The day started very early – we were up at 4:00 am and were standing at the gate for the snake path at 04h35, ready to walk.  Although they usually only open the gates at 05h00, we were allowed to go through the gate at about 04h45.

When we started the ascent, it was still very dark so we used our headlamps again, this time just using the red lights which gave enough light with out blinding us to the wonderful changing colours of the morning.  About a third of the way up it was light enough to turn off the lamps and put them away, also to refill our water bottle from the bigger bottle in Rob’s backpack. The climb is 350 meters straight up, but the zig zag path probably amounts to 3 km’s, so a long climb.

As we got higher up the path a number of people caught up and passed us. We consoled ourselves with the fact that most were at least half our age and some a lot younger than that.  Jen needed a lot of encouraging and bullying to keep her going, albeit with stops every 100 footsteps (she was counting)!   Finally arriving at the top we were just in time to see the sun appearing over the Jordanian mountains but since the haze was very thick it looked more like a moon rising than the sun.

We also discovered a whole mob had walked up the other side of the mountain using the Roman siege ramp.  Jen then says “Oh that is a much easier climb….”  Rob’s reply … a terse “Thanks !”

Wandering around the site we were constantly amazed and impressed with the range and quality of the buildings that the Roman’s had built.  There were vast store houses, frescos on the walls and imposing buildings. What also helped to understand the site was the models of sections of the buildings. One that was particularly interesting was the “Water system”.  The model, with a tap and jug provided, allowed the public to pour water into the river courses and see how it was channelled into the water cisterns. By now we have become a bit blasé about water cisterns as they appear at every site, but then that is how life was sustained.

Once we had viewed as much of the site as we wanted to, we “debated” whether to wait for the cable car, which only started running at 08h00, or to walk down. Since it was only 07h20 it would be a wait for the car and Jen wanted to “prove a point”  so at her insistence we walked down. Result a very tired Jen.  (That is Rob’s opinion, not Jen’s).

Getting back just after 08h00 we had breakfast, or should we say had the remains of the locust swarm. The riot of youth had devoured the food and where on there way to terrorise another youth hostel.

Heading back to our room we had a shower and change of clothes.  The walk down had been in the full sun and we had felt its effect. Checking out just before 10:00am we drove on south next to the Dead Sea, detouring past the hotels at Ein Bokek;  there seems to be no end to the number of hotels and guest houses all offering the “Dead Sea experience”.

Further south we detoured off the main road again and took a drive into the desert, the goal being the Sodom lookout. Driving across the plateau was a little surreal and we were expecting to see Avraham come walking across the desert with his flocks any time.

The lookout was worth the bumpy drive, apparently not that bumpy since Jen had managed to sleep through most of the drive –  Masada walk payback. The view was spectacular.  One direction was the plateau with the mountains in the background. The other way had the valleys and hills in the foreground, the aquamarine Dead Sea backed by the Jordanian mountains. This despite the height of the “peak” being 147 meters below sea-level.

Back on the road we dodged a number of heavy trucks on the twisting road climbing out of the Arava valley The Israeli roads are a little different and the curves seem to be sharper with less banking so they can be a bit tricky.

Just before Demona we turned off at Mamshit. This is one of the many ruined towns from the Nabatian Kingdom that covered most of the Negev desert including Petra in Jordan. Their ability to build remarkable structures never ceases to amaze us and the attention to details is incredible. Civilisation is such a relative term.

Back on the road we stopped at a Paz Yellow for a bite of lunch, bonus WiFi so we uploaded yesterday’s blog and checked our mail with local updates on what’s happening.  George Bush arrives in Jerusalem today so a good portion of the city is a no go area until Friday, but thanks to a few emails from locals we hope to avoid the worse of it when we go back on Thursday afternoon.

As the time was getting on and we had to be at Succah in the Desert before dark we headed straight for Mitzpe Ramon.  Mitzpe Ramon is a small town in the middle of nowhere on the edge of a Makhtesh, a large crater-like geological formation created by erosion. We drove through Mitzpe Ramon and then onto a narrow tar road and finally a dirt road better suited to a 4×4 than an Eldan hire car.

Finally in a shallow valley some ramshackle buildings appeared, this was Succah in the Desert!  We were met by a dog the size of a Shetland pony and a character from survivor named Israel. He showed us to our Succah ….

Our succah …. words cannot begin to describe the place, nor Jen’s face as he explained how to open windows, light the stove, use the solar powered lights and the water supply.  Each Succah is a rustic (understatement) structure set about 150 meters apart in a shallow valley. The most interesting explanation was the ablutions…

A small garden implement (spade)  was provided, with some brown paper bags and as Israel explained.” you make a hole .. and then cover up what you do…” “ please put toilet paper in brown bag and bag in bin ….”   OR you could walk across the valley 300 meter to the flat topped succah and use a bucket, just remember to put some wood shavings on your deposit.

By this point Jen’s face told the story, so after a few “choice” words and some adamant comments by Jen we decided to forgo the pleasures of rustic life and head for the metropolis of Mitzpe Ramon.  “Metropolis” is not an exaggeration – not after Succah in the Desert.

First stop the RamonInn…. fully booked.  They suggested Club Ramon… yes they did have a room.  We took it… not the best of hotels but the windows close, we have real electricity, taps that provide water, and toilet that flushes in a room next door !  It does look a little “seedy” and you’d expect to see a “rooms rented by the hour” sign, but it is at least a real building!

Tomorrow … the Makhtesh and the Negev Day 18