the amazing adventure that I call my life....

Shalom!!!

What a crazy week its been so far....

The last time I posted I was a day away from going to Petra.  Let me just say what an amazing trip that was!!!!  I went to work as usual last Thursday and then left early to go home meet my friends...finish packing and then go to the new central bus station to take a bus to Eilat.  The bus ride wasnt too bad...then 5 hours later we were in Eilat.  A taxi drove us to our hostel...which was really nice and we grabbed food for the next morning and went to bed early so we could get some rest for our eventful Friday.

Friday morning we woke up at 6am and got ourselves ready for our trip to Petra.  A taxi picked us up at 7am and drove us to the Arava border in Eilat.  A guide from the tour company met us and helped us leave the Israeli border and sent us a few hundred feet to the Jordanian border where we were picked up by our guide who would be with us for the rest of the day.  We sat and waited for our passports to be stamped and then we were off on a coach bus through Jordan to Petra.  It was crazy being on the bus we were literally driving through the desert without anything to either side of us on the road except for bedouin tents scattered throughout the landscape. 

After a bathroom stop along the way and about a two hour drive we finally made it to Petra.  My friends and I got geared up for an amazing adventure...and that it was.  Our guide walked us throughout Petra.  Eventually at the end he let us have half hour to walk around as we pleased and then we had to meet back at the bus.  Words and pictures cannot explain how amazing and jaw dropping Petra is.  The size and height of these mountains is insane.  Needless to say we had a wonderful day and I was soo happy that I decided to take this trip!

After we got on the bus our guide took us to a buffet lunch in a Jordanian restaurant.  The food was amazing!! It felt soo good to eat and sit in air conditioning after that 3 hour hike through Petra.  All I can is that I am sooo not made for the heat...it was sooo hot in Petra and Eilat..not a fan...lol!  Then the tour took us back to the Jordanian border so that we could enter back into Israel.  We got driven back to our hostel and rested for a little while.  That night my friends and I explored the hotel area of Eilat.  We walked on the tayelet and went to eat by the hotels.  We then grabbed a drink on the beach at one of the beach bars.  It was soo nice to just hang out and chill on the beach on a friday night!

We had a bus ticket to go back to Tel Aviv at 7pm Saturday night but we were really over Eilat (lol) and wanted to get back to Tel Aviv earlier so we decided to wake up early grab breakfast at the hostel and then walk to the bus station to try and make it onto the 11:30am or 1pm bus.  So we walked to the station figured we could make it for the 11:30am so we ran back to the hostel grabbed our bags from storage and took a taxi back to the bus station.  While we waited for the station to open at 11am (Israelis def dont believe in 11am on the dot!) all these other people started creeping up to the front of the line to "look" at the schedule on the board but then literally cut in front of the whole line!  I was pissed. 

New York came out of me and I literally yelled at this woman who knew exactly what I was saying and pushed her way in front so that she could either buy a ticket or switch hers!!!  I was soo annoyed and over Israelis at this point.  I was hot...tired and annoyed...not a good combo..lol!  Then when I was one person away from changing my ticket another israeli came up on the side of the line and asked the teller to change his ticket and I screamed again and since he was friends with the teller what happened but the teller changed his ticket!  I had had enough at that point and just let it go!  So we instead got tickets on the 1pm bus back to TLV. 

We hung out in the bus station until our bus boarded and we made it back to TLV at 5:45pm after another 5 hour bus ride...I'm kinda over those bus rides!  We rested for a while and then went out that night to a club on the TLV port for a friends birthday.  I had a great night with my girlfriends dancing the night away to American music...yay!!!

Woke up the next morning exhausted after only getting 5 hours of sleep but knew I had a crazy busy week at work.  Made it through work on Sunday and crashed that night.  Monday was another busy day at work then rushed home went to the gym and went out for dinner/dessert with a friend.  Had another great night of sleep..lol and then woke up early Tuesday morning to get ready and try and finish posting pix from Petra and my other weekends before our group meeting and siyur for the day.  As you can all see (if you have facebook) I am slowly posting pictures :) 

After our group meeting we took a bus to the Tishbi Winery in Zichron Yaakov to have wine and chocolate tasting..the wine was amazing and we made some new friends who lived on a kibbutz right near there.  We were then driven to this really cute street in Zichron and given a half hour to eat lunch and be back on the bus...so not enough time but I wound up getting the most amazing shakshuka that I have had since I've been here.  Ate the rest of my meal on the bus on our way to Atlit.

Atlit is a museum that tells the story of a Jewish Detention camp that held Jews who were captured by the British before..during and after WW2.  It was a little eery being in the camp...and I feel for anyone who was held there until they were released. 

After Atlit we took the bus back to TLV.  I then relaxed in my apartment and kickboxed at night.  After I got home from kickboxing I was supposed to pack for Greece...supposed to being the operative word...and we all know I am the biggest procrastinator when it comes to packing...I'm usually up the night before I leave finishing it up...lol!  So instead I got home ate...showered and went to bed.

I woke up this morning got ready and actually began to pack...lol.  I have an exciting day at work today...I am going to the site with my boss and we are setting up a model apartment in the building that was just finished.  Then tonight I am going to Clara this lounge/club on the beach...it is the opening night!  I am super excited! 

Tomorrow is another crazy day...work...then I must change shekel into Euro for Greece...run home...have dinner with a friend of my mom who is visiting..run back home...be on our roof by 8pm for a cocktail party and then out with a friend for drinks...finish packing at some point and hopefully get some sleep because I must be in the airport by 5am Friday morning for my flight to Athens, Greece...yay!!!!

These past few weeks have seemed to fly by...I can't believe I have been here for 3 months its insane!!!  I am having a blast and literally the time of my life!!!  I'm super excited for Greece and the weeks to come!

My bday is almost here and I always seem to relfect on the past year of my life and I'd have to say that this past year has been eye opening...amazing...tough...and so fulfilling!!! I am soo happy to be in Israel...in my homeland...with such Jewish pride...I can't explain how much it means to me to be here!

And for those of you who don't have facebook or didnt see my post...I booked my ticket home...I will be back in NYC on September 16!!! 

I'll be in Greece til next Thursday and then I'm away for the weekend...I will try my best to post asap after Greece.

Love you and miss you all!!!!!

<3 D