Israel Favorites: Part 3 - Qumran

Have you heard of the Qumran caves? Well, if not, maybe you have heard of something that was found in them. The Dead Sea Scrolls? I hope you have heard of those at least. They contained a copy of the book of Isaiah that is in the Holy Bible and is also a book that the Jewish people hold fast to. It was transcribed by a group of men that lived in the caves of the area and spent their lives striving for holiness through cleanliness and daily learning. We had the chance to see the actual cave that the scrolls were first discovered in. If you make it over there, you can watch a video they made to show how all this story came to be. But I will give you the easy version to get through. 

As the story goes, a Bedouin shepherd was searching for his 2 lost goats. He came to the cave and thought maybe his goats had fallen in. So he picked up a rock and tossed it into the cave, hoping to hear them bleat back at him. Instead he heard a loud crash and realized he had smashed something inside the cave. Curious, he dropped down into it and found some old jars. He managed to pull 2 out of the cave and took them to an antiquities dealer. The dealer made a trade with him, then set about to see what was inside. The priceless scrolls truly made his day!

All around the area, you can see caves within the cliffs. Paths lead you to them. I found myself wishing that we were able to explore. To see inside them. But that is the adventurer in me.

Sadly, you can't. They are all secured. You have to stay on platforms for viewing.

If you have a really good camera, you can see into the cave pretty well. Not really special looking, until you know the story behind it. Also, their gift shop was where I managed to find zaatar spice. Amazing stuff! I know we can sometimes find it locally, but I have been told that it isn't as great as the original.

From Israel With Love

Going to Israel was amazing! It was definitely a once-in-a-lifetime experience for me. I mean that. Once in my lifetime. I'd love to go back, but that was one hard journey that I don't know I can handle doing again. I'm still feeling the effects of the trip, all that hiking and climbing. Today I was bedridden after our homeschool class meet. It has just been building. But! Worth every bit though! 

I have been slowly and painfully sorting through the over 2,000 photos my husband took. I don't know what it is about guys and cameras, but it seems like they often take the oddest photos. Photos of things that leave you scratching your head and wondering, "What was he thinking when he took this?" 

That being said, I have been reliving the trip through these photos. And what a trip! Hard to believe, but the State of Israel could actually fit inside the state of Colorado. Even so, our 10 day trip couldn't cover everything that could be visited and seen. After all, we didn't even get to visit Bethlehem! We did drive along the northern, eastern and western borders though. And to a great many spots in between. Including what we westerners know as the Gaza Strip aka the Golan Heights. Not what the locals call it over there. We had a lovely lunch in a Palestinian restaurant. But I am getting ahead of myself here... So let me walk you through some of the best parts of our trip with photos to guide you. 

When we first arrived in Tel Aviv, we had to go through a PCR test at the airport. From there were driven the scenic route and given some history as we made our way to the hotel for the night. We had to go into quarantine until the results of our tests were emailed to us. Thankfully, ours arrived before dinner time and we were able to not only eat in the dining hall, but also take a brisk stroll around outside. We stayed right on the Mediterranean. You want to talk about a beautiful sight!

Only thing that might have been better would be to have had the room next door, which was the corner of the building. But still, seeing that beautiful sea glisten was amazing. 

While on the Mediterranean, I highly suggest seeing some of the ancient Roman ruins. There are so many strewn through Israel though, so don't worry if you don't see these. But the one here that we visited had an open theater with original steps in tact. There was also the arena for horse and chariot racing. There was ruins of a palace that the sea had collected. I picked up a few shells and a stone that porous and light. Loved walking next to the Sea. Reminded me of days growing up in Florida, but the water was prettier here.

The Aqueduct amazed me. This structure is 10 miles long. It carried water to a place that had none. And is still standing over a 1,000 years later. Why can't we make things to last like this??

Don't be alarmed to see open tombs on the side of the road. Ancient practices of burial means that tombs were dug into the sides of hills and rocks everywhere. Some of them are quite noticeable.

The Sea of Galilee is nothing like I imagined it would be. When we went, the weather was beautiful. Often as we drove near it, it was smooth like glass. And tour boats like this make it seem all the more serene. If you take a tour boat, I suggest Daniel Carmel. He has 3 boats now. We took the Faith Boat. His other is the Hope Boat, but he recently purchased the Love Boat. *wink wink*

I never thought the mountains in Israel would have snow on them. I mean, they are mountains after all, but I think of Israel as Middle East. Meaning... desert. I was wrong. When we went in March, there was still snow on the mountain peaks.

