Retreat to the Negev - entry 6

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Before Matti left us, we enjoyed one last big dinner with the extended Shalev family at Kibbutz Givat Chaim. Matti was born and raised on this kibbutz, and his parents were among the first pioneers to settle here back in the 1920's. As the sun set and we welcomed Shabbat, we paid tribute to his parents and grandparents, who are all buried at the kibbutz.

The next day we travelled nearby to a Bar Mitzvah for one of the younger members of the Gershoni clan. It was lucky timing to meet and re-connect with all of Drora's sibilings and Itay's cousins and their children all in one place.

After a full weekend of family gatherings, it was time to get away from civilization. Joining us on this 3-day journey were Tirza, Itay's cousin, and Gai, her husband as well as Yaaniv, who is married to Tirza's sister Sharone. We quickly found out that Gai and Yaaniv were aficionados of desert life, a love affair that probably dates back to their army days.

We rented a 4x4 and quickly put it into use, venturing off road to explore dry wadis, sand dunes, and the more than occasional coffee break. It was such a relief to find out they enjoyed a good cup of turkish coffee maybe even more than us! We capped off an eventful first day with a Tatzpit overlooking the Egyptian border and a brief stop at Nizzana, an ancient site of Nabatean civilization. We dined under the stars, slept together in a communal tent, and thanks to Gai and Tirza's good tastes, had access to some of the finest bathrooms in the Negev!

The next day started with a drive along the Egyptian border, more off-road wadi runs, and finally we entered the Makhtesh Ramon , the world's largest erosion crater. Before desceding down, we stopped at one of the finest "tatzpits" in Israel to admire the majestic sweep of the crater below. At that moment, three F-16 boomed overhead and flew right over us. Definitely one of those "only in Israel" moments! After much needed snacks and coffee breaks, we found our way out of Makhtesh Ramon and finally found the asphalt road and reached civilization.

While Masada and the Dead Sea lay in store the following day (and for the next blog post), one final off road trip remained the 3rd day. After our dip in the Dead Sea, we still had time for one final off road adventure. So off we went to the hills nearby to traverse the barren terrain near Mount Sodom. We drove in search of the Flour Cave, but alas, it had literally "caved" in and was closed. Luckily, we found some shade just in time to do what we do best: Coffee break!

It was a memorable two days in the Negev, and it could not have been possible with the knowledge, good conversation, and guidance received from Tirza, Gai and Yaaniv. We can only hope it's the start of many trips to come!

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