We meet many people on the road, both locals and travelers alike who help us in time of need or distress without expecting a return. Last week of every month I bring you stories from travelers who have experienced kindness on the road and like to share and spread it for the love of travel. This month’s story has come from Netherlands’s Jacomijn Heupink who takes us to Israel, that too during Shabbat. No one would know it better than me how difficult it could get during Shabbat. As a tourist, you might get into trouble if you don’t plan in advance. Read on to know what Jacomijn’s experience was during her hitchhiking in turbulent Israel.
Over to Jacomijn Heupink.
= = = = =
Kindness on the Road in Israel
When you know me and know my blog… You know that I’m a police officer and will be traveling safe. Maybe sometimes people are surprised by what I feel is safe but still… nothing bad has ever happened to me in my years of backpacking around this wonderful world. My confidence in mankind hasn’t been affected by my work, by the situations I can be part of when working. Life is good, people are most of the time sincere and helpful!! The world is a beautiful place to live in!!
So this time I am about to tell you about when I was visiting Israel. I see you thinking already.. hmm Israel. That place we only see in the news when there was an attack again in the Gaza or when there has been suicide attacker somewhere that killed innocent people and children. But Israel is also the place to be when you love to interact with people, to see that ancient old history in Jerusalem that everybody knows about or if you want to float in the Dead Sea!!
So when I visited Israel I did it all! I visited Jerusalem for a couple of days before heading out to the desert to go climb the impressive Masada mountain and to go floating in the Dead Sea. Best experience yet I must say. I was so shocked by the force of it. You really get pushed out of it. But the next day, it was Shabbat .. I couldn’t get out of the desert so to enjoy this day I wanted to go to the Dead Sea again.
On Shabbat in Israel nobody works, it is like the Sunday used to be for us in the old days. No transport, no restaurant and no shops. So I couldn’t get out of the desert to go to Haifa because the buses wouldn’t drive until just after sunset. So I had the day to spend in the desert still. I didn’t hesitated about my idea to go float again, to feel that strange sensation yet another time, But the problem… no bus to go there. No other way to go there than to go hitchhiking.
On my way to the dead sea I got a lift from two German tourists but on my way back I didn’t get anything. Then I was happy to get a ride from a young Israeli couple. They just had a relaxed weekend on the dead sea too. They had a toddler at home and they needed some time for themselves!! They were on their way back home and were happy to take me with them. And I was so happy to get that ride.
I felt really safe with them. They were really sweet with each other and were a happy young couple!
After a while we were at the intersection they could stop but they wouldn’t want me to walk that last part. They were making sure that I would be back at my hotel. So they went out of their path and went that bit further making me happy! How sweet is that?
They were happy to talk to me and ask me questions about my life in Holland and why I was visiting Israel. They were of course happy to hear me talk positive about their country. I made sure they knew their actions were helping to make it an even better experience than it already was!
So when I got out and we were saying goodbye the lady made sure that I got some water. They were persistent. The shops are closed…you need to drink because weather was hot. Take the cold water and enjoy it!!
They made my day a perfect third day in the desert of Israel!!
= = = = =
Jacomijn is a Dutch travel blogger who loves to travel solo and blogs at Safe and Healthy Travel. When not traveling she works as a police officer in The Netherlands. She loves to take challenges and get out of her comfort zone to really experience the world and its wonders!! When following her you’ll get to see a yoga pose every now and then on the greatest spots in this wonderful world.
Stay Safe and Keep Healthy!!
You may also want to read some of the earlier posts on the same theme.
More Kindness on the Road Stories
Kindness on the Road
Surviving America
Good deed not dead!
Lost and found
If you have been helped by someone during your travels and want to share your story with the world, feel free to connect with me in comments section.
What else to do and Where to Stay in Israel
Hotels in Israel. Book your hotel now!
More Stories on Israel for you
- Hitchhiking in Turbulent Israel
- A complete guide for a 2 Days in Jerusalem Itinerary.
- Yoga in Israel
- Yemenite Art in Israel
- Our First Impression of Israel
- A Visit to the Biblical Places, Ports and Cities that still exists
- The baptismal site, the Jordan River bank where Jesus was Baptised!
- Exploring the Pastoral beauty of Tiberias
- Celebrating Yoga Day
- An enjoyable jaunt around Jaffa
Copyright
If you want to travel places with us, we invite you to join our feed or Facebook travel page.
P.S.- This article, Hitchhiking in Turbulent Israel belongs in Le Monde, the Poetic Travels, one of the top Indian Travel Blogs, published by the traveling couple bloggers, Nisha & Vasudevan. Reproduction without explicit permission is prohibited. If you are viewing this on another website other than the RSS feed reader or www.lemonicks.com itself, then that website is guilty of stealing our content. Kindly do us a favour by letting us know via Contact Us. Thank you.