Israel was always on his mind - hanging out in just a pair of shorts and a t-shirt in the warm, humid evenings of the Israeli spring and summer. Sandflies and mosquitoes buzzing around in the air, their presence noted from the sharp pinpricks of their bites. It was all so far removed from England and its unpredictable weather.
He was thinking about trying it a third time, all or nothing.

Another temporary job over the winter - kitchen porter at a small hotel in his town. He didn't enjoy the job, it was just a means of saving some money. He'd work four hours in the morning and then return in the evening for another four hours to complete his day. At least he was eating well. By the time March came around he had enough cash and was set to go again.
Once more a kibbutz, but he figured he'd grown up since the last time he'd been to one two years ago, and this time he felt ready for it.

He already knew which kibbutz he'd be going to. It was in the north, close to Nazareth and, according to the leaflet he'd been sent, had both outdoor and indoor work as well as a bakery. He'd be travelling there in a group and met the rest of them at the airport. There were eight others, all of them first-timers to a kibbutz. He got off to a good start with them as they were curious and asked questions about the way of life there.

The plane journey was uneventful with a censored version of When Harry Met Sally (the orgasm scene in the restaurant had been cut.)

He disembarked from the plane to the smell of fresh rain and palm trees. It felt warm too, or maybe it was just the heat coming from the plane's engines. One of the kibbutz members was waiting for them outside with a van to take them to their destination. Most of the others were sleeping but he was too keyed up to do so and was feeling very happy to be back.

On their arrival they were shown to their rooms and also met some of the other volunteers, who'd stayed awake to greet them. The first thing he noticed was the quality of their accommodation. Compared to his first kibbutz this was luxury! It was still three to a room but at least they had a small kitchen area, and the toilet and shower were inside.