Picking tomatoes & our desert experience

Before our amazing Desert experience, IST picked tomatoes in a field for Leket Israel.  This organization collects food for the needy all around Israel and in our short time there collected hundreds of pounds of tomatoes.  We headed to the Negev in S'de Boqer and visited David Ben-Gurion's grave.  We heard the fascinating story on Ben Gurion's passion for the Negev and this part of the country which was so important to him.  Afterward, we were off on our 2-day journey in the Negev Desert.  We hiked for a few hours before making camp and enjoying a delicious dinner together.  We woke up at the crack of dawn to make sure to beat the heat of the day.  We hiked up a great incline before taking a long break at a natural pool for a dip and cool off. Continuing on our way we hiked in the afternoon and stopped at a Bedouin tent for some time to rest, recuperate and enjoy Bedouin hospitality.  Everyone was treated to homemade pita by a delightful Bedouin woman who also made us tea and had some labaneh cheese with zahatar & olive oil.  We completely our hike on a beautiful afternoon.  After spending another night under the spectacular stars, we relaxed at a pool/spa, traveled to Kibbutz Yotvata for some wonderful chocolate milk & ice cream and then finished off at our destination of Kibbutz Qetura where we relaxed and enjoyed a BBQ & pool party.  Tomorrow -- off to Eilat for a hike & snorkeling!!