Capturing my thoughts

..::I left my heart in Israel::..
Israel Experience 2005

[Day 1-14th June 2005]
*Warning: Please forgive me for any grammar mistakes...coz i wrote this when I was in Israel.*

After months of anticipated wait and preparations, Karen and I were finally leaving for the Holy Land. In my heart was like "Oh my" [not the picture in my friendster], it's like I'm dreaming, couldn't believe I'm really going to Israel!!! And my dad actually allowed w/n minutes when I asked him! Well, he didn't have a choice though coz I already paid the money...but still, the approval was important, just like when you get your blessings from your parents on your wedding day [hehz...too much movies], okie, make it close, like for your water baptism.

So yeah, my DAD arranged to drove me to Changi and my mum was there to see me off, so were my lovely members, Soo Chin and Lime and together with Michelle. We departed from Singapore at around 6.30pm after a quick bite from Burger King. [I just had to eat, because I was hungry and I'm gonna missed the food here too!] And there it was a smooth flight; service by the cabin crew was great; food was great and we watched a few movies - The Incredibles and Finding Nemo... Smooth landing by the pilots from SQ68 and we arrived at Bangkok at approx. 8pm. We had a long wait before boarding EL-AL airline for Israel. After the transiting and interviewing by the Israeli's officials, Karen and I walk along the long long long walkway of shops at Bangkok International Airport. Full of shops while we lingered around Gate 35 and we concluded not to buy anything yet...save the money for Israel.


Advertisement spotted at Bangkok International Airport  

I was approached by a male student from Chiang Mai University to do a survey on the expenditure by tourists in Thailand. He thought I'm from Korea...haha...Did tried to help him...but realized that we'renot the right target market…since we're only transiting...so too bad, but he gave me a keychain, which I later threw away in the ladies toilet...hiakz.


We finally founded a spot that was nice and suitable enough to take a picture! We're in Thailand!  

Bangkok is one hour behind Singapore...so we kept reading the time backwards...was finally able to board EL-AL LY082 past midnight. Our flight was due to depart at 0010hours(Bangkok Time)...was seated at seat 46F, aisle seat, in the middle...so I didn’t moved about at all for the approx 11 hours...tried to sleep [which I did on off] but was too uncomfortable, neck n legs were aching; sinus and it's noisy as well... from the engine I suppose...Listened to classical music but wasn’t that fantastic...was arouse from sleep from some screams due to a slight turbulence that shook the plane real hard...then we were served our late supper at about 2.30am (Singapore time),it was pasta, not bad, after that we went back to sleep again. The we woke up and had our breakfast at about 9 plus - omelette etc etc...not that appetizing to me, i thought it tasted funny...and we began to watch the movie – A Diary of a Mad Black Woman. Not bad after all...thank God for that since we don't have a tv of our own like SQ’s...and not much of a choice either. The show talked about healing, so it was great at the end.

[Day 2-15th June 2005]


LY082...We finally arrived in Israel!!!! 


"I'm walking on a new road..." haha...the walkway was extraordinary long!!!! 

Before touchdown was a view of great sights, but I wasn’t seated at the window seat...so missed it all and w/o the camera too...hope I get a chance during the return trip. Arrived at ISRAEL at 11.30am(Singapore time)...which is Israel’s 7am...we went through all the procedures, board the bus for Renaissance Hotel and arrived Jerusalem at about 9.30am(Israel time). Weather was good...sun was shining real bright...din feel that much heat yet...the amazing thing was it wasn't even hot and sweating..the wind was cold!


They are sooo good to us...have you realised that we've been eating and eating??? And there, each of us had one set of fruits!!! 


How should I put it...their sides are totally opposite from Singapore...like um...driver seat was on the left side of the vehicle....you know....so was their bus stops and road. 


One of the views we saw on our way to Jerusalem from Ben Gurion Airport...It's like we're so excited to see civilisations after miles of trees and plantations...like those in Malaysia... 


Finally arrived at our hotel!!! Hotel Renaissance!!!! 

At this moment while I’m typing this entry, Israel stands at 3.30pm while Singapore at about 8.40pm. Karen and I just came back not too long ago from a short venture to some shops about 10mins away. Security was tight, and was greeted by some locals, mostly men, saw this local from one of the shops and the first word he spoke when he saw us was "Singapore". I was amazed, but then he tried to sell us something...yeah...so we escaped! and continue to venture a little further down to our originally intended destination – the blue building with a big clock and there i was mistook again as a Korean for the second time...must be the hair...oh, our mission was to actually find an international calling card to call home...phew...and we managed to get it in the end and called both our family back in Singapore as well as our dearest cgl, Bro Mervyn Lim!


Yes...that's the building that we're talking about...and the bell boy at our hotel says it's only 5 - 10 mins walk?!? 

Waiting for our Welcome Dinner now which will start at 6.30pm…which is Singapore's 11 plus…we'll see what exciting stuffs they’re gonna have for us...and food...oh, glorious food!


This is the view that I have from our hotel room...this is only one corner...hehz... 

Let me add one thing – the buildings are mostly white, the cars too...majority of them! And I have not spotted any local wearing spectacles too! Amazing!

10:57 AM