A Brazilian in the Israeli desert – 02/23/2023 – É Logo Ali
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Long-distance trails are always challenging for those who venture out with a backpack over their shoulder and a GPS in their pocket. But traveling 1,100 kilometers, alone, in winter, in 43 days is for those who know how to plan very well. It’s for hikers like André Fuao, 28, from São Paulo, who already faced the 4,200 kilometers of the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT), a route that crosses the west coast of the United States, in five months and which arrived a few weeks ago from Israel, from the city from Kibbutz Dan, on the border with Lebanon, to Eilat, almost entering Egypt.
The crossing of the Israeli National Trail, says Fuao, is divided into three very different segments. The first, which goes to Tel Aviv, the capital of Israel, is marked by historical and religious sites, “which move anyone who remembers the stories of the Bible”, as Fuao says. Then comes the most urban part of the country, which includes Tel Aviv, Jerusalem and the surrounding area. And, finally, where things get tougher: the desert, which represents 450 kilometers of the total and requires special planning.
“The first part is what we call ‘dirty road walking’, or walking on dirt roads, which is not really my style”, explains Fuao. On this route, frequent villages offer water, food and even a landing, which makes it unnecessary to carry a lot of weight. “But you walk 90 kilometers along the beach, it’s beautiful and has a deep historical and religious meaning”, he points out.
The second part of the route, even more urban, is compared by Fuao to the Camino de Santiago, in Spain, where every few kilometers there is a whole service structure for trekkers and pilgrims. “It’s cool, it’s also historic and such, but the great challenge was really the desert”, says the hiker, who has already traveled the most famous route in Europe three times.
Upon entering the desert, Fuao discovered why the Bible says that Jesus went there to meditate for 40 days, facing all temptations. There, the challenge was to balance the weight of the backpack with the need to guarantee yourself with water for the journey. “That was the biggest problem, because there are many stretches without any water at all”, recalls Fuao. It is not uncommon for those who make this journey to hire water drops, people who are in charge of leaving a supply of liquid every few kilometers, making the journey easier. “But I didn’t want to do that, I always try to be as self-sufficient as possible, not depending on third parties for anything, so I mapped the water points that the Israeli government leaves installed for hikers and I saw that every 80 kilometers or so I could replenish stock,” he adds.
Fuao then did the math: he walked from 6:40 am to 4:40 pm, at a speed of between 2 and 5 kilometers per hour (yes, because deserts, contrary to popular belief, are not comfortable paths and require frequent climbing, stretches of soft sand , in short, pieces in which you can barely do 1.5 to 2 kilometers per hour.
“So, the calculation was like this: doing 25 to 30 kilometers a day, I reached water every three days and, as the consumption with slight rationing was three liters a day, I needed to carry 9 liters of water with me, I couldn’t hesitate even with the amount of water or over time”, he recalls. Hydration was controlled by urine color. “If it’s clear, all of it, if it starts to get darker I drink more until it clears up”, he explains.
Another problem with the route was the fact that, because I was doing the trail in winter, when it is practically not covered, I had to walk alone most of the time. “And no internet or cell phone signal, which meant I couldn’t be hurt,” he says. But he guarantees that the perrengues make up for it: “Being there, in the middle of the desert, camping and seeing jackals, foxes and that huge amount of stars at night, it’s incredible”, he reports. For someone who already accounts for something close to the 13,000 kilometers covered in almost eight years, each landscape “is a great emotion”. Understanders will understand.
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