15 may 2010, an oasis hoves into view

Life a little heavy and fraught at the moment, not least financially; so strange we're about to go off on holiday. My brother's living in tel aviv for a while, and we very much wanted to see him, so long ago decided to take advantage of cheap flights, and now will just have to grit our teeth and enjoy it. Can't wait. I love the city, and expecting the brother to babysit a little, so we can do lots of bauhaus tours, beachside coffee shops and friends-without-kids visits. Also planning to visit ein gedi and show the family the absolute wonders of the negev desert I haven't seen since teenagehood. It now comes, I'm told, with a pool and spa centre on the kibbutz...