We arrived back in New York on Thur, March 23. To all involved, it seemed like we had been gone much longer than ten days. Each day seemed like a week when we tried to review at the end of the day everything we had done that week.
Although it was not my normal style of travel, I am thankful that the tour group scheduled as much as possible into each day. I learned to think of it as an ‘overview’ which would be a good foundation for a return trip. We didn’t get much time at each site – not even enough time to read the interpretive signs or shop for souvenirs – but by the time we were done we at least had exposure to many of the places in the Galilee, Dead Sea region, the Judean Hills, and Jerusalem. We also got a good view of the Samarian hills from the road. We stopped at many sites that Christian tours don’t usually go to and conversely skipped many that an Orthodox tour might visit. We had more emphasis on the natural and archeological features rather than the churches that had been established in later years as the Site of this or that.
Our tour group was huge. There were about 350 people in our group divided among 7 buses. Each bus had its own Israeli tour guide. We would visit as a bus or maybe 3 buses at various sites but then a couple times each day we would all come together to the same site to hear a message directly from (Messianic) Rabbi Jonathan Cahn. He, the tour company, our drivers, and our guides all did as much as they could to make the tour a once-in-a-lifetime event. They put us up in very nice hotels where we were served bountiful, beautiful buffet breakfasts and suppers. The Israeli coffee was delicious. We couldn’t put our finger on just what it was that they did differently than at home to make it so exceptional.
I enjoyed getting a start using my new camera. However, my photos didn’t turn out as optimally as I would have liked because I needed to put my attention on the tour itself, not composing photos, and also because I wasn’t familiar enough with the camera features. Part ways into the tour, I quit altogether with the camera work. It was too much to try to carry the camera when we were rushing on and off the bus at various stops and also, surprisingly, I just didn’t have the time to take photos. I was busy watching where my feet were stepping and trying to keep up, listen, and not stumble! I am looking forward to spending more time with photography when I go back again and am moving at a slower pace.
I do have some pictures that I hope to share. I am going to publish this post now and then move on to the next technological challenge of trying to figure out how to get the photos posted!