Up until this point I've been mainly focusing on the highlights of the trip, things that the parents, at least, already knew that we'd be doing. I know, however, that the little details are often what make-or-break a trip. You've seen some detail in the pictures and videos ("a picture is worth a thousand words"), but here's a little of what you might not see.
Weather: It's been relatively mild, for the most part. Even Masada and the Dead Sea were on the cool side. Tel Aviv was barely warm enough to go swimming--in fact, some of the kids merely dipped their toes in the Mediterranean. Consequently, there hasn't been an issues with sunburn at all. We all have a bit of a farmer's tan, but that was to be expected. The biggest weather-surprise was when we re-entered Jerusalem Thursday evening and it was raining! The temp that night was in the 50's (F), and the high Friday was only 66 and windy. Average temp this time of year is 72. We just about froze at the Kotel last night.
It turns out Tehiyah students' skin does not like Israeli mosquitoes. The first few days up in northern Israel made this clear! The hydrocortisone cream has been in steady use.
Everyone loves the Israeli ice cream man. We can't pass by a place that sells ice cream pops without someone wanting to stop.
The food at the hotels, for the most part, has been excellent. Everyone seems to agree that the Marina Hotel in Tel Aviv was one of the best. The kibbutz in Gonen was also very good, especially the breakfast, which had just about every breakfast food imaginable (except bacon and ham). The Druze meal and Bedouin feast were also highly praised.
No one has lost an iPod, but quite a few clothing items have been lost/left behind at hotels. For a few students, this has been almost an everyday occurrence, so we always double-check their rooms.
Some of the boys have gotten into the billiards game Snooker, as it's played all the time on an Israeli TV sports station. I don't think any of them have figured out the rules yet. Kind of like Curling.
We're all tired today, our last day. We'll spend a part of the day packing, then we'll head off to the airport and head home. I'll post the rest of the pics and video that I have taken when we get back and have a better internet connection. Parents, I'm sure you'll see plenty of your kid's own pictures by then. Let me know if you'd like a higher resolution version of any of the photos that I've posted in picasa.
