eilat: where my laptop almost drowned and the weather was weirdly exact

i've been in eilat for three days now and my skin still hasn't decided if it's dry or oily from this humidity. 72%? come on. anyway, the temperature's stuck at 17.99 degrees, which is basically room temperature but outside. feels like 17.72, so negligible difference. pressure 1014, whatever that means - probably why my ears pop when i dive. i just checked and it's exactly that right now, hope you like that kind of precise nonsense. the weather app says it's not going to change, which is both reassuring and boring.

i'm here as a digital nomad, which means i'm constantly searching for cafes with reliable wifi and not-too-expensive coffee. found this spot called "cafe nesher" - yeah, i know, the name - but the espresso is decent and the outlets are plentiful. Cafe Nesher on TripAdvisor someone on tripadvisor swore by their shakshuka, but i'm more about the caffeine. the barista told me they get a lot of nomads like me, all with laptops and sad eyes. i overheard one guy saying the wifi here can drop during peak hours, but so far so good.

overheard a rumor at the marina: the sunset yacht tour is worth every shekel, but only if you book through that guy with the dreadlocks, not the official kiosk. i heard that from a drunk sailor, so take it with a grain of salt. Yelp reviews for Red Sea Sailing i didn't do it because i'm cheap, but maybe you should splurge.

eilat's got this weird vibe - part resort, part desert outpost. the red sea is right there, turquoise and inviting, but the mountains behind town are all brown and jagged. i tried to hike last week and got lost for an hour. thank goodness for google maps saving my ass. i asked a local for directions and he just laughed and said "you're not in tel aviv anymore." i felt like an idiot, but it was a good story.

if you need a break from eilat, aqaba is just across the border. hop in a taxi, twenty minutes, and you're in jordan. or go north to jerusalem, but that's like a four-hour drive. something a local told me: the border crossing can be a nightmare on fridays, so plan ahead. i heard that from a border guard, so probably true. a friend of a friend said that in aqaba, the coffee is stronger and the wifi slower, so maybe not worth it.

i've been working from my laptop at the beach, which is stupid because sand gets everywhere. but the wifi at the hostel is worse. so, compromise: find a shaded spot, plug in, and pretend i'm productive. my latest project is due in two days and i'm writing this blog post instead. priorities. the weather's been consistent - 17.99 degrees, no change - so i don't have to worry about rain or anything. just that damn humidity. i checked again: temp 17.99, feels like 17.72, humidity 72%. it's like the weather is stuck in a loop.

the map below shows exactly where i'm camped out. see that little dot? that's my cafe.

i took some photos, but my phone camera is junk. still, here's what the place looks like:

that's the beach this morning.

this is my current office.

and the sunset everyone raves about. i caught it last night and it was worth the mosquito bites.

heard from a local food blogger that the best street food is at the night market, but avoid the grilled fish on mondays - it's not fresh. Eilat Food Forum discussion i tried it on tuesday and it was killer, so maybe the gossip is wrong. or maybe the fish guy has good tuesdays. i also heard that the hummus at "hummus ben yehuda" is to die for, but i haven't made it there yet. Yelp for Hummus Ben Yehuda

anyway, i should get back to work. or maybe just stare at the sea. it's 17.99 degrees out there, and i'm wearing a hoodie. perfect for typing with numb fingers. the neighbors? yeah, aqaba and jerusalem are close, but right now, eilat feels like its own little world. someone told me that in winter, it gets colder, but for now, this 18-degree thing is my reality.

i'm rambling, but that's the point, right? messy, human, full of typos and half-truths. if you're thinking of coming here, bring a laptop, a hoodie, and a sense of humor for the humidity. and maybe check the weather again - it's 17.99, feels like 17.72. hope you like that kind of thing.

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