09 January 2011
So - I have embarked on a very last minute journey to Tel Aviv. Weirdly, contrary to how last minute trips go, all the details and planning fell into place... R30 000 later.
I arrived at OR Tambo airport at 18h30 on 08 January, in order to check in and relax before a 9 hour flight... I joined the queue at El Al Israeli Airlines - and I had to endure a 60 minute security interview, where they asked me if I was a terrorist or if my husband had planted a bomb in my luggage when I wasn't looking... This was a business trip so, I then had to produce a business card (which I do not have because I do not deal with anyone outside of the business), I then had to provide the presentations from my computer to them. Now I work for a paranoid company, so my laptop that I had, had remote access into our network via 3 passwords and the internet, before I could access any of the documents. I explain to the very thorough representative that that would be impossible, I then had to provide her with cell phone numbers for the people I was about to visit. Understand, that Saturday is the sabbath in Israel, no works, let alone turns on their phone, so after much trying, we eventually managed to get hold of the people I was due to see, and I was evenually allowed to check in... hmmm... R7000 to be treated like a criminal... Eish.
The flight itself was relatively harmless... I was in the middle bank of 3 seats. Thankfully the middle seat was empty so I had a little more room to move - and I managed to get some sleep in that awkward semi upright position, with my legs across the middle seat.
Sleep in that environment is all relative. There were those ad hoc interruptions, what with babies crying and paniced dreams that the plane was spiralling out of control.
Tel Aviv airport is pretty cool, newer than some of the ones I have been in. I go through passport control, this time unscathed, though the chick behind the glass was more interested in her cell phone, than me, the brown locked terrorist.
So heading towards my hotel I discovered the following things:
1. My taxi driver farts like Great Dane
2. Tel Aviv in Winter is similar to Cape Town in winter --> not too cold but very wet
3. Taxi drivers drive badly all over the world
4. I was about to pay R50 for a cup of coffee
5. Even the fanciest hotels have gross guests i.e. they can't flush their pooh down the toilet
We'll see how it goes. I look forward to the food, apparently it is amazing.