I don't want to overload you in one go. After all, my husband has over 2,000 pictures! So I will leave you to ponder these and be back after I sort through some more gigabytes of photos. Israel is amazing. And I want to show you some of it. Though I would tell everyone to take the trip if they get the chance. There are some great destinations in the world worth traveling to. But nothing like the Holy Land.

Taking the Doll On a Trip

When are we too old for dolls? No, really? Not that I actually play with them, but I have been enjoying the doll photography. I even got my daughters participating with me. They love creating more realistic doll accessories with me. We painted their dollhouse and added sticker paper to the walls and floor. Then we began photographing their dolls. We play in the #Mondayfordolls Instagram event created by @bella_belladoll every chance we get. We also like looking at the posts by Grandma Gets Real. They can be hilarious. I even created my own dollstagram - ANerdsDay.

So why am I bringing this up? Well, I'm going to Israel in a little over a week (another post is coming where I show you how I pack in a carry-on only). With this, I talked my husband into letting me bring a doll. Before you start laughing at me uncontrollably - I take my doll around town too! I love doing it. The girls bring dolls in the car to play with as we drive from place to place quite often. I started carrying a camera and bringing my own doll sometimes. We try to find ways to take photos uniquely. At the park. At the library. We don't get out much. Well, now I am thinking it might be fun to get photos of the doll in another country. I'm not big on getting photos of myself (though there were will be some of those too). At first, my husband laughed when I brought it up. His grown wife carries a Barbie around. But he has seen some of the posts I have checked out. He has watched how the girls join me and we take photos together. Our 9 year old has even started practicing setting them up and taking pictures on her own! So when I mentioned it again, he actually thought it sounded like fun for me.

But now comes my dilemma! Which one do I use? My Wonder Woman doll or my Lara Croft doll. They are interchangeably "me" in doll form. Who would have thought I'd have a harder time picking the doll to take than I would on packing my clothes!

Do you think it strange that I do doll photography? Or do you find it interesting? Which doll would you take along? I'd love to hear from you, so leave me a comment below! And be watching for my next post that is coming soon. I plan to show you how I'm packing everything in a personal and carry-on only!

8 International Packing Lists Must Haves!

Our trip is coming soon. As of now, it is back on for March. We are going to Israel! But we don't want to check in luggage. Instead, we want to bring only carry-on luggage. That means that I have to be selective in what we bring. I've been studying other travelers posts on doing it. This past year I had tried some new products and determined which ones posed usefulness when we are talking long, daily treks to multiple cities. I want to show you just how I'm making our dream come true of going international without over-packing!

Must haves!

Kub dry wipes were something I was able to test for a review. I'm glad I did! Having wipes on long trips is a necessity. You can use them to freshen up or for cleaning up when soap and water isn't readily available. However, most wipes that come pre-wet are heavy. Since we are planning to use a single carry-on and personal bag for each us, we have to stay mindful of weights. These dry wipes are lighter, more durable than paper towels, and if I get them slightly wet, will be perfect for any use I might need.

Water bottles are nice, but require free hands to carry them. Otherwise you have to bring some kind of carrier too. That means extra stuff in your bag. Why bother with a water bottle at all? Well, for starters, it saves you money. Airport waters are expensive. One blogger said she had to pay $4 for a bottle before she started bringing her own! And since we plan to be hiking 9 miles a day, that would be a lot to have to purchase repeatedly. Instead, we are taking empty CamelBaks through security at the airport and refilling, every chance we get. Did you know that some airports have water bottle refill stations?? CamelBaks take up little room when empty, and with the mouthpiece being designed as it is, we can easily put it in our backpacks that we are planning to take along as well. With me having to use a cane at times, this will also help me keep everything centralized. I need an empty hand for steadying myself at times as it is. 

Blister care is something I'm acutely aware of. I've had them, I hate them, and I will do whatever I can to avoid them. We bought new shoes for me along with inserts for the both of us. But I wasn't ready to stop there. I had recently tested out a sample of a product that I think is absolutely amazing in preventing or even helping with healing blisters. Compeed Advanced Blister Care. I had tried one of these after walking the treadmill in old shoes had left me limping. After wearing one for about an hour, I was feeling so good. I even showered in it and it stayed on.

By the next day, my blister was almost completely gone. So with the knowledge that we will be walking and not getting days of rest in between, I want to be able to keep going without interference. From what I've seen online, you should be able to find them in Walmart, Rite Aid or on Amazon.

My own personal pharmacy is another reason we need to bring along at least one backpack. Between my husbands allergies and headaches and my pain and headaches, we need to have easy access to over the counter meds no matter where we go. I have Pillsteer pill organizers kept in various places. We have one in the bathroom, one in my purse and I keep one packed in our bug out box. They are neatly labeled and easily accessible for all uses. When traveling overseas, you only have to have your prescriptions in their original packaging. At least that is what I've gathered from all my research. I plan to have one in my backpack during the whole trip.

