Does anyone have Bono’s phone number? If so, could they give it to Merav Ayalon because she’d like a word. Ayalon leans back, pats her dog and draws languidly on a cigarette. I’m sitting with her near the Dead Sea, the lowest point on Earth, 400m below sea level.

Cicadas chirrup and a lustrous full Moon illuminates the cacti and baobab trees in the middle distance, making them seem like old men frozen in time. Even at 10pm on a November evening, it’s warm enough to sit out in shorts and a T-shirt. My drinking companion is wistful, and so am I, but for different reasons.

Most hotels at the Dead Sea are in a resort called Ein Bokek, near the southern end. They aren’t ultra-cool and mostly cater to coach tours and Israelis taking a few days break. There are, however, some fantastic Zimmers, B&B’s and smaller hotels around.

The Dead Sea is not just the lowest place on Earth. Its also probably one of the most relaxing, and one of the most naturally cool. The water and mud from the sea have special properties which make them useful for medicinal purposes, but even if you dont venture into the sea, there’s something in the air at the Dead Sea which just makes stress evaporate from your body!