Day 1 - Travel

And we're off!

All week, we said to each other: "Let's try to get some decent sleep Wednesday night, (December 13th) since the airport shuttle will be here Thursday morning (December 14th) at 3:30am.

Yeah, nope.  That didn't happen.

Rols was smarter than me; he crashed about 10pm Wednesday night.  Not me.  I didn't close the eyelids until sometime after midnight.  Stupid.  Stupid.  Stupid.

The airport shuttle was here early.  We got to the airport around 4:15am; the other couple in the shuttle must have had a REALLY early flight back to Lancaster, PA.  Rols and I  had no trouble getting to our gate before our 8:20 takeoff on Air Canada.  The flight was about 5 hours to Toronto. After a 30 minute layover (the plane was late arriving), we boarded the Air Canada flight to Tel Aviv. All the flight instructions during the trip were in English, French, Hebrew and Arabic.  The 787 Cargo Ship was jam packed with people of every age and background, including at least 5 little ones who took turns to wail and screech. (Not an experience with our babies that I remember fondly.)  It was painful for us to endure, but I'm sure it was a thousand times worse for their parents ...

I admire passengers who can sit back in their seats, close their eyes, and sleep.  Rols can at least dose. My body burns, twitches, and aches for a comfortable position it cannot find.  Rols said, "You know, it's kind of a disadvantage to be small enough to think you can find a pretzel position for sleep. Between twisting in your own seat, putting feet or head on my lap, using tray tables and seat pockets, I think you tried just about everything."

Yup, and nothing worked.

So ... I arrived in Israel having had about three hours of sleep over the past two nights.

We arrived in Tel Aviv around 10:30 Friday morning, December 15.  We got through "passport control" around 11:30am.  It was pretty effecient, given the number of people who had to be processed.  I expected something a lot longer and scarier, given the Israeli reputation for security. And, wonders of wonders, our suitcases made it.  We were pretty sure they wouldn't have made the short transfer time in Toronto.  Wow.  What a great surprise.

Our driver, Yossi met us out front.  We changed our dollars to sheckels, and walked out to his car.  A cheerful, rotund native, Yossi regaled us with stories, opinions, and recommendations as he drove us to the hotel "The Savoy" in south Tel Aviv, about 1000 feet from the beach.

Yossi tried to teach us some Hebrew.  "Shalom," we knew already, is peace, hello, goodbye.  "Bokar Tov" is good morning.  "Todar abah" is thank you.  "Beva kasha" is please.

We wanted to stroll the beach, swim in the Mediterranean, explore the ancient ruins, and walk through the local market.  We really did.  Really.   Even 10 years ago, I think our bodies would have been willing to cooperate.   Instead, we took showers and crashed around 2pm for a "little nap."

We were awakened at 2am Saturday morning, Dec 16th by Peter's phone call.  "Dad, did you tell Evie she could have that Amazon Echo you bought in her room?  She has it on her bureau."  So much for "geting away."  After mediating the problem, Rols talked with Maley to see how things were going.

Maley said the kids had been really good.  Alanna had just left.  She was about to take Evie to the overnighter at the church Karli Nelson has organized.  (Brave soul, Karli, to do this for the entire youth group every year.)  Karli has lined up several other brave soul chaperones, and lots of fun activities.

Now that I'm awake, I thought I'd try recording thoughts in the blog Alanna's fiance set up for me.  (Andrew was so patient; no question from me was too stupid.  I really appreciated his help.

In a few hours, our tour guide will be here for our first full day.  For now, it's off to sleep for another nap.  Bless all who read this.