Better late than never

Hi folks at home.

It's been a while, how have you been? So it turns out that my good friend and travel buddy, sir Benjamin McFeeters, is currently blogging and doing a truly spiffing job of the whole concept! Please check it out for more info and juicy gossip from the trip!

So long time eh? Well since last communication... Spent a week travelling around Israel, Jerusalem, dead sea and Eilat. Accommodation was random people's couches and the desert floor for a night. Food included humus, falafel, pita bread...that's about all. Activities were mostly free tourist spots incl jerusalem tour, yad vashem holocaust museum (a morose 'must see' for Jerusalem), the free tram, dead sea, a few catholic churches that claim to have some significance. We climbed a mountain to watch sunrise. We went snorkelling and met many good people.

Then to India! Mumbai was first stop! A crazy town, filled with homeless people, homeless cows, homeless looking tourists. We stayed at a couple interesting places and did some awesome tourist activities like getting the train, the bus, talking to crazy Indian people, eating all types of street food, getting ill from street food, we went to church, which was pretty nice to be back with the family again. We spent time with an Indian couchsurfer friend who lived there. Bartering is muchos fun! The following is a transcript of a typical market conversation, modelled on an encounter Ben had buying some postcards.

Act 1. Scene 1.
Marketeer: 'my friend, my friend, you want? Good friend, looking is free!, just look!'
Ben: 'alright man, how's it goin?' how much?'
Marketeer: 'for you, good price, only 400 rupees!'
Ben: 'Ok, I'll give you 10 rupees'
Marketeer: 'no my friend! Good quality, good price! What price you like?'
Ben: 'ok, 50 rupees. Best price'
Marketeer: 'my friend, 50 too low!'
Ben: 'sorry my friend, too much, see you later' (begin walk away)
Marketeer: 'ok, 50 rupees'
Ben: 'na, i didn't really want them anyway. Thanks!'

So I'll update more later. Basically we travelled around south india for 3 weeks and now We are right now on plane to Malaysia for 2 days.

This Christmas, do something special for your kids; take the liberty to arrange them a marriage.

Peace

Ma nishma

Greetings all.

So I realised that my last and first update was somewhat below par. Really just a list of activities not useful to anyone but myself. So. I'm gonna throw a tad more colour into this one.

The Holy land is great. At least 25degrees each day, with many opportunities to "worship rah". I have chilled on the beach, caught sunsets and bought a pair of sunglasses...a nice pair of 100% authentic Ray Tons. I spent a weekend partying hard in Jerusalem with a tour group of retired Americans, loitering and getting up to no good around a bunch of high class museums, art galleries and hotels. Met some cool old people and i gave them some pearls of wisdom. I have also planted a tree, done sound for a crazy Ethiopian meeting, and delivered afternoon teas in an old people's home. Note of worth, got to hang with a 97 year old, blind, Jewish, German Theologian who studied under Bonhoeffer, who helped him escape the holocaust.

I am learning Hebrew. Badly. I am now volunteering at a guest house in Haifa. This is my fate for the next 4 weeks.

Photos in this weeks issue include:
An angry Arab woman
My aunt
Me in a bell
Jerusalem
The closest thing I could find to a Jewish Santa Claus.


All is well that endeth well.

Peace

Shabbat shalom!

Hey. So this is a blog. Good times. I thought I would go travelling so I did. and now I am. Current location is Israel. The country, not the popular music genre. Happenings so far, from recollection of first hand experiences, go something like this...

Wheelchair from Belfast to tel aviv, as captured below in pictorial form, these were my wheels for a day.
Meet my contact on the ground. Sharona.
The weather is actually nice.
Accommodation is a room 'the cell' in a flat, location: unknown.
Meet indigenous personnel.
Learn Hebrew. All of it.
Beach.
Go to messianic community.
Street party busted by the armed forces.
Fatush.
Met Aussie friend of friend.
Gave my passport to a crazy Russian lady in a getto travel agency who claimed it was the Indian embassy, still have to see how this one pans out.
Went to village up the mount carmel to meet Druze people (it's a secret religion). Had arabic coffee at dwelling of a lovely chap we met on the bus.
Went to a reggae concert.
Ate muchos Shwarma and falafel.
Washed dishes at a local conference centre.
Generic Gilad Shalit chat.
Generally tourisming.

Thanks for your general interest and continued financial support. Just kidding. I have loads of shekels.

I'll keep you updated. Peace