so hot here. We landed at 11:30pm to 23 degrees. Even though we landed at midnight Israeli time, it felt like midday to us, so we decided to drive around Tel Aviv for a while then head down to Eilat.
HILARIOUS. Because Friday night is the sabbath, Thursday night is party night, and we found ourselves in Joppa, just outside of Tel Aviv and decidedly more seedy. At 4am. I swear it was almost as busy as during the day.

We ended up hungry at 4am so bought some delicious subs from a street vendor, and head off to Eilat.
It was beautiful. We reached the Dead Sea at sunrise, and drove around. Passed Mt Sodom and and Lots Wife.
And then we drove. And drove, and drove. It was only for 3 1/2 hours but felt much longer as it was all desert. Rocks, sand, rocks and signs telling us to watch out for Camels. Non of which we saw, until we stopped at a truck stop ala zoo that had chipmunks, snakes, lizards, camels and donkeys.

We are now in Eilat, staying at a messianic youth hostel dying in the sun, frantically typing this up as the store closes at 12:30pm for the Sabbath.

This afternoon we're going to the beach. Can't wait.

Ciao

Korea, but not.

'THE TRIPS TODAY!!" those three words woke me up at 6am Wednesday morning. Spoken by my six year old brother who had previously shown no interest whatsoever in the trip.

We checked in, handed over our luggage to be flown straight to Tel Aviv, meaning that only the clothes in our carry on will be taken to Seoul(most of which will be thrown out at Tel Aviv airport, leaving room to take stuff home!), said goodbye and promising postcards to friends.

It wasn't actually till I walked through those departure gates that I actually believed that we were going. That this was happening. Its not like I ignored it, I have been helping to plan this trip for months. It just seemed so, surreal.
We boarded the plane, hunkered down for our 12hr flight preparing for the worst.
12 hours on the plane, 8 people, 1 one year old and one 6 year old. What could go right? Apparently everything. We had prepared with buying a DSI and loading up the iPod touch with games, bringing books and journals.
Selah, charmed every person on the plane and slept the whole landing.

We arrived to 2 degrees and snow on the ground. A big shock. On the ground we quickly got put into a bus and shuttled to the hotel Korean Air were putting us up for the night. The Hyatt Regency, only the flashest hotel Ive ever seen in my life. No biggie. Not very Korean, but flash!
When we arrived it was 10:30 pm Auckland time but 5:30 Seoul time so we grabbed some dinner and went to bed. Promising to explore the next day.
As we looked outside our window we discovered that there was an indoor pool(it was way too cold to swim outside).Of course we packed all but what we needed for our two flights into our checked luggage!

After sitting in my hotel room watching TV I realized 2 things, Korea(well Korean MTV anyway) is obsessed with Justin Bieber and that I was in Asia and sitting in the most western place I've ever been, these two things made be a bit depressed and I walked around the hotel for awhile. Both to get away from Justin Bieber and to find culture. I didn't find any. What I did find though was
E-Mart(like K-Mart but better and Asian) and they were selling togs for only 5,000 wuon (only $5 USD) and sweet tops for 7,000 wuon(I needed something to bring home from here!) so we went back to the hotel enjoyed the suana, spa and pool.

Now I'm at Incheon Airport using their free WiFi and waiting for our 12 hr flight to Tel Aviv.
I dunno when I'll get internet next, in the next few days I'm driving to Eilat(said ee-lat) and then going to Petra in the weekend. Will upload photos soon
Ciao

"Everything the Locust has stolen will be restored back to you'

First of all, I know that I am not a writer. I don't set out to be. I only wish to share with my friends my travels, and share my heart/thoughts.

Today was my last service at church before I leave on Wednesday.
I had Kids Church during the service, but after I did my rounds hugging, and saying farewell to everyone.
It was emotional experience, but not necessarily a sad one. Yeah it was sad on the surface, but for me it was a bittersweet moment.

See for me to even have friends that go deeper than the smalltalk stage is huge. When I was 12 I left everyone and everyone thing I have ever known. I have been living in this city for almost 7 years, and only in the last two years have I had real, deep friends. The kind of friendship that goes deep, is honest, real, friendship that weathers the mountains and valleys together.

"I will repay you for the years the locusts have eaten—"
Joel 2:25a
(yeah I know they differ a bit, I paraphrased the title)

Although this verse is much more, and has huge implications for Israel, today I'm using it in a more personal context. Today(and most of the previous year)it felt like God was restoring everything the enemy had stolen. Blessed.

I am going to miss my friends, more than I realize right now.
I am lucky that its not forever. I am blessed.