14th Sep 2012 : Day 1 began at 4:50am to get us to Luton airport, London on time. The bags were stuffed full and mine was bursting at the seams with too many Boots chemist toiletries products!
All went smoothly from the tube at Leyton East London (where those who have followed the cat stories will be pleased to know there was one on the platform in a carrier right next to us), to the high speed to St Pancras and then onto the regional train out to Luton and finally a shuttle bus to get us to the departures door - phew!
Passing through security I realised that there was no parade, no stern talking to from customs, not even a final stamp or farewell and thanks for your contribution to our great nation of the UK. Disappointing but after checking in then hanging out at the departure gate and making calls to family it was announced that the flight would be delayed first to 11am then later til 1:30pm and finally to 4:10pm from the original time of 9am. After being issued food vouchers and shunted around the airport we stopped off at the cafe for an all day brekkie for me and a pizza for Kearnsy. Winning really we decided to head back to the gate. The flight finally borded at 3:50pm arriving in Israel at 11:30pm.
There were hundreds of people lining up to clear customs and there was a few desks with no signs turned on to indicate if they were for Israeli passport holders or non so we jumped in that line and thought what's the worst that could happen, we waste 5 mins and get sent to the other line...?
Winning again as we cleared customs in 20 mins! We missed the bus due to the delay but got a shared shuttle bus they call shared taxis but they only leave when full. So full up 40 mins later we depart Tel Aviv for Jerusalem. The taxi deposited us right at the door and the hostel (Abraham Hostel) was very welcoming. Crashing a dorm with 6 other sleeping poeple at 2:45am, not such a fanfare of a welcome though no dramas still :)
Off to sleep it was for a tour departure to Nazerath, Sea of Galilee and the end of the Jordan River to witness mass baptism starting at 5:50am, meaning getting up at 5:20am! More on that tomorrow!!
