It was like fire searing through me which only intensified with every breath I took, every flutter of my eyes and every heavy step I trudged. Blinded by pain, tears trickled down my face as my outstretched hands searched frantically for something, someone to provide security. Not gaining a steady footing I fell, water once more
surrounding my face sending another rush of fire up my nose. Pulling myself up I tried again and again, each time I fell I was a foot closer to shore, to dry land and to safety. This time when my knee hit down, it landed on a harder surface. I was up and running. My eyes still filled with tears, I barely recognised the objects I passed. Until I was there, flapping my arms and wailing inaudible words. I tried to explain what happened, their eyes just looked up at me, assessing the situation and confused.
surrounding my face sending another rush of fire up my nose. Pulling myself up I tried again and again, each time I fell I was a foot closer to shore, to dry land and to safety. This time when my knee hit down, it landed on a harder surface. I was up and running. My eyes still filled with tears, I barely recognised the objects I passed. Until I was there, flapping my arms and wailing inaudible words. I tried to explain what happened, their eyes just looked up at me, assessing the situation and confused.
Ok so maybe I am a tad dramatic but to me it was a painful five 
minutes. After a month of being here, we finally made it to the dead sea. It was disgusting that the whole coast was owned by Israelis and that to even get close to the water, you had to pay. The reluctance to support the Isrealis and the desire to go to the beach battled within us. We had spent our time trying to buy Palestinian products over Israeli, if only to do a small bit towards their cause but here there was no option. If you wanted to go to the beach you paid the Israelis and it wasn't cheap either, 55 NIS which is £11 per person!! Reluctantly we paid but it was a beautiful beach. Golden sand, none of our English rocks that inhabit our beaches and a beaming sun that doesn't inhabit England at all!
minutes. After a month of being here, we finally made it to the dead sea. It was disgusting that the whole coast was owned by Israelis and that to even get close to the water, you had to pay. The reluctance to support the Isrealis and the desire to go to the beach battled within us. We had spent our time trying to buy Palestinian products over Israeli, if only to do a small bit towards their cause but here there was no option. If you wanted to go to the beach you paid the Israelis and it wasn't cheap either, 55 NIS which is £11 per person!! Reluctantly we paid but it was a beautiful beach. Golden sand, none of our English rocks that inhabit our beaches and a beaming sun that doesn't inhabit England at all! 
We watched as people flooded all around us. Old, young, local and tourists. Some people were dressed in hijabs and abayas, while others in a bikini. There was so much diversity here and only being half an hour from my small town where tourists are next to non-existent and the only religion is Muslim, it was a bemusing sight to say the least. That along with seeing half naked people next to fully dressed armed soldiers...... We ogled the passers by, smothered in thick mud as they casually went about the beach. The mud is said to have therapeutic qualities and to be enriched with minerals. It is often shipped and sold around the world to spas.
Excited we rushed to change and stood staring as the water 
licked the shore. Placing our things down we followed like sheep into the water, fast to smother our bodies in the grey sludge that reminded me so much of the acts of children. But we were children, absentmindedly following the word of others, driven by the possibility of reward. Like Rambo, decorating our facing in the thrill of adventure but like my mum used to say, 'it's all fun and games until someone gets hurt.' Excited I wanted to wash off the mud and feel the effects of this 'amazing treatment' but I forgot my senses. I dived, breaking the surface of the water and almost immediately retracting, feeling my senses ignite. What idiot dives into extremely salty water?
licked the shore. Placing our things down we followed like sheep into the water, fast to smother our bodies in the grey sludge that reminded me so much of the acts of children. But we were children, absentmindedly following the word of others, driven by the possibility of reward. Like Rambo, decorating our facing in the thrill of adventure but like my mum used to say, 'it's all fun and games until someone gets hurt.' Excited I wanted to wash off the mud and feel the effects of this 'amazing treatment' but I forgot my senses. I dived, breaking the surface of the water and almost immediately retracting, feeling my senses ignite. What idiot dives into extremely salty water?
It was like fire searing through me which only intensified with every breath I took, every flutter of my eyes and every heavy step I trudged.............
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