Confusingly Early

Dearest Rachel –

Morning at the Royal Dead Sea hotel, and we get our wake-up call at 6 o’clock.  That’s half an hour earlier than we’ve ever had a wake-up call, and actually earlier than I’ve set my alarm for today.  It makes me wonder if we have enough time to get ourselves put together, out the door, and onto the bus, especially since the routine has been that our call has generally only given us a half hour before breakfast, and maybe three-quarters of an hour after that to eat.

But just as it was yesterday morning, at the Nazareth Ramada, when we get down to the restaurant area, it seems pretty much deserted; there’s not even a side door open for us to sneak in. At least, unlike up in our rooms, the Wi-Fi down here seems a lot more reliable, so we can enjoy that while we wait for others to assemble. While he listens to his broadcast, I wander away to dictate to Siri; it’s weird how I’m more likely to change in front of him (albeit with my back to him, so he can’t see anything) than I am to be dictating with him in his earshot. It’s not that I’m saying anything embarrassing about him; it’s just that it feels strange to be talking to nobody in front of anybody.

We are eventually joined by a couple of roommates, we’re also puzzled by the early wake up call. We talk about a few things, including the fact that the tapwater is extremely tepid (which I know sounds like a contradiction in terms, but bear with me – it was that unpleasantly so). They mentioned that their bathroom included a sign saying not to drink the water, which we didn’t recall seeing; it’s entirely possible that the temperature was meant to discourage someone from drinking it. “Then again,” I commented, “I haven’t been suffering any ill affects from doing so,” to which they acknowledge how fortunate I’ve been in that regard.

Now, I don’t know if it was psychosomatic, or if it was just catching up to me at that moment (such timing, though!), but within five minutes, I had to deal with a situation that might attributed to having drunk the water. Worse yet, the stall that I found myself in only had enough paper for a single application. For the record, I did what I could, pulled myself together, and moved to another stall to finish the job.

That situation sorted out, the restaurant had opened up, and the handful of people who had made it downstairs were already there, starting in on breakfast.

For a while, all was pleasant, leisurely conversation, until everyone started disappearing suddenly.  Well, at ten minutes to eight, most of us realized we had to be on the buses almost right away, and left in as much of a hurry as they had appeared.  For all our attempts to be among the first ones here (and hopefully done), we were the last ones out.

Which means I’m going to have to cut this letter short. I’ll fill you in on more details as best I can going forward.

Until then, keep an eye on us, honey, and wish us luck; we’re going to need it.