DAILY JOURNAL #1

Lets take a break from our A-Z travel log and go on to something new.

For the next few days I will post my journal from a trip that I took to Israel in 2005. As part of course work for my MRS (Masters in Religious Science) at the Harvest Institute for Biblical Studies in Knoxville TN, we had to not only go to Israel, but submit a journal of our day to day experiences during the trip.

(I have taken all photos.)

Most of my trips to Israel have been taken through TLC Holy Land Tours. Dr. Crisp has led numerous groups to the Holy Land. TLC Holy Land tours offers excellent pricing, experienced guides and scholarly teachings at each site. (www.tlcholylandtours.com)

Day 1-2
Left Knoxville at 2:10 p.m. This is my seventh (blessed) trip to the Holy Land. It is hard to imagine that I am going to Israel again! Some people only go once in a life time; some never get to go.

Sitting for several hours in the airport is good for me- I begin to think about the trip and what it means in my life. With each trip I spend much time reflecting on the past and the future. How blessed I am to be saved and to be walking the Lord. And He has blessed me with a deep love for the land and the people of Israel.

Because I “have to” write this journal for a class project, I have decided to have a focus, a ‘theme’, for me to see the sites from a different mindset. Each trip is different. I do see many of the same sites, but I also always do see a new site. Dr. Crisp and the tour guide are sensitive to the fact that several people have made this trip more than once, and always arrange for something new.

My term paper for my class will be “Jesus and the Women.” As I set out on this trip my focus will be on the women of Israel in Biblical times, in the Old Testament and New Testament.
At Newark NJ the four members of our group from California joined with us. That brings the total to 28. This is an ideal number to have in a group.

As I read Scripture in the airport, my readings took me to the books of Malachi and Zechariah. God brought these verses to my sight to prepare me for this trip:

Zechariah 2:8, 12, 13
…for he who touches you Israel)touches the apple of His (God’s) eye….and the LORD will take possession of Judah as His inheritance in the Holy Land and will again choose Jerusalem…..Be silent, all flesh, before the LORD, for He is aroused from His holy habitation.
And from Malachi 3:12:

…And all nation will call you blessed (Israel), for you will be a delightful land, says the LORD of hosts. Thank you LORD for these verses today as I begin our trip.
10:50 pm left Newark for Tel Aviv. Plane very crowded. Ninety eight young Jewish people from all over US and Mexico going over to Israel for a four month study trip. God bless these young people. May they meet Jesus in the Holy Land.

Arrived Tel Aviv 4:22 p.m. on Tuesday. No Biblical reference to Tel Aviv. The Biblical city of Joffa is south. (The photo above is of modern-day Tel Aviv.)

Drove 1 ½ hours to Tiberias/Sea of Galilee..
Thoughts on Tiberius. A Roman colony in the time of Jesus. We have no record of his visiting Tiberius. He must have. Perhaps his family traveled there from Nazareth in his early years for shopping or business. In the years of His adult ministry He probably did pass through this busy commercial/governmental city, but did not make His presence known.

All the cities that surrounded the Sea of Tiberius must have heard of Jesus and his ministry. Perhaps some of the women of Tiberius went out to see this man. Perhaps some of the women of Tiberius were among the crowds at the feeding of the 4,000 and 5,000, or there when Jesus spoke the “Sermon on the Mount.” It does not seem a stretch of the imagination to visualize women of Tiberius in the crowd of faces that so often encircled Jesus.

We saw too many things to write down. I hope I will remember them.

ISRAEL TRAVEL TIPS (Part II)

If you do not have a camera –borrow one. You will probably take 100-300 photos Film is not too expensive – but bring at least 5 rolls with you. BUT...don't let the taking of photos become your main focus. Stop and consider where you are and what you are seeing. You may never get the chance again to actually be at that particular site.

Sleep on the airplane (both directions). Get some type of sleep aid. The plane is noisy. You will be excited…but…you really need to sleep.

If you think you might suffer from motion sickness –bring some Dramamine. You will be on boats, busses, planes etc… Some travel is bumpy. If you suffer from motion sickness be sure to sit towards the front of the bus, and avoid sitting over the wheels. I wear those wrist bands that are suppose to help prevent nausea - the really seem to help me. Also, I take a Dramamine at night before I sleep. Take one half of a pill in the morning before boarding the bus. A full dose during the day may make you drowsy. Be aware of possible allergies to any new medication you take. (You might want to try it out at home before you leave the country.)

I always carry Imodium with me – I have never needed it, but have given much of it away to those who did need it. REMEMBER—with Imodium – carry it WITH YOU at all times. It must be taken immediately. It does no good if it is on the bus or in a suitcase.

Pack ear plugs for the plane- and if you find out that your roommate snores!