A scarf is a must have, especially for women traveling to Israel. They have multiple uses. On the long flights, they can double as a shawl or small blanket to bring comfort and warmth. They can also accentuate and change up your styles. If you are only bringing the carry-on, and a personal item, then you want to bring clothing that can be swapped from time to time. Multiple outfits from fewer pieces. Having a scarf can help change up the looks. And lastly, you will need one to cover your head if you plan on visiting certain areas. Like the Western Wall or the Temple Mount. I have a couple scarves I'm planning to pack for the trip. 

Empty bags are also important to have packed. This one was rather genius! You might need to put excessively soiled clothing separately. Or maybe you need to repack something that leaked. Having a few bags, maybe even in various sizes, on hand will be invaluable.   

Power plug adapter is a must when you are traveling overseas . Here is something we shopped around for. And I'm very glad we did. I found this one on Amazon. I plugs into the wall as the adapter, I can plug in and add up to 4 USB plugs. I love it! 

Don't forget batteries! In addition, we planning to bring both cameras. I have one that is waterproof for the days when we plan to go somewhere that will be wet. We purchased extra batteries for them. The last thing we want is to exhaust our batteries while snapping photos everywhere we go.         

I have been creating lists for traveling on Pinterest. These lists also include packing tips. Let me know what you think I may have missed! Or what you may bring on a trip like this. I love hearing from you guys.

Fulfilling Travel Dreams: Prepping For Israel

 I have wanted to travel the world ever since I knew there was more to it than home. I have loved studying foreign cultures. Trying foods that are exotic! In my early college years, I loved wearing Asian-styled dresses. I even wanted to buy a real kimono so I could get the feel of my favorite Japanese anime characters. I participated in a World of Nations event one year. It was amazing! When I worked at the library, I probably made some of the volunteers uncomfortable with all my questions. We had a Chinese guy, 2 Pakistani brothers and a guy from India. I wanted to learn what I could from these people. They had come to our country from theirs. And their knowledge would be firsthand. Not the visitors observations that I read in books! Since then I've also made Mexican-born friends, worked under someone from New Zealand, had a pen pal in Australia, and made friends with a family in the United Kingdom. My most recent friend I've made is the illustrator of my children's book from Sri Lanka. 

 

I've only wanted to travel more!

Talking to all these people has only furthered my desire to travel. I want to see the places they described. For the longest time, however, the idea of traveling seemed a dream unless referring to a place within the United States. My husband and I would talk about all the places we wanted to see "one day". His #1 place to see was Israel. While I thought it would be neat, it wasn't my first choice. Japan was. But the more he talked about it, the more I thought it sounded awesome. To walk where Jesus walked. "See where my faith began." To see an ancient city. Even more so if we planned this trip for just the two of us. We never did have a honeymoon after all. This would kinda be that for us. All while getting our feet wet in world travel. Best yet, we would be going with a group. Safety in numbers, right?

The church he was part of back in Colorado hosts a trip once a year (before the pandemic). They mention it often in their studies that we listen to online. It grew on me. Wanting to go with them. I didn't think it would happen any time soon though. We were working hard to pay off the vehicle we had purchased in early 2020 and had finally paid off the credit card debt. So when the church announced that they were planning a trip for February 2021, we were excited for them, while sad that we couldn't join in.

Then things changed!

One year after buying our new vehicle, we were able to pay it off! God has blessed us in that. We carefully planned out our budget month after month. That dedication has been rewarded. Our only remaining debt is my husbands school loans. And we have been paying towards that as well. About this time, we  heard the church announcing that the trip had been rescheduled for the end of 2021 due to travel restrictions. Well, with the car payment suddenly gone at the same time, we felt like God was opening the doors that would lead us to Israel. We decided that if this was truly meant to be, doors would continue to open for us. We just had to take one step at a time. 

Taking steps in faith...

The first step we had to take was to get a passport. Neither of us had ever done that. It can be a bit daunting, to be sure. But exciting nonetheless. We figured we would use that as the initial basis for whether this trip was meant to be. FedEx does passport photos! And they had a $2 off special when we did ours, making them cheaper than other places. So keep an eye open for deals. And remember, you might look like a killer because you aren't allowed to smile. But apparently, that is all okay!

Then we came up with the money for the first half of the trip fee. This was huge for us. Suddenly, I saw this as really happening. Which, for me, meant planning time! 

Making my lists and checking them twice!

