#Israel Airport Taxi

[tlvtransfersminibusbus]

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[mariacallous]

(New York Jewish Week) — Throughout his nearly 50 years living in Forest Hills, Queens, Gavriel Davidov was the unofficial mayor of the borough’s Bukharian Jewish community. He was widely known a peacekeeper, and the first person someone could turn to for help.

The owner of Gavriel Davidov Jewelry, a fine jeweler in Manhattan’s Diamond District on 47th Street, Davidov was among the first members of the Bukharian community — mostly Russian-speakers from Central Asia — to resettle in New York City. Seeking to escape Soviet restrictions on religious Jewish life and expression, Davidov, his wife Zoya and their four daughters — Ninel, Susan, Stella and Zhanna — immigrated from Tajikistan to New York in 1976.

By the time Davidov died in April 2020 at 85, the number of Bukharian Jews in New York had grown to over 50,000 people. And many of them had Davidov to thank for the strength of their community: Over the course of his life in the United States, he helped establish dozens of yeshivas, synagogues and community centers in Forest Hills and the surrounding neighborhoods. 

Last month, Davidov’s dedication to the Bukharian community — and his legacy of humility, leadership and honesty —  was honored by the City of New York with the co-naming of the corner of 64th Road and 108th Street, near the epicenter of Bukharian life in New York, as Gavriel Davidov Corner.

“He was the patriarch of our family and he was a pillar in the community,” Gabriella Kaplan, one of Davidov’s nine grandchildren, told the New York Jewish Week in a recent phone interview. “Whenever I’d walk down the street with him, everyone was his very best friend. You couldn’t get two feet because everyone had to stop him to say hello. It was so cool to see how much respect he had in the community and how much everyone loved him.”

“He is finally getting the recognition that he deserved,” said Kaplan, 28, who was one of about 10 people who spoke at the unveiling ceremony on Oct. 22.

According to Manashe Khaimov, an adjunct professor at Queens College specializing in Bukharian Jewish history and the founder of the Sephardic American Mizrahi Initiative, the city’s recognition of Davidov is a major step in acknowledging and celebrating Bukharian life in the United States. “It leaves our footprint on the history of New York,” he said.

“For the Bukharian youth and for the Bukharian people as a community, this is a big deal,” he added. “Living in Forest Hills, walking down the street in Forest Hills, to have a street named after a Bukharian person is an empowering moment.” 

For Davidov’s family, which also includes 11 great-grandchildren, the ceremony provided a bit of much-needed closure. Davidov died just as COVID-19 took hold in New York City and last month’s ceremony, said Kaplan, was “a celebration of his life that we didn’t necessarily get to have in the way that we should have when he passed.”

A prominent lawyer in Tajikistan, Davidov arrived with his family in the U.S. via Vienna and Israel. The family settled in a two-bedroom apartment in Forest Hills — the same apartment Davidov inhabited for the rest of his life. 

According to his daughter Susan Davidov Hod, they were the tenth Bukharian family to make their home in the neighborhood, which is now home to thousands of Bukharian Jews and dozens of synagogues.

Upon arriving in New York, despite being well-educated and fairly well-off in Tajikistan, Davidov found work as a taxi driver, a job he held for three years to support his family while learning English. According to favorite story passed down by the family, Davidov picked up a man from JFK Airport and told the passenger in broken English about his journey to the United States and his four girls at home. At the end of the day, he was cleaning out his car and realized the man had left his suitcase in the cab. 

“We opened it up — it was full of cash,” Hod recalled. Her father insisted he had to return it. 

Hod found a business card in the suitcase and they called the passenger. “My father didn’t speak English very well, so I talked,” Hod said. “My father drove back to him the next morning and gave him the full case. A week later, we got four or five boxes of clothing because the man knew that he had four daughters. He sent us the most fashionable clothes at the time.”

This type of honesty was typical of her father, Hod said, who was 18 when he opened his jewelry business in 1980 and she started working with him —  an experience she describes as “amazing.” 

Hod recalled how her father would help others get started in the jewelry business, sometimes signing on as a guarantor for loans. “People still owe him a lot of money,” she said. “But he never chased that. Not that he was a millionaire, believe me. But his heart was of gold.”

Davidov also quietly worked throughout his life to boost the Bukharian community, helping to establish two Orthodox synagogues, the Bukharian Jewish Community Center and Beth Gavriel Synagogue, as well as multiple yeshivas in the neighborhood.

“He planted the seeds for 35 Bukharian synagogues in New York City and united thousands of congregants,” said City Council member Lynn Schulman, who represents Forest Hills and its environs and who sponsored the legislation to co-name the street. “As a leader in the Bukharian community, Gavriel always gave of himself, never asking for anything in return. He has left an indelible mark in Forest Hills and throughout our city.”

