Shalom!
We've spent the last week in Israel in the Golan heights with Andys brother, Nessem. Another treat of our travels, thanks to Andys family again, is having this opportunity to live and breathe the culture and lifestyle in Israel, and more importantly spend time with Nessem who Andy rates as one of the most important people in his life.
We had planned on Israel being the end of our mideast trip, mainly to make parting a lesser sorrow with the fam, however changed our routing on a whim within an hour of arriving in Jordan. This was thanks to a greedy handed airport worker who groped me on the bus! I, being the polite kiwi pushed his hand away rather than shouting, smacking, or generally embarrasing him publicly which is what I learnt afterwards is the correct response. It seems obvious now but in the moment my intinct took over and sadlyI froze reverting to the subtle manners approach, thinking 'surely he gets that I am not into this guff. Nope, got to be tough here. My carefuly arranged arsenal of angry looks, short responses to his typical, 'where are you from' type questions, and carefully arranged arm, bag and books on my lap, didn't do much good to keep away his intrusive hands. Grr! Not a biggie, but really offensive. Next time I will bite...not literally but you know.
So, definately not to judge the country by one sour apple, but after that experience and the general first impressions of Jordan we realised that the best way to cut our losses and ease into our new surroundings would be to hop accross the border straight away, being the impulsive munchkins we are, and start off in Israel.
So after a long days travel from Amman to Jerusalem, then to the top of Israel we surprised Nessem by walking down the main drag a month early!
Needless to say it's my first time in occupied territory - the Golan Heights was taken by Israel from Syria in the 6 day war in the 1960's, and the military presence is strong in my virginal eyes. When Iraelis hit 17 years old they automatically serve 2 years in the military and following this 1 month each year until they reach 60! Its pretty strange seeing kids in skate shoes with pants around their asses and M16's slung over their sides sleeping on the bus next to us.
The food here is to die for, the largely organic fruit is usually picked the same day we eat it day by Nessems mother who still works the fields, or by a sneaky side of the road manouver on our drives through the country. I've never had cherries or apricots like these before. The hummus, falafel, and local cheese 'lahbne' is too good. Aula, Nessem's wife is going to teach me to make it for ya'll on my return!
It's a beautiful country and obviously a strong contrast to Asia and for that matter NZ. I could babble for hours about it but as we are using the neighbours internet I'll resist. I will say though that it is far more lush than I expected. It is more like what I imagined a lot of Europe to be like with the fresh produce and cream stone hills dotted with olive trees and stone fruit orchards. You know it's Israel though when you see the old bunkers, active mine fields and ruins of castles from the crusades. One, Nimrod castle dates back to 1229 ad, during the 6th Crusade. We drive past it each day, there's much history here! It's facinating being somewhere so old for a little kiwi. Jerusalem was another story! HOLY!! (haha)
Anywho, rest assured despite the infamy of Israel and the Golan Heights, and the UN presence here we are utterly safe. Nessem, Aula, and Andy, their son (and Andy's namesake) are great hosts and we are having a blast.
I'll add some photos soon.
xxx
p.s - We have decided to flag Egypt this trip as it will just be too damned hot this time of year. Instead we're swapping it for more Greek Islands and a few weeks in Turkey!!
Egypt will have to wait for the Africa Expedition in 2011
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
Team Fancypants and Fanzipan Mountain - Sapa, Vietnam
Wooooohoooooooo!!
We just climbed Fansipan Mountain, the highest mountain in Vietnam at 3,143m and the highest peak in the entire Indochina Peninsula. Dad, I hope you're proud!
It's a fair feat when you compare it to Mount Cook which is 3,754m, so 611m less than that. However to be fair the conditions are a lot easier on Fanzipan, no ice, no equipment required. Hold on, I'm making it sound too easy. Rethink.
When we first met our guide he told us that 'women can't climb the mountian because they are too weak' and continued on along the lines of 'we wont make it' and will probably give up... Me and my female companion joked around, like, 'oh but we're pretty strong'... dead pan response, 'most women stay at base camp or turn around'.
Not at all what we needed to hear after a nights stressing over the stupidity to commiting to this tortutous plan of a three day tramp into the foothills of the Himalayas tackling the highest peak of the region. I was really nervous that I wouldn't make it.
To put this in more of a 'oh dear' perspective, this was on the back of our second sleepless overnight train, and a 16 hour day in Hanoi consisting of pure time absorbption till the next train in the form of 30 cent beers. I was exhaugshted and freaked at the idea of physical activity, let alo
ne this extreme challenge, but frustratingly could not think of a valid excuse apart from fear of failure. Andy was in a worse situation than me, subsitsting on less than 4 hours sleep on top of the 2 day travel exhaughstion and about four to five times the amount of hangover I suffered... go figure...
Day one was fine, an easy tramp through beautiful misty rainforest, a few river crossings and small inclines to our base camp. We made it under the predicted time - good start.
