Keeping you in the loop

Hi you.

Israel was a literal life-altering trip. Everyone told me how awesome it was going to be, but nothing really prepares you.
It was surreal yet believable, to be on the Lake of Galilee and then to listen to it sing while you fall asleep in your room at night.
The people are amazingly friendly, especially in Jerusalem.
Everyone asks you where you're from or tries to speak Mandarin.
The food was something else; to see grapes and what not almost twice the size of everything in England, and to actually taste things like tomato.
The salad bar is the best I've experienced yet, although because there are so many strong flavors, after a while, you revert to the plain cut veges.
The amount of healthy food and creative deserts just make me smile with delight.

I liked Galilee for it's country-holiday-like effect, but liked Jerusalem for the shops.
A lot of the market reminded me of 'home' and also started looking all the same after a while.
The only off-putting thing was all the sellers trying to rope you in with the same lines.
I appreciate their situation but I hope they learn soon that they are actually driving away business.
Ok, I just realised I'm making this trip sound cheap. But really, just to think you're in Jesus land, can blow your mind if you sat by Galilee and seriously thought about it.

But shopping, my prizes from Israel were few but precious.
A camel leather bag my mum helped me bargain to just under £20 (S$60) and toner & a bar of 'soap' from the AHAVA factory, which use minerals from the Dead Sea and are world renown.
Call it psychology, but I definitely felt the difference it made on my face.
And my bag? I take it everywhere and it makes me look like an art student.

Besides the obvious travel goodness I've already mentioned, the trip was especially good for me because it kicked me to do something.
Something I'd never thought about seriously before.
Traveling.
I never really felt I was a traveler, but now I've saved up some money, I feel different.
I've bought all the useless junk I've ever wanted, and feel it's time to spend on more worthwhile experiences. I should be visiting Japan probably end Mar start Apr next year for 2 weeks. Following the end of my contract at work, I'm going to America all summer.
I've finally made an effort and signed up to Camp America, so next summer, I'll be posted to a summer camp somewhere (nice) in America for 9 weeks, and then left to travel 'til October if I chose. I'm secretly stoked about this, while I embark on the mission of paperwork ahead.

Singapore will have to wait, maybe after America I'll come back.
That's my hope anyway, so don't be too disappointed friends.
Though, having said that, now I'm praying hard that Angel will get her scholarship in America the later half of next year so I can go visit her! Nothing could beat that.