Another interesting day on the Israel Trail.
We started the day by finally getting on to the Ofer Lookout. Apparently it does have taps with running water on it, we weren't sure about it on the day before.
From there the trail went through several other camping sites, and I kept on trucking until I got to the road leading up to Meir Shfeyah. We were planning on buying some stuff to eat up there, so I hitched a ride into it, and apparently it is only a boarding school, with no shop. I filled up 3 2 litre bottles at the gate, and headed back down waiting for everyone to get there.
We had some lunch there, cooking a meal, since we were planning on getting to Beit-Hananya today anyway, and had a short nap on a dirt road. That is always fun, yeah. We also called Beit-Hananya secretariat, and they told us we can sleep on their lawn, and buy stuff at their grocery store.
I told them I'd meet up with them at the top of the Ramat Ha-Nadiv Nature Park, and went out again. Passing along the way a big supermarket I thought about stopping for food, but I figured it'll be much easier buying stuff in Beit-Hananya, and not carrying them around.
I continued up the mountain/hill thingie, and crashed on a bench just near Horvat Akev. I probably slept there for about an hour, before calling Uri - apparently they did stop at the supermarket, to buy food for tonight.
I kept on waiting until 17:00, but then I headed out for the final 2Km down the Carmel and into Beit-Hananya. The climb down was fun, but the bit along the railway was annoying, mainly because of all the gravel I had to walk on.
From there there was also the small bit of crossing route 4, which was hard. the cars kept on coming form both sides, driving fast, and for a while I was just looking for an oppertunity to run across. I then stopped, and figured I will not get myself killed over a stupid thing such as crossing a road, and just waited until the road was really clear, and crossed safely. There's an overpass being built there for the road over the rail lines, I hope they move the trail under the road as well.
Getting into Beit Hananya, two men over there told me where's the grocery store. I went there and treated myself to a tomato, cucamber, cottege cheese and a Snickers bar. It was one hell of a dinner for me.
I kept on sitting there, waiting for the rest to come over, when a car pulled over in front of me, and a lady just asked me if I want to get a shower - just like that. At first I was a bit shocked and just asked "what?", but then she asked if I was on the trail, and saying "yes" she just said "well, you probably didn't shower for several days now, don't you want a shower?". This time I did not lose my tongue, and immediatly said "yes!, I'd love a shower!". Her car was packed with her daughter-in-law and grand kids, so she just told me to follow her to her nearby house.
I went after the car (After buying some ciggarettes for Uri, Yaara and Tal), and was shown into the house. I had a wonderful shower, and Sarah told me I should call my friends to come on over to take showers as well.
When everyone else came over to the grocery store, I went over and picked them up, and they all had showers. The family living over there was wonderful. Sarah and her daughter just came today form Turkey, and her sisters and other daughters and sons were there, as well as her husband. After a while they also offered to make us laundry, and after we've noticed we have a lot of laundry to do, Sarah's sister took some to her house as well. Later we also used their kitchen to make dinner (Yaara made a mean Bolognse...), and slept on the lawn near their house.
It was a really great experience meeting such wonderful people on the trail, taking us into their home and treating us so nicely. This was one of the best places we've spent the night in, on the trail so far.
אין תגובות :
הוסף רשומת תגובה