Welcome to the first TAU International Volunteering and Support blog! This blog has been created to give complementary information to the graduated students of TAU and to create a community where we can share thoughts and information. This blog is NOT affiliated or supported by Lowy TAU international school or any of the TAU administrative bodies. This blog is meant to be an informal tool where people can be updated, alongside the Researchers and Scholars in TAU: the peers community , and the PhDs and group and the informal word-of-mouth. Each PhD student or post-doc is more than welcome to approach and participate in the creation of this blog, acting as a volunteer (with a little basic commitment) but also as an user, where they can collect any sort of information. All of the content posted on this blog is under the responsibility of the person who wrote it and posted it. UPDATE 06.11.23 Guidelines for the WhatsApp group 1.Respect & Kindness: Treat all memb...
This initiative was the most supported, and we believe so since for this is a more-than-rare opportunity for the ones who don't have an easy time to go to the desert on their own. Plus, if the group is big and lively enough, it's a lot of fun!
This is technically the most challenging trip to organize, mostly because we will go to a wild place, with quite hostile environmental conditions, and more than 40 people expressed interest in this adventure. Probably we will be a little less, 20 to 30 people.
First of all, don't worry too much about the "risks". If we stay together and we are well organized, we will avoid most of the troubles, while breathing some thrill. But it is important to stress since now that each one will carry their own responsibilities and will take care of their lives and wellbeing, since it is a "group of friends" trip and not a professional, organized, guided one.
FOR THE LAST MINUTE ADDITIONS (people or things): speak immediately and directly with Bhavana or Valentina.
Valentina and Bhavana are organizing the details of the trip, but they welcome everyone who is willing to help for this challenge.
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DATE: 10-11 August
What to bring: here a list of necessary item you should check before leaving.
Schedule
The idea of the trip so far is roughly this:
1) 13.00-14.00 meeting and bus loading (Broshim and somewhere in the city center, maybe Savidor and Ha Hagana)
2) drive to Mitzpe Ramon. It will take 2-3 hours plus or minus. We will stop in the middle for a bar/bathroom need and possibly in the city if there are last minute needs.
3) stop in Mizpe Ramon city for the last moment items -ONLY if needed or if we want to light the bonfire.
4) we will reach the destination (before sunset): Khan Be'erot campsite (LINK), in which we booked some spots to sleep and we used a credit card as a safety item. Cancellations should be done before the last 3 days in advance (for the personal tents) and 6 days in advance for the spot in the Bedouin tents. Anyway, it is possible to pay on the spot.
Two accommodation options:
- Bring your own tent: regular price = 64 shekels/person; if the student card is present, 53 shekels/person
- Overnight stay in the Bedouin tents: regular price = 96 shekel/person, mattress included. Possibly, a group over 30 people might have a discount (79 shekels/person).
Facilities
- Full lighting
- electrical outlets
- drinking fountains
- barbeque and bonfire areas
- fixed and movable benches and tables
- mobile phone charging units
- Field kitchen: refrigerator room, sinks for dishwashing
NOTE: although the camping site is a shared and safe area, with a lot of cool people, it is recommendable to keep your personal belongings all of the time with you. The electric sockets might be in shared space, so be careful when you charge your phone; alternatively, bring a power bank.
Schedule part 2 - and now, let's go back to the scheduling:
5) we will set up the camping items for the night, prepare for dinner and after dinner. It is possible to light a bonfire (with marshmallows and songs 😉).
6) shooting star gazing for the whole night, as much as you want! It is possible to rent a stargazing guide for a more exciting adventure.
7) In the morning we will wake up around 8 (maybe even earlier) to avoid the scorching sun and pack up.
8) We will stop at the "Mitzpe Ramon Visitor center" for a stunning morning view of the crater and a nice breakfast (there is a bar nearby the observatory point).
9) if there is time: we could stop at the Avdat National Park (on the peak of the hill) to visit the archeological excavations and enjoy the panorama. Price: 26 shekels for students, 31 shekels for regular adults. If one is not interested, there are picnic tables and a cafeteria at the entrance where to chill out. Alternatively, at Ben Gurion Midrasha for a nice walk in the park.
All of this can be done without too much stress for the heat. We won't climb, hike or go out of the car path/roads because it is dangerous and we are not equipped for that.
10) drive back home (possibly to be back in the early afternoon).
Extra activity for the night: we will see if we can have a stargaze guide for a selected group of people, but we do not grant for now (still working on it). UPDATES SOON.
The stargaze activity is not compulsory and only the interested ones will need to purchase their ticket.
Payment
This is the most delicate part of the deal, because we need to collect money in advance in order to pay the transportation, which means that we need your trust or a reliable way to collect money from all of the participants. It's a big commitment, but it is worth if you really want to do this!
POLICY: once we close the subscriptions, we will give the details of the *cost of the transportation*, which MUST be paid in the next 3 days after we announce it*. We will give you an Israeli Bank account number so that you can pay with regular transfer. Alternatively, one needs to meet Valentina or Bhavana within the 3 days of allowance.
What to pay?
1) transportation - it is necessary to pay it in advance. For 25 people, the price is 236 NIS. There might be variations according to the final number of participants who committed and pay.
If something goes wrong in the 3 days we collect the money, we will return it if the trip is cancelled/ rescheduled or other...
If one withdraws from the trip after the 3 days of money collection, they won't have the money back because the bus price is divided by the participants, and people leaving the last moment will affect all of us!
2) the camping site - individual but conditional to the booking.
The camping site fee (details above) can be paid at the entrance of the campsite, provided that there is a booking assured with a credit card. We are ok either trusting you, who will pay there at the entrance, or we can make you a favor, by collecting the campsite fee alongside the transportation.
Importantly, to avoid the extra fees and the penalties, cancellations should be done before the previous three days upon arrival, otherwise the last time cancellations will have a fee that impacts the person who is granting with their credit card (Valentina!!!!).
For the campsite, the conditions are more flexible. If someone can't come, in this case their spot will be given to someone who was supposed to sleep in their own tent. Please, be kind: if this is your case, remember to cover the extra for this person (30 shekels) if they get to the common Bedouin tent.
3) extra: if we agree, we could buy some extra water packs to bring and to share as a group; otherwise we want to see all of you with AT LEAST 3 liters of water per person.
ADDITIONALLY: if we opt for having a bonfire, we need to buy the wood logs (sold in the city) and we will share the price. In this case, everybody will contribute with a few shekels.
4) individual expenses: buy or prepare your evening meal, since the cafeteria in the camping sites sells just coffee or snacks. Bring your own snacks and energy refill! Prepare also your breakfast if you don't want to buy it.
All of the things in Mizpe Ramon (supermarket, breakfast, coffee etc) are up to you.
If we stop in Avdat and you don't want to come, you can chill in the cafeteria below.
Important note:
The 85% of the people who subscribed is coming to the desert for the first time, therefore we will insist on the safety items and recommendations. The "first time" is a great experience, and we want you to enjoy the fullest while being safe and sound.
Once again, the light at night is a must! Make sure you have a portable light, a headlight, a flashlight with charged batteries!
Organization team
- Bhavana is evaluating the means of transportation, probably the Bus.
- Valentina knows the crater area and organizes this trip every year, so that we have some experience. Her partner is Israeli, Hebrew speaker, and will come along.
For doubts and questions, or if we did not specify something important here, please contact Valentina or Bhavana.
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