Travel now not tomorrow

 Why do we do the things we do? For me, there is often a book to blame. In the eighties I read The Source by James Michener, a novel that used an archaeological dig to tell the story of Israel from origins to present day. A light was lit; I wanted to go on an archaeological dig. Who wouldn't?  An agency in London specialised in sending volunteers overseas - salt mines in Poland, apple farms in Romania and archaeological sites in Israel. I had never been outside of Europe and I have to say the land of Israel looked like those picture cards we were given in Sunday School - golden hills, palm trees and nomadic traders in arabic dress. The other volunteers were mostly American, mostly devoutly Christian and overwhelmed by the ancient alleys, markets, churches, mosques and synagogues around us. "Wow!" was the continuous utterance from one young man.  The site we were to excavate was on a high mound from where the original settlers would have been able to view any marauders be...