Out In The Desert

On Tuesday morning the team left Mitzpe Ramon for the drive north to Masada and the Dead Sea. Our first stop of the day was Avdat, the well preserved ruins of an ancient Nabatean city. Altogether, Avdat covers a wide area and includes a huge series of buildings - surrounded by an enormous rock wall. It is hard to believe that anyone would choose to live out in this hot and desolate area - especially in an era before A/C. To combat these difficulties, the ingenious Nabateans created unique water tech and other innovations.

"The team exploring the ruins of the Avdat site"
Photo by Kristin Thompson

Our second stop of the day was at Ein Avdat - a nearby nature reserve and park - for a short (but strenuous) hike. Carved into the desert floor, the canyons of Ein Avdat are really very beautiful. After walking in from the drop off point we reached a fork in the path where we quickly ascended about 100 meters in less than 10 minutes. By the top we were all sweating pretty profusely. Nearby to Ein Avdat is the burial site of David Ben-Gurion, the George Washington of Israel and the great statesman who helped guide the country to independence in 1948. Interestingly, it's very quiet site, despite its significance.

"Our museum guide explaining the history behind some old aircraft"

Photo by Christopher Rajashekar

Following this visit, we traveled to the Israeli Air Force Museum at Hatzerim Airbase. Over the next two hours we toured the site, looking at a whole variety of combat aircraft spanning the entire period of Israeli history from independence to the current day.  This visit was of keen interest to a few of the plane junkies on our trip (i.e. Don Mayer and Sean Luke). Honestly, Don and Sean were like kids in a candy store. That being said, I think everyone thought it was a cool museum - though a bit heavy handed at times with patriotic vitriol.

"Don's camel - up close and personal"

Photo by Kristin Thompson

After another hour on the road we arrived at our home for the night - a Bedouin camp in the desert - with Masada in the distant background. Our first activity upon arrival was a 20 minute camel ride. Believe it or not, camels are not as smelly or ill tempered as they are often portrayed. It was not the most comfortable ride, but no one had any real complaints. After the ride, we were welcomed in a traditional Bedouin ceremony. Our host provided us with fresh bread, tea and bitter coffee - as well as music.

"Our Bedouin host - fire roasting some coffee beans"

Photo by Kristin Thompson

In the evening we went to a laser light and music show at Masada. The show was short, but interesting. Upon returning to the Bedouin camp, we had time for some nargila around the fire before retiring to our tent. Many of us had camped numerous times in our lives. That being said, this was probably the least comfortable night of the trip. It was hot and loud. Plus, the camp was overrun by a particularly virulent plague upon the land - not locusts - actually much worse than locusts - Birthrighters. Sadly, not the first time we'd seen them this summer. Ugh.

Makhtesh Ramon

This past Sunday - after leaving Eilat and then touring the Bahad 1 military base - the team arrived in the town of Mitzpe Ramon - the most remote settlement in Israel - on the edge of the Makhtesh Ramon or Ramon Crater. You can go 25 miles in every direction before finding another settlement. The Ramon Crater in a natural crater formed - not from a meteor - but rather from erosion over thousands of years. In many respects the area reminded me of the Southwestern United States - and in particular the Grand Canyon. Very, very beautiful!

"Our jeep tour guide discusses the history of the crater"

Photo by Kristin Thompson

Monday was a lazy morning. After a few early mornings over the previous week, we slept in bit. Our first activity of the day was rappelling along the side of the Ramon Crater. For those that had never rappelled it was fairly cool - while for the old hands (myself included) it was a little anticlimactic. No matter, it was still a lot of fun. After that a few of us took a brief hike back to the hotel. Along the way we saw some Nubian ibex, which was pretty cool!

"The lead jeep passes around the next bend"
Photo by Brad Husser

Later in the afternoon, we had a two hour tour of the crater. Driving in two beat-to-hell - but ridiculously awesome - Land Rovers, the group was taken all around the crater - seeing various geological and historical sites. At one point we stopped to see Khan Saharonim - which are the remains of a Nabatean way station used on the Incense Route from Petra to Gaza over 2,000 years ago. in another instance, we walked a dry river that only flows for 1-2 months per year. Our guide showed us that water can be found right under the surface.

"The 2,000 year old remains of a Nabatean way station"
Photo by Kelley Harris

In the evening, a few people went to star gaze up an overlook of the crater. Altogether, the Makhtesh Ramon is definitely one of the coolest natural geological sites I've ever visited.