“He was really the person that so many people in the Bukharian community came to. He was very quiet about it. He wasn’t public. He wasn’t looking for name recognition. But helped so many people that were new to the Bukharian community and Queens, whether they needed money or had a family emergency,” said Assembly Member David Weprin, who knew Davidov personally. “He was the person that people said: Go see Gavriel Davidov. He will help you.”

[laineystein]

What to expect at 🇮🇱Ben Gurion🇮🇱 Airport:

✈️ ARRIVING

When you get off the plane you will need to stop at the passport kiosks. They are not labeled. They’re the silver machines with screens to scan your passport. No one will tell you to use them but I highly suggest you stop and scan your passport. It will give you an entry pass. This will come in handy later.

Go down the ramp. I’m going to assume that if you’re reading this you do not hold Israeli citizenship, so you’ll want to stick to the right. It’s actually very well labeled. I say “actually” because things in Israel rarely are. This line will be much longer than the line for Israeli passport holders. Wait in it and deal with the merge/bottleneck situation that occurs before passport control.

At passport control you’re going to hand over your passport and your entry pass. If you don’t have an entry pass they’ll give you a dirty look so get the entry pass (at those inconspicuous scanners I mentioned earlier). Go up to the window with everyone in your party - if you don’t, they’ll ask you who you’re arriving with and then you’ll need to call those people up. They may then ask for some people in the party to step back as they ask one or only some people questions. Just answer their questions. Usually it’s brief, they give you your card and you’re on your way.

Out of passport control you’re immediately at more scanners that look like the passport kiosks I mentioned before (that I hope you stopped at!). You’ll scan the card passport control gives you, the gate will open, and you’re in baggage claim.

It’s the Wild West now. Grab your bags (can’t miss baggage claim or the screens assigning flights to belts). Declare things at customs if you need to (can’t miss the sign - it’ll be on your left as you’re heading out into the main area of the airport). Genuinely, once you’re through passport control things get much easier and it’s very easy to figure out. (Signage isn’t great in Israel but the signage we do have is in Hebrew, Arabic, and English so I have the utmost faith that you’ll be able to figure it out.)

Getting out of the airport - call a Gett or take the train to Tel Aviv or Jerusalem or wherever you’re staying. The airport train is decent but I don’t recommend it if you have a ton of luggage. If you’re taking a taxi, sometimes they’ll charge you extra for putting your luggage in the trunk so hold it on your lap, if possible.

Shalom! You’re in Israel.

✈️ DEPARTING

If you are not checking bags -> proceed to the line straight ahead. It will be shorter and no one will have big luggage. This is the line for people that are not checking luggage. [Skip to 3]

Assuming you are checking bags -> When you arrive to the airport to leave, look to where your airline is. There will be two long lines on either the left or the right. Go to the line that is nearest to your airline’s ticket counter.

Wait in the line. Sometimes it takes ten minutes, sometimes it takes an hour. This line is not for your airline — this line is interrogation 1/♾️. Do what you did in passport control: approach with whoever you’re traveling with and answer the questions they ask honestly. They may tell some of the party to step back so they can speak to specific people, just let them do their job. Their questions may feel a bit intrusive (Why did you come to Israel? Where did you stay? What is your relationship with the people you traveled with? Who packed your bags? What’s in your bags? Have you been to Israel before? Do you speak Hebrew? Do you have family in Israel? Do you belong to a temple?) but they exist for a reason. Once they find your answers satisfactory, they’ll put a sticker on the outside of your passport (We’ll come back to the sticker…)

For those who are checking bags -> After they put the sticker on your passport they’ll also put tags on the luggage you plan to check. Proceed to your airline’s ticket counter. Give them your passport. Put your bags on the belt to be weighed…all standard airline ticket counter checking bag business.

Proceed toward security. There will be two security lines. One of the left and one on the right. If you’re reading this, I can almost guarantee you’ll be in the lane on the left. The right is the line for Israel passport holders…the exception being any that have visited high threat countries recently or that the security agent felt needed more vetting. If you’re confused and want to make sure what lane you’re in, show an agent that handy dandy sticker. That number on the sticker will help them determine your lane.

The line on the left, because it’s typically non-Israelis, is always longer and always involves more questions and scanning. Wait in line. You get called up to an agent one at a time. We don’t take off shoes. We do put electronics and anything in pockets in a bin. We also require you to open your bags and let the agent look around. And by look around I mean they’ll shove an explosive trace detector (looks like a microphone) in your bag. If you have a suitcase, you’ll need to open your suitcase. Even though no one is right over your shoulder, you are still very much in view of everyone else so I don’t recommend having anything you don’t want anyone to see at the top of your suitcase. They may also ask you to move items so they can see what’s at the bottom…basically, pack with this in mind. I guarantee they do this with checked luggage as well but at least when it’s checked, the underwear I packed is being viewed in private.

