Seeing as this blogs mainly focused around my travels. I think it's best I tell you all the story about the 6 months I spent in the Jewish State of Israel. "Why Israel?!" I hear many people say with a disgusted look on their face as if i've just farted. "Weren't you scared of being blown up?" "What's actually there?" "Isn't it just a desert full of mud huts and camels?". Well, if Israel really was just a giant desert full of camels and land mines; I would of just joined the British Army so I could at least get paid to go to such a place. I think the best way for me to show you why I went to Israel, is to tell you my story...
Long story short, i've always wanted to see the world. For as long as I can remember i've been obsessed with travelling the world like a 21st century James Cook. So in 2008 I decided to make this dream a reality. I worked harder than an Afghan undertaker and saved up enough money to go to the world's biggest prison: Australia. This was it. It was time for the bird to leave the nest. I was finally going out there into the big world. Standing before me was an ocean of mystery. Now was my time to set sail on the ship of curiosity and conquer the worlds hidden treasures. I was about to embark on the great crusade. No-one could stop me...apart from a girl. I completely fucked off my dream for a girl and didn't go. Sorry dream, as much as I love you and won't die happy until I make you a reality, I have to say goodbye to you for this relationship.
Not my brightest moment I must say. Because so far in my life, relationships have been like fat people...they don't work out. So in 2009 this relationship ended. In quite an ugly fashion too. It was the 'Princess Diana in Paris' of relationships. But it was God's will, or whatever the powers that be are. Because this meant one thing; I was a free man. The chains were off and the world was mine. Naturally I had spent most of my money whilst in a relationship. It would mean working all over again to get to Oz and I had to leave NOW. The thought of this depressed me immensely. I was a prisoner of my own misery.
But then, I was rescued. I know exactly what Christians mean when they talk about being 'saved'. Because this is exactly what happened to me. I was on Facebook and by chance a good man by the name of 'Ben' started talking to me. I used to go to school with this man. We done the usual routine conversation of "How you doing, what you up to these days bla bla". This was when it happened. He told me he was in Israel, on something called a 'Kibbutz' (wtf is that?! I hear you say. Exactly, so did I). He told me all about the Kibbutz. To put it in short (i.e. the parts I paid attention to). He was living in this place with hot weather, cheap booze and plenty of foreign girls who are drawn to an English accent like bees to a flower. Needless to say, I was sold.
So there and then I booked my flight to Tel-Aviv. I didn't think about it, or ask anyone what I should do. I just booked it. This is the difference between people that travel and people that 'want' to travel. Where as those that want to travel think about it and weigh out the pros and cons. Us who do travel just promptly put the blind fold on and jump into the unknown. I believe it was John Lennon who said "Life is what happens when your busy making other plans". I couldn't put it any better myself. I had nothing to lose. I was miserable with my life. Too many people just accept their situation and refuse to change it. Well not me. I was unhappy with where my life was going. I had to be the one who makes it better again.
With no further ado, it was time to begin my journey to 'The Land of Milk and Honey' as it's known to the Jews. I have always been interested in the Middle East. I'm a massive history boffin and this region is just oozing with history, from the Roman Empire, to the Crusades all the way through to the Ottoman Empire. Anywho, I shall spare you from a history lesson...for now. Because to know Israel, you really do have to know about the history. Because the history is very much the reason for what is going on today.
What lay ahead for me in the Levant? Not camels and land mines. I knew that much already. I was expecting a lot from this trip; and I wasn't disappointed...
nice intro , tell me more about the kibbutz? can a brown man do it ?
ReplyDeleteYou can find out more about the Kibbutz in my later blogs coming soon if you want. As for being a brown man, er, it depends what your cultural background is. If it's Muslim, then no i'm afraid. Their not keen on Muslims and Germans. Germans because it shits the old people up if they hear the language and Muslims because...well I think that's pretty obvious why! I will address all this in a later blog. I will first tell the story of some of my experiences, then I will draw up my conclusion of it all if you stick around long enough.
ReplyDeleteThanks for reading so far :)