The journey to Israel went well and entered without incident. Since my flight got to Ben Gurion airport in the evening, I had booked a night in a hostel. There I lmet fellow travellers yet of the ones I met, I was the only one going to the West Bank. The general idea I encountered was that it was dangerous to go there. Of course that is not true.

Right now I am at Claire Anasta’s place (look her up on youtube) for a second night. Just had a really good conversation with a young man from South America and another man who hopes to go to Gaza. The young man from Chili is a doctor and wants to do volunteer work here. He came in via Jordan was was detained for 10 hours and they searched everything and wanted to see his computer and he even had to strip down. So maybe it was a good idea I did not go through Jordan. I did not like the idea of them taking passports on one side of the bridge and handing it back on the other.

This morning I had breakfast at Claire’s with a young woman who is in micro-fiancing and had been in Uganda and then worked in Tel Aviv. Now she is in the West Bank to learn about life here. She wasn’t sure where to go next and wanted to know what I would be doing.

I spent most of the day today in Jerusalem in the old city. The cost for accomodation there was very steep and so it was better to return to Bethlehem since that takes  less than 30 minutes or so and costs only a few dollars. And I was keeping most of my stuff at Claire’s so I could go light.

Tomorrow going to the House of Hope  first thing. I want to find out more about it and it is within walking distance. After that I may head to Ramallah. I expect to go to Hebron on Tuesday and then to the South Hebron Hills.