Expecting the Unexpected

When I look at this photograph I cannot help but laugh. What may appear to be a carefully orchestrated moment (a moment in which Andy and I waited patiently for an ibex to meander its way across the foreground of our setting so we could snap a few photos) actually was in fact an accident.

We had just finished hiking through the mountains of Ein Gedi and were looking for a place to rest for the night. It was nearing evening and we were unfamiliar with our surroundings. We had visited the two hostels in the area and discovered that a large school group had booked out all of the available rooms. This was just fantastic. We were in the middle of the desert with no where to stay for the evening. Camping was definitely not an option, as we had come to Israel with just two small backpacks in the middle of winter. So we were stuck, trying to figure out our next move and where to go from there.

Suddenly, a group of ibexes strolled on by with not a worry in the world. We had not been able to find any thus far, so this was an extraordinary sight for sore eyes. I turned on our camera and noticed the battery was almost dead from our gallivanting through the mountains earlier that day. I pointed the camera in the general vicinity of the ibexes, attempted to shoot a picture and then the camera died. I wanted to cry. I was exhausted and frustrated with no where to stay in the middle of the desert.

What a day.

Luckily our story does not end there. No, no. We packed up the car and decided our best bet was to drive to Masada, where we had heard there may be a place to stay for the evening. We arrived at a small community (I am still not sure if they were apartments, a hotel, a hostel, or a combination of everything in between) and a security guard let us through the gigantic gate surrounding the buildings. We found a place to rest our weary bodies for the evening and had some of the best sleep we had had in a while, full of gratitude for the roof over our heads.

When we returned home from our world travels, I sorted through our photos from Israel and, to my surprise, I discovered that we had taken this photo. It may not be much, but it is by far enough for us. Now, as I said before, when I look at this photograph it makes me laugh. It reminds me of that fateful day and the circumstances that surrounded the photo. More than that, though, it reminds me that some of the best moments on the road or throughout life in general happen in ways similar to it. Situations do not always turn out the way that we expect them to. In fact, life is full of the unknown and unexpected. But rather than letting that frustrate us to the point of tears (like I so wonderfully demonstrated in Ein Gedi), we can choose to instead expect the unexpected and find the adventure, joy and beauty in the unknown and uncertainty.

Have you experienced something similar? What is an unexpected adventure you have had? Please feel welcome to share in the comments below! 🙂