Minimalist Traveling In Israel

Well hello there Maniacs!

It's about the time I'm almost done with my exams and I have more free time to do my thing, so I though I might as well use it wisely and take a few days to go up to northern Israel and see our beautiful country...

I just came back from 3 days in Golan heights, followed by another unplanned 1 day in tlv and 3 days in dor beach. I wanted to go as minimalistic as I can, to see how I manage and as a small preparation to my trip to Thailand and other frutilicious tropical heavenly countries :)

Since I heard the term minimalism, I got hooked on the idea. I started getting rid of shit clothes I was hoarding for years and other things, but I kept on buying more shit I didnt need nor use, and I still had immense amounts of clutter all over my house, car and life. In the last few months I started to really take my minimalist journey to the next level and really get rid of things I didnt need. I sold so many things and even had a “garage” roof sale with my friends. I will write about it in the future, so stay tuned if you're interested. Anyway, I decluttered my house quite a bit, and really started to take into consideration what I need in life and I would definitely want to experiment with that when I go traveling in asia in the next months. I though I would see how it goes in the trip to the north as well.

Whats in my bag?

1 long leggings

1vegan shorts

2 tanks

4 pairs of undies

1 long hoodie [should've brought something warmer]

flip flops

minimalistic running shoes for hiking

phone

charger

credit card, Bus card and id

some cash [but no wallet! So proud of myself cause I usually go about with a big ass wallet]

key [only the one to my house]

mp3 player

ear plugs

toothbrush

baking soda [to use as shampoo, deodorant and toothpaste. Didn't use it once!]

box of dates and 2.5 kg of peaches.

1.5 liter water bottle

Well, at the first few days I didn’t really mind not changing clothes, and I even washed 1 pair of panties in the shower, but I had worn one tank in a hike an as I was gathering prickly pear or whatever name your country calls this exquisite fruit, I had all the spikes fly with the wind straight to my face, neck and shirt. So I wasn’t wearing it ever since and didn’t even think of washing it with all the spikes stinging me on the way :| so turns out I wore the other tank for a long time and I got really tired of it when I came back o tlv and was about to head out to dor beach. I almost borrowed a friends shirt but at the end I gave up cause I already have too many things and I just starting to give a fuck.

Seriously, when I was out and about, having fun, out in nature and with friends, I really couldn’t care less how I looked. At the beach I wore just a sports bra and panties, and some of the time I was topless, and I was just fine. People didn’t even notice I wasnt wearing a “proper” bathing suite, and if they did? I don’t care. I'm not here to entertain anyone or to look good for someone else.

But enough about material objects. I had a really good time all in all. I was really surprised that the north was this big and beautiful, and had so much nature going around! Just driving through the area you'd see fig trees and prickly pears, and the occasional spring here and there..

but besides that, it was a good experience for me to trust the world and the people and nature in general, to provide me with food, and a place to sleep. Though it didn't really help with saving the battery in my phone...

I have to admit I was a little scared before going, as I didnt know if I took enough things, and I was especially worried about the food. I didn't know where I could get good fruits [as I am doing the raw till 4 lifestyle now], and because the fruit quality these days is so low and not satisfying, and I'm used to knowing what I'm eating and where I'm buying it and how ripe it is. But up north, I managed quite good.

As I got there we went to a supermarket to but some food. The fruit was as expected inedible, so I bought pasta and some pasteurized orange juice. The day after we went to an apple plantation, and picked some nice apples. There was also a plum, grapes and nectarines plantation so I picked some more :) after that we went for a hike in Gilabon wadi, where we saw some more food, and after that we found a big ass fig tree I took the liberty to strip down of edible fruits :)

The day after I wasn't feeling all too well, I was really tired and exhausted, and I rested the whole day. When it was evening I started getting bored and wanted to do something, but I also started feeling choked and cramped up in a far out location and I really wanted to get the hell out. I was staying at a place with only 2 buses a day, and within seconds I made up my mind to pack my shit, get out and look for a bus station, when the bust was about to arrive In ten minutes. Sounds silly and impulsive, but that simple act really helped me feel in control and gain back my self confidence.

Sadly, or not sadly but very tiring, it took me about 6 hours to get to tel aviv, when I was headed for jerusalem. I missed the last bus and I was starving by the time I got to tel aviv. That's the problem with this lifestyle, when you are undercarbed, you start being miserable. I was thinking about food the whole way back! I bought some stir fried rice with no oil and salt in tlv and stayed at a friends house. It is pretty amazing eh? That you could just hop from one place to another, and get by so easily in this world. It was really great to let go of my frick-controlish-part for a bit, and just rely on things to be ok.

After I stayed the night in tlv I was supposed to go back to jlm and pack my bathing suit, get more fruits, a sleeping bag, change my stinkin' clothes and go back to tlv and head out to Dor beach from there, but then I was like... do I really need all this hassle just for a stinking bathing suite? Change of clothes? I can just borrow a sleeping bag from a friend and but fruits anywhere! And I wouldn’t need to carry them all the way from jlm.. besides, if I really wanted to, I could just buy a new swim suite and it would cost me less time and money than going back and forth.. that really put things into perspective. I had a great time in tlv with Ggali my eternal love! And I also arranged to meet a fellow rawtill4-er, Ginat the fruitbat!

After this hot and amazing day in tlv, I went with Ron, a friend I met over at Midburn, to dor beach for a big ass camping thing his friends family organizes every year! It was really amazing to camp out on the beach and chill and do nothing. We arrived at night, and I was soooo tired already, we stayed for a bit in the bonfire and then I went to sleep. The day after I was just chilling, eating fruits, tanning topless, hooping, and on the next day, I did much of the same but started to get to know the people around me better, and feel more comfortable. I also took a long walk on the beach hoping to find new adventures, and even though I didn't meet lots of interesting new people, I did get to a nice little camp that played music and I did my own party on the rocks and danced myself away with the waves..

I guess there's no way around it. It takes me a while to feel comfortable around people and I do get a bit anxious in social situations. That's why I prefer to be by myself and fend for myself whenever necessary. I'm afraid of being judged in a certain way and I try to read the atmosphere a bit before I open up .I probably come up as a shy and quiet person or maybe even an antisocial lone wolf sometimes. I have it a lot easier on one-on-ones.

I was even more worried about the food before we went to the beach. I didnt have a clue what food they're going to have over there, if they'd have any fruits, but since I was already relying on the world for a few days already, I just let it be. Right before we took off I bought some grapes and nectarines, baby corn and dates, and I did finish up all my food before we headed back home, so I ended up eating some bread with tahini. After I got home I was still out of food so I had some rice cakes with tahini and a few veggies. I felt ok when having it, but this morning I woke up with a fever and with pain all over my body. It could be the food but I have a feeling it's that massive sunburn I got that's fucking me up.

I'm happy I got out of my comfort zone and started to experience new things, and I'm grateful not to have my studies in the way all the time. Can't wait to be really over with it.

This little trip really got me interested in living in a moshav or kibbutz for a bit, and I made up my mind to go on a gathering trip again next week, where you walk around in a group for 5 days an eat only what you forage. I was at a foraging trip a few months back, but I feel like this time I could have a better experience.

To sum it up, I had a blast. But it is good to be home, take a nice NOT hot shower for my aching skin, and have a change of clothes.