I'm a huge list maker. I think it might even be a problem. Like a disorder. I have lists everywhere. For just about every thing. My first list was on Pinterest. I have created my own Travel Board there. I keep adding places I want to see to inspire me to push towards that goal. I started reading blog posts about traveling to Israel. What is the weather like? What do you need while there? What are some souvenirs that people bring back? I don't have to worry about where we are going. Those points of interests will be kept to where the group goes - including a camel ride! I have even learned that there are some restrictions on attire (especially for women). I decided to create a board just for my favorite blog finds. 

Now that I had answered some of my own questions through research, I needed to make a list of what we were lacking. We had planned the trip for November. Well, the weather is actually cooler in Israel at this time of the year. And since I'm not wanting to be wearing shorts when we might be going to places that prohibit them, I needed to get comfortable clothes. I've gotten by with my 2 pairs of jeans for so long. They don't fit comfortably, but they have been enough for those times when I had to get dressed to go out somewhere. But we are talking about a two week trip! Those jeans weren't going to cut it. So shopping for clothes was on my list. I'll post my clothing selections later on...

Comfortable Shoes!

My shoes were well worn. Our trip plans about 9 miles of walking each day. Can't do that without a good pair of shoes. Puma sneakers last us a LONG time. So we agreed to get me a pair of them, despite their price. Sadly, the shoe store didn't have my size in women's shoes. This giant lady had to get them in men's. To make sure my husband and I could stay comfortable the whole day through, we also invested in shoe inserts. Dr. Scholl's. My husband has been using those for years in his jobs. Plus there are those machines that give you a number to know which one will work best for you. Should have seen me on that thing, in my socks, moving as it told me to, and feeling totally uncomfortable while it took my results.

I bought a new luggage set to surprise my husband for his birthday. I got carry-on approved sizes. One thing I've learned in my study of international travel is that carry-on really is the way to go. Too often, your luggage can be lost or damaged when checked in. And the airlines love to tell you, "We are not held responsible". So, carry-on it is! But how do you fit 2 weeks of clothing for 2 people into your carry-on bags only? Well, there are plenty of packing tips out there. Some are truly genius! Check out this board if you need some guides on that. I just have to get a set for myself next.

With luggage, you should have luggage tags. Just in case anything happens, they can contact you. Make sure you write your name in pen, but your contact information should be in pencil. That way if you move or change your number, you can just erase and rewrite it. Or use white out if you'd rather use pen. I had one that was plain black that my mom gave me a long while back. My husband had one that was Back to the Future themed from a Lootcrate box. Then Walmart had these Nintendo controller ones for $1 in the travel section! I want to find another one for me. Maybe a unicorn! Something nerdy, and me.

I started prepping each thing we would need. Filled our pill case. After a comment from a reader, I looked into bringing medicine to Israel. From what I've learned, prescriptions have to stay in their original containers and the name on them has to match your ID or Passport. I've also made sure that my husbands inhaler won't be a problem. Apparently, some countries have outlawed inhalers. Others view ADHD or mental health issues as criminal. So I urge you to do your research before you start traveling!

Then I packed the clear quart-sized bags that follow TSA regulations. Ever heard of the 3-1-1 rule for carry-on? I had no idea what that meant. Everything liquid has to stay at 3.4 fluid ounces (3). This includes your deodorant! Everything in a single quart-sized bag (1) - clear being the best and fastest way to get through the searches. And only one of these bags per person (1). I ordered these from Amazon to carry our liquids. From what I've read, the travel sized hand sanitizer doesn't have to be included in this for now. Those can be clipped to the bag. Since Covid-19, this is now in addition to your normal packing to help stop the spread. Granted, that is iffy. It is up to the one searching your luggage to decide if they are okay with you bringing it that way or not.

I like to lay everything out and take stock of what I have chosen. By doing so, I can make sure that thought is put into each item. Do I really need it? Is there anything I'm missing here? Keeps me honest with needs versus weighing in too many 'what if' ideas. 

My husband and I both have picked which backpacks we will bring along for our days of walking. 

We also have our CamelBak packs to bring. Mine is an Ozark Trail one. I have fallen in love with this brand! They are high quality and often, less expensive than comparable brands. We will tuck them into our backpacks and have water to drink the whole day through. However, another tip you might consider is to bring an empty water bottle through the security check. You can fill it up once you pass through. And of course keep refilling on your trip.

I've been considering making snack packs of trail mix. My husband is not a fan of fish or hummus, both of which are popular in Israel. But we will see as we get closer! I've been so excited for this trip, despite recent events. Our group won't go unless the contacts there and travel agent can say it is safe. More posts on the preparations and then the trip to follow. So keep reading! Let me know what you think about my travel prepping in the comments below. I love hearing from you guys!