Be flexible! Be on time. Most tours are jammed-packed from morning to evening. If an extra ten minutes is taken at several stops to collect stragglers, or in getting started – the group may be behind schedule and not able to visit all the sites that day!!

Sleep at night. If you are out late seeing the sights you will be too tired the next day to fully enjoy the sites. Get over the fact that a trip to the Holy Land is not a time for partying late at night. Get to bed early in order to be fresh to see the sites the next day....again....this may be the only time you will ever get to experience the Holy Land.

GOOD WALKING shoes. Wear shoes that you might wear hiking in the mountains. No sandals. No high heels. Good sturdy shoes or tennis shoes.

ONLY USE SUITCASES WITH WHEELS! You do not want to have to carry anything.

With over a dozen trips to Israel under my belt I have never felt afraid or in danger. One rule that I follow is this…stick to the tourist sites. I never go off alone to “see the sights” or to shop. Bad things can happened where the local people congregate i.e. a café at night.

Have a grand and glorious time!! You will never be the same after a trip to the Holy Land. Remember that you represent not only your home country, but the church as well. Do not be an “Ugly American.” Be sensitive to what you are wearing. Think about what is on the front of your tee-shirt. An American flag is great at home....but not in the Middle East. Also be sensitive about Christian messages on your shirt. Do not give some disgruntled person an excuse to confront you. (I did see one person wearing an American flag tee-shirt have a problem.)

“Never pass up a perfectly good bathroom.” You do not have control of when the bus will stop. You are a member of a group and your needs are not at the top of the list for the group. At every stop do use the facilities, whether you think you need to or not!

Last but not least. Stop each day and focus on the fact that you are in the land of the Bible. You are experiencing something that many people cannot/or will not. You have the money, the time, and the interest to be there. Your life will never be the same after you have experienced the sights, sounds and spirit of the Holy Land.

ISRAEL TRAVEL TIPS (Part I)

Lets take a little side trip away from the cities of the Holy Land to give some advice about travel to Israel. After a dozen trips to Israel I would like to share some suggestions to make your trip more enjoyable.

Bring wash cloths – Hotels do not have wash cloths/face cloths. I go to Wal Mart and purchase a pack of 15 washcloths for about $5 and take them with me – I use them and throw them away.

I bring x100 one dollar bills. You can always bring money home. Do not take anything larger than a $20 bill unless you know that there is an expensive item that you want to purchase. It is so much easier to deal with smaller bills. American money is accepted EVERYWHERE. You NEVER have to change into sheckles. If you want to exchange some money, NEVER exchange money at the hotel (the exchange rate is terrible.) I have never had any trouble using my credit card if I was shopping at a site where my tour guide took us. If you are out in town by yourself – you are on your own!!

I wear a ‘fanny pack’ to hold my cash and my passport. It is never off my body unless I am in my hotel room. To lose your passport is a major problem. Consider your passport the most important item that you have!!!

I use a backpack on the bus during the day to keep my things together, and to be able to carry my notebook and Bible, and of course all my purchases for the day. I can shop and yet have my hands free.

Carry a Bible, a pen and notebook…..but….take a “one pound” Bible, not a large “five pound” Bible.

You WILL NEED space in your suitcase to bring home souvenirs, books you have purchased, rocks you have collected, etc…. (I love to bring back rocks from Israel to give as gifts. People love to have a piece of the Holy Land. I bring old clothes and leave them behind in the hotel room to provide space in my suitcase going home. I even will go to the Goodwill or AmVets and spend $20 (a full wardrobe for me) for clothes that I will wear in Israel and leave there.

The food in Israel is wonderful – most people gain a few pounds on the trip. Do bring packaged cookies, granola bars, crackers, raisins, dry fruit, prunes (!!) etc… to eat in your room, and for lunch on the bus. By eating your own snacks at lunch you will save you $5-7 a day. Soft drinks in Israel usually are approx. $2.00. Water is very inexpensive.

Some of you will want to bring dry Prunes – this speaks for itself.

As with travel in any country that is not your own, drink only bottled water. (Would it amaze those of you who are in the USA to know that people who travel here get gastrointestinal upsets from drinking our water - they do!) I never drink water that is provided on the airplane unless it comes from a sealed bottle. If I can't open a bottle myself then I don't trust it. Bring one small bottle of water for your carry-on luggage. Do not bring a case of water in your suitcase, as some have done! Bottled water in Israel is purified, and inexpensive. Do stick to bottled water. Never drink water from a tap – or from an opened bottle at a food stand. Only, only, only drink from sealed bottles of water/drinks. Keep hydrated. (These are the same instructions that are given to people who travel from other nations that come to the USA!)

If you are on any medication be SURE to put all of it in your carry-on, in case your stored luggage gets lost.

I hope these are helpful. Part II on Monday.