Yam L'Yam!!!

Over Passover break, I had the incredible opportunity of going on Yam L’yam. Yam L’Yam or sea to sea is a 5 day hiking excursion EIE takes as its third and final large trip. We started out at the Kineret or Sea of Gallie and finished our journey at the Mediterranean sea. The first day actually only consisted of an incredibly long bus ride up the coast from Jerusalem to the Kineret. I remember feeling anxious to start my Yam L’yam Journey and a sense of relief when I found out we weren't actually hiking the first day. That night, I got my hiking group and materials for the next 4 days which included a relatively light backpack that become exponentially heavier when I added the 4.5 liters of water I had to cary everyday, and one bowl and spoon for all of our meals. That night I slept outside under the stars which I absolutely loved, not being able to fall asleep doesn't really matter when you can look up and sea the stars. I woke up bright and early the next day when the hiking actually began. The first real day was long, uphill, and hard, but I have much more memories of having fun then being tired and in pain. Not to mention where we were hiking was beautiful and climbing mountains was completely worth it for the view. We stopped for lunch and my friend Elle and I made the not so smart decision to take a nap and leave our group to cook lunch. We awoke to uncooked rice and meat spilled on the ground. It is safe to say we took initiative and made the rest of the meals. 

Fast forward to the fourth day of Yam Y’Lam and by far my favorite day; the water hiking day! We started out walking through a narrow pathway and ended up at the most magnificent view I had ever seen. It almost looked like the set of Lost (the most confusing TV show in the world), and I was truly in awe. The day was spent walking short distances to arrive at a couple fresh water streams (filled with fish!). The water was cold but refreshing. On our final day of Yam L’Yam (I’ve almost made it!) we actually road bikes straight into the Mediterranean instead of walking. Biking was so much fun when going downhill as I loved feeling the wind in my face. Seeing the sea was so exhilarating and I felt so accomplished. Yam L’Yam was so fun and an experience I will cherish for the rest of my life.