Chasing Camels

by John Babicz

What is it like to be a volunteer in Israel? How does it feel to nullify one's present life and fly off to the turbulent Middle East on a whim? How can one see and experience the splendors of the world for a pittance? Eternally tormented by the infamous British weather, the disheartened author decides to do just that—to get away from the menial strains of daily routine life. He sets his sight on traveling around the world after a work colleague seduces him with pictures of palm trees and cloudless desert skies of Israel and convinces him to stay on a kibbutz. However, uncertainties begin to creep in as TV reports focus on the “troubles” in the Middle East. After quitting his job, he sells all his possessions and manages to scrape enough cash for a flight ticket and some pocket money as he flies into the conflict-driven region, but Israel turns out to be very different to the way it is portrayed by the media. Overcome by awe and wonder, and new friends who are also in search of unique experiences, he cashes in his return ticket, subconsciously knowing that life, as he had known it, is about to become history, and England will cease to be his home. Never having set his foot off the British Isles, the author embarks on an adventure one only fantasizes about. Years of travel unfold amongst breathtaking and historically-rich landscapes of Israel. A particular favorite is the Dead Sea, where the author and a bunch of friends camp out by the shores. The nights are sweltering hot and mosquitoes are rampant, and the only respite is a midnight soak. Nearby is an oasis, and an unforgettable hike in the scorching summer heat the next day leads them inside a stunning chasm, where natural spring waters transform this merciless desert landscape into a heavenly oasis with trickling falls. They reach their zenith after clambering up a precipitous, crumbling trail that leads to an ice-cold rock pool that guarantees total cool off and full rejuvenation. As they lay beneath starry desert skies, the only sound is the sputter of campfire embers that disturb the perpetual silence in this vast Great Rift Valley. The world of “Arabian Nights” comes alive when the author travels to Jerusalem together with his girlfriend and stays with an Arab family within the ancient, dank, mysterious walls, which encompass the Old City. Colorful bazaars, twisting alleyways, decaying odors, crumbling tombs, overwhelming temples, are some escapades to relish on as they surreptitiously explore the eerie ambiance of past civilizations in the City of David. Pilgrims, tourists, vendors, and worshipers rub shoulders in this holy center, where religious fervor dominates the scene, where black-clad widows weep over the tomb of Jesus, where Orthodox Jews bob up and down before the Wailing Wall, and where the power of Islam hauntingly wails every few hours. Meandering through labyrinths that had seen pillaging Roman armies, they are riveted by all the archaic architecture. With pioneering spirits and almost empty wallets, the author and his girlfriend venture into the land of snakes and scorpions, where they participate in the reclamation of the desert in a farming community. Squeezed in between the borders of Egypt and Jordan, they find themselves in a region abundant in wildlife. Frazzled by the vicious sun and constantly observed by a lone wolf in the fields, they learn to respect and work with nature while repairing chewed-up irrigation pipes, which are ravaged almost daily by thirsty wolves. The dollars soon pile up and are used for financing further To Turkey, where bubbling hot springs cascade through unusual land formations; to Cyprus, where the spirit of Aphrodite still lingers; and to Crete, an island still shrouded in local customs and ample wine. The finale is in Egypt. Relaxation doesn't come easy amongst ancient marvels that have more in store than history, but sailing into the night on the Nile would make anyone fall in love with this country.

300 pages, Paperback

First published March 14, 2013