03.00 AM. My alarm rang but I was nowhere near ready to get up. The night before had…
Times visited: 1
Cities visited: Jerusalem, Haifa, Akko and Tel Aviv
UNESCO sites visited: 5/10
I grew up learning about the Holy Land in school, and although I’d always dreamed of going there one day to experience it for myself, I didn’t expect the opportunity to come so soon. But in December 2019, I was invited to go on pilgrimage to the Bahá’í World Centre in Haifa and Akko with a group of Greenlandic Bahá’ís.
Of course, I couldn’t travel all the way to Israel without visiting Jerusalem – a city steeped in history and sacred to Christianity, Islam, and Judaism. So as soon as I arrived in the country, I headed to Jerusalem solo. But I was never really alone. I met like-minded travellers at my hostel, reconnected with an old friend, and bonded with a guy from South Africa over our mutual love of feeding street cats. These people shaped my time in Jerusalem more than the sights did. What was supposed to be a few days of sightseeing turned into a deeply enriching learning experience, where I gained a new understanding of and appreciation for Judaism – a religion I previously knew little about. I took one day off from all the learning to go on a tour with a new friend. That day included a sunrise hike up Masada and an attempt to float in the strong, choppy waters of the Dead Sea.
After five unforgettable days, I said goodbye to Jerusalem and made my way to Haifa for nine blissful days of learning at the Bahá’í World Centre. My time in Israel ended on a slightly chaotic note as Tel Aviv greeted me with torrential rain as I attempted to explore the city despite getting soaked to the bone.