The Adventure of a Lifetime

One week! One full, busy, amazing week.
We went to the HaCarmel shuk and rubbed shoulders - really - with lots and lots of people.
I learned new words like todah (thank you) and bavakasha (please; you're welcome), slicha (excuse me) and kama ze (how much).
We saw the Mediterranean Sea and the Sea of Galilee.We enjoyed a fish dinner in En Gev, fresh fruit shakes in Tel Aviv, and McDonald's on Ben Yehuda Street.
 We prayed at the stone retaining wall of the Temple and I sat on a lion statue over 2000 years old.
We walked and walked in Tel Aviv (well, I sat in Nayna's purse most of the time) and we drove through the Jezreel Valley.
And now it's time to pack up and go back to America.

We wanted to make sure we had plenty of time to go through security and passport control at the airport, so we left our hotel by taxi at 9:30 pm.
After smooth sailing through security questions and luggage check, passport control and carryon security we had more than enough time before our plane left. With shekels to spend, we ate a late dinner and did some last minute shopping.

But now what do we do? It was past our bedtimes and we were all getting sleepy.

Finally we were able to board the plane and settle in for our 15 and a half hour flight to Los Angeles.
Nayna tried several times to upgrade us to business class or at least a bulkhead seat where Papa and Nayna could stretch out their legs, but the plane was full and no one canceled their ticket.
I'll have to admit, while Papa watched movies and snoozed and Nayna listened to a recorded book and took cat naps, I snuggled into my cozy purse bed and did the bear thing - hibernation. What a wonderful gift God gave us bears. When I woke up, we were on the ground.

Jet lag again!
Our bodies still think it's 10 at night, but the clock says it's 8 in the morning. Time for breakfast.
After waiting for about a half hour for a shuttle, we were driven to our next terminal on the other side of the big airport.
By 11 am we were in the air again for our short flight home.

 Papa couldn't keep his eyes open. Nayna took a 15 minute power nap and then snapped pictures of the patchwork scenery.

Yay! We made it home safe and sound.
I was welcomed with open arms.

What an adventure! 

Bamboo's Adventure - The Journey Begins.

 I'm at the airport!! We have a a few hours to wait for our airplane. Our flight was to leave at 8:30pm but when Papa and Nayna looked at the departure board, it said we'd have to wait longer. So that leaves us more time to eat dinner. Turkey burger and fries for Nayna and me. I'm hungry!

 Dinner over, it's now time to wait - and wait some more. I'm kind of scared. This is my first time to fly...ever. I still don't know how a big metal tube filled with people can stay in the air. I'm glad the pilots went to school to learn how to fly.

 It's finally time to board our plane. Nayna tucks me safely in her purse. We give the attendant our ticket and walk through a long tunnel to the door of the plane. So this is what it looks like inside. We get a window seat so I can look out. The flight attendants make sure I'm safely buckled in my seat before we can fly. We amble down the runway and then...
Wow. We're in the air. This is fun!

 We fly for an hour and a half. It's getting late and my big bear eyes are getting heavy. I look out the window and see so many lights. So this is Los Angeles. Kind of makes me dizzy as we tip down towards the ground below to land.

After getting our suitcases from a big carousel, we wait outside for about a half hour. Our hotel shuttle is coming to get us. I hope he comes soon because it's very late now and way past my bed time.

 Ahhhhh. My comfy bed. 4:30am is going to come way too soon.
Good night everyone.

 Good morning! It's so early, I get to watch the sun come up as we take our shuttle back to the airport.
Once again we have to go through security. While Nayna and Papa have to pile their shoes and belts and computers and all sorts of other things in plastic bins, I hide inside Nayna's purse. I think they can see me, though when I go through a big box on a conveyor belt.
We find our gate and wait until they tell us we can board the plane.

 This time we don't get a window seat. In fact Nayna and I are in an aisle seat in the middle and Papa is in an aisle seat across from us. While Papa makes friends with the man sitting next to him and they talk, Nayna lets me read a book on her Kindle. We also take a nap because we only got 4 hour of sleep last night.


Papa lets me sit with him for awhile.

 

 5 hours later we arrive in Newark, New Jersey. Now we have 7 and 1/2 hours to explore the airport and wait for our flight to Israel. That's a loooooong time.
We look in some of the stores, take a walk outside, go back inside the airport and find a Chili's restaurant. It's dinner time and I'm as hungry as a bear. Good thing because I AM a bear! Salmon, rice and broccoli. I dig in.
After dinner we go through security AGAIN and then find our gate. We still have a long time before our flight leaves at 11:30pm.
Finally people start arriving at the lounge area at our gate. Maybe it won't be long. I'm soooo sleepy, but I don't want to miss anything, so I keep my eyes wide open.

After what seems like forever, we get to board our last plane. It's huge.
But that story is for the next time.
I'll tell you all about my next adventure soon.