Once they’ve deemed your packing to be sufficient they’ll bring your bin to the scanner and put it through. You push your bag through. Then you walk through the metal detector. The agent will be watching your items as they go through. They are watching while there is also a radar tech watching. If they proceed to ignore you, you’re good to go. I don’t know what to tell you if you get stopped for any reason…

Congrats! You’ve made it! Go to duty free! Daven at Chabad! Stop at what is likely to be your last kosher McDonald’s for awhile! Israel has thoroughly criticized and judged you in a way that only Israel can and you survived. Proud of you. 😏

#Ben Gurion Airport #Israel #travel tips #israel tips #safest airport in the world #also the judgiest airport in the world #had to ask a friend that works at the airport for some of this #if you’re not from Israel and you’ve traveled here feel free to share tips! #sorry this is so late 🫣

[beardedmrbean]

In the hours after Russia invaded Ukraine in February, Ilya Fomintsev, a 43-year-old oncologist and director of a medical charity, took to the streets of Moscow to protest. He was arrested and sentenced to 20 days' detention.

Fearing for his future, like many other opponents of the "special military operation" in Ukraine, Fomintsev decided to leave the country.

But as other opposition-minded Russians headed for Turkey, Georgia and Armenia, Fomintsev, on the advice of an old patient, began gathering documents proving his Jewish ancestry and made an appointment at the Israeli consulate.

"I am of Jewish origin and the only option for me to emigrate was to Israel," Fomintsev said in an interview at his new home in Tel Aviv.

"By and large in other countries, it is impossible to legalise yourself, it is also impossible to open bank accounts there or do business. Israel was the only option I had and I took advantage of the repatriation programme."

Fomintsev was part of a renewed wave of Jewish emigration from Russia that, though not as large as earlier pre-revolutionary and post-Soviet exoduses, has seen tens of thousands of Russians make for the Jewish state.

According to Israeli government figures, 20,246 Russians emigrated to Israel between January and July 2022, with numbers spiking from around 700 per month in February to over 3,000 in March. By contrast, in the whole of 2019 only 15,930 Russians emigrated to Israel.

Most of the emigrants from Russia are Jews, but some may only have close relatives who are Jewish. Under Israel's Law of Return, a person needs at least one Jewish grandparent to be entitled to immediate citizenship. Around 600,000 Russians qualify.

The scale of the emigration seems to have taken the Russian authorities by surprise, and may have prompted retaliation by the Kremlin.

COURT CASE

In July, the Russian Justice Ministry requested the liquidation of the Moscow branch of the Jewish Agency for Israel, a non-profit organisation that helps foreign Jews looking to move to Israel. The first court hearing is scheduled for Friday at Moscow's Basmanny District Court, which often handles politically sensitive cases.

The agency says its activities serving Jewish communities in Russia will continue in order to ensure they thrive and remain connected to their heritage.

Though the cases against the Jewish Agency formally relate to violations of Russian data protection laws, Israeli Diaspora Affairs Minister Nachman Shai in July accused Russia of trying to punish Israel for its position on Ukraine.

"Russian Jews will not be held hostage by the war in Ukraine. The attempt to punish the Jewish Agency for Israel's stance on the war is deplorable and offensive," Shai said.

Though Israel has not provided Ukraine with military support, it has offered Kyiv humanitarian aid and diplomatic backing.

With the Jewish Agency facing closure, Russian emigration to Israel is likely to become more expensive in the absence of the generous financial support it provides to would-be Israelis.

In Fomintsev's case, the Jewish Agency paid for plane tickets for him, his wife and three children.

When Konstantin Konovalov, a 33-year-old graphic designer who left Moscow with his girlfriend and pet dog, arrived at Tel Aviv airport in April, the agency even ordered them a taxi to their new home.

Konovalov said: "I think closing the agency will impact less on Muscovites, who of course can afford to repatriate, and more on people from the regions, who don't have the money."

But according to Sofia Goldman, head of a Moscow consultancy that helps with emigration to Israel, the case against the Jewish Agency has not dampened interest in emigration, which continues to grow. Instead, the kind of requests she gets have shifted as the flow of emigrants continues.

"If earlier people who really had some kind of good documentary base for obtaining citizenship applied to us, today they call us more often with a question about checking their ancestry. They call with assumptions: 'I think my grandmother, my grandfather, my distant relative had Jewish roots, let's check that'."

For some emigrants who do make it to Israel, the realities of life overseas can come as a culture shock.

Konovalov, who is studying Hebrew five hours a day and enjoying working in Israel's thriving start-up sector, said he was surprised at how far the Israeli banking and delivery sectors lag behind Russia's.

"I don't rule out going back if one day something changes in Russia. Moscow is still very important for me, and it's hard to leave your hometown."

