First Post (Prepping for the trip!)
Monday, November 16, 2009 at 10:16AM Welp, this will hopefully be used to detail my trip as I'm traveling through the Israel. Currently things are a bit hectic and my attempts to really sit down and get things properly planned seem to be continuously thwarted by the rather daunting lab report, test in linear systems and beautiful weather outside this week. There have however been some pleasant revelations this weekend as I've been studying my trip.
Firstly transportation is mostly figured out (at least all the major intercity transit). Buses (read... taxi's) are available from Jerusalem to Ramallah which was standing as the most worrying due to crossing into Palestinian territory. Apparently I'm best off to claim simply I'm going to Bethlehem as the Israeli border guards can be less than cooperative if I'm traveling for reasons other than religious pilgrimage. The trip appears to be fairly short and will run me about $20 to get there and $20 to get back. Convenient enough to be worth it, I think.
Secondly other than my trip into the west bank I'll be sticking to the rail system. Trains are quick (shortening the 2 and a half hour trip to Haifa by bus down to 90 minutes) and cheap ($40 for a bus and $18 by rail). There are trains between Tel-Aviv and Haifa, Haifa and Jerusalem and finally Jerusalem and Tel-Aviv for my return trip.
EDIT: I've axed the Haifa portion of the trip, it'll give me two days in Jerusalem this way.
Current trip Iternary is:
- Leave Raleigh via RDU at 1:30PM on Sunday Nov. 22nd.
- Arive Tel-Aviv in Ben Guiron Airport at 9:15AM Monday Nov. 23rd.
- Taxi to Tel-Aviv (route: From Ben Guiron to Gordon Hostel)
- Stay in Tel-Aviv at Gordon Inn hostel the night of the 23rd.
- To Jerusalem morning of the 24th.
- Train from Tel-Aviv HaShalom to Jersusalem Malha Station
- Egged bus Route 6 from Malha Station to Ha-Nevi'im, hoofing it from there.
- Stay in Jerusalem at the Hashimi Hotel and Hostel the night of the 24th-25th.
- Find Taxi to Ramallah morning of the 26t
- #18 Sherut/service taxi. It departs close to Damascus Gate on Nablus Rd.
- Catch up with Moe!
- Head to Bethlehem with Moe on the 27th
- Taxi back to Jerusalem Some time on the 28th and train to Tel-Aviv to find a hostel for the night.
- Either repeat the #18 or find a Taxi and get all the way back to the train station in one shot. We'll see.
- Fly out at 5:30am on the 29th.
- Yawn.
Tight schedule but it should be a blast. More info coming as I figure things out.
Reader Comments (1)
Hey man, hope you have an awesome trip. i read your blog this morning in physics. i wish i was on a crazy adventure instead of listening to the mind numming sounds of Dr. Beichner's overly enthuastic voice describing the wonders of radio waves. I have an all new appreciation for my car's antenna now. Well have fun man and ill talk to you later
(Y) -Wyatt