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Well, here we are...the Levitts are overseas again after much anticipation.
It's starting to be a trend that I hope doesn't continue for the next couple of years...Get a job (at the Sheraton), quit, do everything last minute and fly overseas somewhat unprepared (both in planning and necessary travel accessories). We have a general itinerary for what we're doing for the next couple of months, but in between our flights we're wingin' it. Birthright was a great start to our adventure as we really didn't have to plan out
anything with the exception of where to buy the cheapest booze.
For those of you who are unfamiliar with Birthright - it's a program set up for young Jewish adults to fly to Israel and experience our roots and culture. Everything is taken care of - the flight, food (for the most part), accommodations, tours, etc for 10 days...our trip started on May 10th.
Aaron and I had been trying to get on this trip for a couple of years now with little success. Either the server crashed or we were in Nepal aka the middle of no where and weren't able to get a good connection. The program has an age limit of 26 so Aaron is technically not allowed on the trip...but with a dish of desperation explaining our past failed attempts with a side of Levitt Charm, we were accepted to go on the Israel Outdoors trip - a program set up to see Israel in a outdoorsy way - from hikes to kayaking.
The group hit it off immediately. After all of the small talk (where are you from? what was your major? etc that I personally dispise), we all got along better than anyone expected. There are 40 people alltogether and each of us had to come up with a adjective or nickname in order for all of us to remember our names better. We played a game the 2nd night as an icebreaker to help and my name was "Manichewiez Max" - of which I have crowned myself best nickname.
On our trip, we started in the Golan Heights, went to the Dead Sea (where you literally float because of the high concentration of salt), Jeruselum and ended in Tel Aviv. Our days consisted of getting up at around 7 (or earlier if we did a sunrise hike), eating breakfast, loading the bus, doing a day trip somewhere, getting back on the bus, eating lunch (sandwich in a bag...), going on another excusion, eating dinner, and then doing an activity until around 10:30-11. Then we would have the night to ourselves to do what we're not supposed to (drink) and restart the whole shabang the following day.
The trip ended with all of us sharing how the trip impacted us and if it met our expectations. Everyone (with the exception of one person...I won't mention her deal...) was overwhelmed by the whole experience. Myself, I feel MUCH more tied to Israel and the Jewish religion surprisingly. My intentions on this trip were to come out, experience another country, meet some people, and travel some more. I didn't expect to meet some people that I know I will have contact with for a very long time to come. Like I said to the group on our final day - before I came out for the trip, I felt like Tim Watley from "Seinfeld" - Jewish just for the jokes but after coming on the trip, experiencing Israel in the unique way we did, met some really awesome people, etc - I feel I have a real connection to Israel and the Jewish community and a greater sense of pride in my history.
After the trip concluded, 12 of us got a room at the Sheraton in Tel Aviv for $90/room thanks to yours truly. It's considered the best hotel in Tel Aviv and Metallica stayed there one night while we were there. As you may or may not know, Lars, the drummer, is completely opposed to downloading music illegally. Well, one night after good 2 hour happy hour was dominated, I saw him in the lobby and proceeded to approach him. I told him that he's a hack, and that music is art that if it so happens to pass through a few music lovers illegally should be left at that and not to file lawsuits against people who are just trying to enjoy his music. He began to scream at me and I eventually spit in his face and a bunch of the people from Birthright started a huge fight with Metallica. We eventually lost, me getting a black eye and a few others with bruised faces but I feel I got the point across.
Anyway - after a few days at the Sheraton...everyone finally parted ways. Aaron and I went to Jeruselum for a couple more days just to experience the Wailing Wall without our group which was nice because we weren't on a time constraint. The day we left for Sinai, we decided to head to the Muslim quarter of Jeruselum and then on to the West Bank. It was a bit scary being in Palestine as Jews. We were 100%!g(MISSING)etting some weird looks as we walked through a side-market but I eventually told Aaron to put away his camera and I felt a bit more relaxed. We went to a hookah bar on top of a building with a great view of the surrounding areas, got some shawarma (lamb on big stick that's shaved off, put into a sandwich with some other really good stuff), and headed that night to Egypt...which is a whole 'nother, ridiculous story for next time...
Right now, I'm in Luxor, Egypt and headed up to Cairo for the pyramids tomorrow.
Hope all of you are doing well and I'll try to refrain from adding bullshit stories next time (can you guess what it is?!?)
PS - I'll add pictures later, here's the facebook links for the time being that you can view w/o a facebook account.
Link!
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Leslie Vanauken
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Amazing!
Max - love your blog diary! Your trip sounds incredible - so wonderful you and Aaron are experiencing so many different people and cultures. Loved the Metallica confrontation - he deserved it! Keep up the blogging - can't wait for the next installment! Stay safe and have fun! Aunt Less