Yesterday, my fiancé and I were relaxing at a cozy café, chatting away, when his phone buzzed with a call from his friend. His friend teased him, saying, "Ever since you tied the knot, you’ve disappeared!" Hazem chuckled and replied, "I’m not married yet; just engaged. I haven’t signed anything, so I still have time to change my mind." I gave him a playful glare and said, "Oh, really?!" He laughed it off and quickly changed the subject, asking his friend, "Got any plans for a mountain hike tomorrow?" His friend agreed, and Hazem added, "Great, I’ll pick her up, and we’ll be there," meaning me, of course.Later, Hazem mentioned, "Tomorrow, we’re heading to Zaghouan by bus," and, as always, reminded me to be punctual. I grinned and teased back, "I’m never late; it’s the buses that delay me." After that, I headed home, studied a bit, and went to bed. By 5:30 AM, I was up, prayed Fajr, and called Hazem to check in. Poor guy hadn’t slept yet, just wrapping up his shift. I nudged him to pray Fajr, hoping he managed to squeeze it in!At the bus station, for a change, I was the one waiting for Hazem. He arrived, and we boarded the bus together. He tried catching some sleep, but the bus jolted too much to allow any rest. Upon reaching our destination, we grabbed a spot at a café, waiting for his friends to join us. Mahmoud and Amine soon arrived, and after a brief chat, we all piled into Amine’s car, heading for the mountain.Eager and full of energy, I led the way on the trail, far ahead of everyone. Mahmoud kept joking, "You might slow us down, being the only girl here," but I simply laughed, loving the challenge. We reached a fascinating spot with dangerous mountain paths
. Watching Hazem and Mahmoud climb, I couldn’t resist joining in. The photos they showed were stunning, and I couldn’t let them have all the fun. I went back and had them snap some shots of me, too.And there I was, captured in photos with the iconic Palestinian keffiyeh!
Our adventure didn’t stop there. We continued to "Bouqabreen," another scenic spot in the mountain. Mahmoud, ever the joker, started playing with the cows, narrowly avoiding being gored. Hazem, camera in hand, captured every hilarious moment, teasing Mahmoud all the while. Mahmoud, with his blend of wild antics and a heart of gold, had us in stitches.
He also happened to be the one behind the lens, snapping those memorable photos of us.
As the day wore on, I brought out some homemade snacks I’d prepared for everyone. We all shared and savored them, adding to the joyful atmosphere. After a while, we began our journey back. Hazem and I walked side by side, enjoying the moment. He treated me to some delicious "mlawi," and soon after, we hopped on the bus home.
That was our adventure, filled with laughter, friendship, and unforgettable memories. I hope you enjoyed the story as much as I enjoyed living it!
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