Day two however was the real test. We were up at 6am and left base at 7am. A long, gruelling, slippery, cold, wet, mud coated, knee jolting, thigh straining, back fudging yet somehow fun half day later, we were all on top of the mountain eating baguettes and drinking cold coffee. What a sight. I was soaked, with umpa loompa hair, sporting short shorts, muddy legs and a $1 poncho made from a plastic with less thickness than your average supermarket bag not to mention missing a whole arm (an earlier casualty), standing on a misty, wet, rocky, peak saluting my achievement with a Mars bar. I am so proud we did it! We knocked it off!
Other credits aside from my achievement of climbing it with lack of sleep and well, overall fitness go to Andy with his ridiculous hangover, worse lack of sleep and his terrible knees
and above that to to Jessie, one of our fellowship, who was hammered by travellers tum the night prior and had serious tummy cramps and no real nutrients at all in his system but still made it to the top! Ridiculous.
I'm super glad we conquered it particularly after the guides sexist, pessimistic, un-encouraging comments! HOH, we did it in time, and un fit! JEEZ. Sisters are doing it for themselves eh Sarah!!
Outro: the Team Fancypants theme song 'Aint no mountain high enough...'
We played this when ever we needed encouragement and, well, when we were getting hyper. Contrary though, it was totally high enough for me!
We were really l
ucky to meet and form Team Fancypants, by luck from sharing a van up to Sapa with three travellers planning to vanquish the mountian. Without them I know we wouldn't have done it, we just wouldn't have considered it! It turned out to be such a great call and perfect with such great people. Definatly a major joy of travelling is the people you meet along the way. And in this situation hopefully, we'll see these guys down the line - Sarah, maybe Portugal, Jesse, maybe Spain for the tomato mash up, and Nic... You tell us! Definately more cards, mad challenges, and red wine.
We just climbed Fansipan Mountain, the highest mountain in Vietnam at 3,143m and the highest peak in the entire Indochina Peninsula. Dad, I hope you're proud!
It's a fair feat when you compare it to Mount Cook which is 3,754m, so 611m less than that. However to be fair the conditions are a lot easier on Fanzipan, no ice, no equipment required. Hold on, I'm making it sound too easy. Rethink.
When we first met our guide he told us that 'women can't climb the mountian because they are too weak' and continued on along the lines of 'we wont make it' and will probably give up... Me and my female companion joked around, like, 'oh but we're pretty strong'... dead pan response, 'most women stay at base camp or turn around'.
Not at all what we needed to hear after a nights stressing over the stupidity to commiting to this tortutous plan of a three day tramp into the foothills of the Himalayas tackling the highest peak of the region. I was really nervous that I wouldn't make it.
To put this in more of a 'oh dear' perspective, this was on the back of our second sleepless overnight train, and a 16 hour day in Hanoi consisting of pure time absorbption till the next train in the form of 30 cent beers. I was exhaugshted and freaked at the idea of physical activity, let alo
ne this extreme challenge, but frustratingly could not think of a valid excuse apart from fear of failure. Andy was in a worse situation than me, subsitsting on less than 4 hours sleep on top of the 2 day travel exhaughstion and about four to five times the amount of hangover I suffered... go figure...Day one was fine, an easy tramp through beautiful misty rainforest, a few river crossings and small inclines to our base camp. We made it under the predicted time - good start.
Day two however was the real test. We were up at 6am and left base at 7am. A long, gruelling, slippery, cold, wet, mud coated, knee jolting, thigh straining, back fudging yet somehow fun half day later, we were all on top of the mountain eating baguettes and drinking cold coffee. What a sight. I was soaked, with umpa loompa hair, sporting short shorts, muddy legs and a $1 poncho made from a plastic with less thickness than your average supermarket bag not to mention missing a whole arm (an earlier casualty), standing on a misty, wet, rocky, peak saluting my achievement with a Mars bar. I am so proud we did it! We knocked it off!
Other credits aside from my achievement of climbing it with lack of sleep and well, overall fitness go to Andy with his ridiculous hangover, worse lack of sleep and his terrible knees
and above that to to Jessie, one of our fellowship, who was hammered by travellers tum the night prior and had serious tummy cramps and no real nutrients at all in his system but still made it to the top! Ridiculous.I'm super glad we conquered it particularly after the guides sexist, pessimistic, un-encouraging comments! HOH, we did it in time, and un fit! JEEZ. Sisters are doing it for themselves eh Sarah!!
We played this when ever we needed encouragement and, well, when we were getting hyper. Contrary though, it was totally high enough for me!
We were really l
ucky to meet and form Team Fancypants, by luck from sharing a van up to Sapa with three travellers planning to vanquish the mountian. Without them I know we wouldn't have done it, we just wouldn't have considered it! It turned out to be such a great call and perfect with such great people. Definatly a major joy of travelling is the people you meet along the way. And in this situation hopefully, we'll see these guys down the line - Sarah, maybe Portugal, Jesse, maybe Spain for the tomato mash up, and Nic... You tell us! Definately more cards, mad challenges, and red wine.
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