$
A barricade blocked the road to the river where John the Baptist baptized Jesus. I approached the officer who guarded the barricade to insist that we pass. He yelled at me in Arabic and then said in English, “Gate is closed. Find different way to the river.” I decided not to question the armed Palestinian from behind the gate. We returned to town to find an alternate.

Adam continued to drive even though he was nervous once the pavement ended; I assured him the river could not be much further. We drove for miles on a dirt road with the desert surrounding us when I saw the water. Turned out it wasn't water; it was a settlement of around ten tents with metal roofs. Real life Gypsies! This time it was my turn to fret. Here we were miles from town in the middle of the desert with no water or clue where we were. What spooked me most was that we were trespassing on Gypsy land. “Adam, maybe you were right we should go back.”