#nunyas news

[learningnewways]

Jordan - Day 3

The final day of our Jordan trip was certainly interesting! We joined a tour group in Wadi Rum until we ended our day back in Jerusalem. 

We toured Wadi Rum on the back of utes which was suuuuuper fun! I love incredible scenery and I also love sitting, so it was perfect! Plus it was suuuuuuper hot, so not having to walk around the desert in the heat was so nice for a change. The tour took just under two hours and stopped a few times briefly. It was so cool, the scenery was so vast and colourful. Once again, it gave me Nevada, Utah, Arizona type vibes, but other the being in the USA, I haven’t seen much scenery like it. And I mean, exploring the desert on utes is just so much fun! But, just as everywhere, there is rubbish here. It seems so wrong and out of place to see empty water bottles and dirty nappies on the ground in the middle of nowhere in a beautiful desert! But alas, this is the world we live in...

After Wadi Rum, we went to Aquaba which borders with Israel and has the Red Sea at it’s doorstep. The Red Sea! Wow! Of course I had to have a swim! And the water was surprisingly refreshing, not too hot or too cold, just right! So cool to think Moses parted the Red Sea... Not in this specific location, but still cool! Since we were at a public beach, the kids and teenagers all crowded around me. I guess they don’t get many white tourists here? It was quite fun hanging out with them, even though they didn’t know much English. We tried our best and had lots of laughs, they were so sweet. There was a teenage girl called Jasmine and a little girl called Tayla that I spent the most time with. It was so nice to spend time with locals as we haven’t done much of that on our tour. I always try to talk to the drivers to get their local perspective, but it was awesome to see kids and teenagers. We sat with their family under the shade for a few hours and they were so generous, offering us food and drink.

Most people in the Middle East have been really lovely, apart from a few not so nice people, but you get that anywhere you go. I love meeting locals as you get a much richer experience than just talking to other tourists. I’ve had countless people tell me I’m beautiful on the daily, which is so funny because only my best friends would ever say that to me, and not often. I just say it back to them if they are girls or kids, but the men I find a bit awkward, I usually just laugh and say thank you. It does well for my self confidence, but makes me feel awkward when there’s a person from another ethnicity standing beside me who doesn’t get the same compliment.

Unfortunately we had to wait until 6pm before we could go to the border with Israel since we were on a tour and they had a bus for everyone. We didn’t get through the border and leaving properly until 8:30pm, meaning we didn’t arrive back in Jerusalem until 12:30pm... We were sooooo tired... Then we had to check in to our hotel and we had the complication of not being able to confirm a shuttle ride to the airport for me that we had tried to book earlier in the week... They told me I would have to pay $175NZD for a taxi, to which I said absolutely not! So after arguing with the reception guy who was useless and ending up researching myself, I finally got to bed at 2am, then had to get up at 5:45am to taxi to the train station by 6:30am to catch a train to the airport at 6:45am. I arrived at the airport around 7am, then spent two hours in the check in process, before finally boarding my flight at 10:30am...

I’m very much looking forward to being in a bed in Copenhagen tonight where I’ll be staying for a few nights... I need a break! So, it’s goodbye to my mother and The Middle East and hello to Scandinavia! 

[rachaelnpc]

Inspired at the Worst Moments

A visually stimulating sequence of making coffee, how granola.

While soft guitar music plays.

Bursts of flashbacks that shake the current moment. Some good, some bad.

The mug falls, breaking on the floor. The radius of the mess is worse than it needed to be.

Pan out to someone on the floor sobbing crouched on the floor.

In a surge of frustration, they get up, throwing the broken pieces away. Using a towel to clean up the mess. Dirty dishes in the sink. Tears still falling.

Grabs and energy drink, sits down at their desk to log in. 25 missed emails and a missed ping asking if they are going to join the meeting.

*Shit, it started 5 minutes ago - what is my problem*

Phone dings, a message from dad. He mainly texts to make plans, if he needs something or ... yep another article why Israel is justified in the current Genocide. I am, after all, 'brainwashed' from city living.

I cannot live here anymore... What am I doing with my life? My dad is getting older. We never know how many moments we have left with the ones we love. I cannot focus on work. I don't have many friends. I have friends, none that are available for the deeper connections I need to be establishing. Or is that my codependency talking? Write that down on a post-it for therapy later. What the hell? Those are a lot of post-its. I might be loosing my mind. I want to say marbles, it sounds less concerning that way.

Rom-Coms, I don't care for them. In my early twenties, actually maybe before then I came to the conclusion that reality isn't anything like those love stories. Reality is much darker, complex and confusing. I don't try to make it that way. I had been equipped with some of the best rose colored glasses. A few years ago, I decided to take the glasses off. I don't wear them anymore. I am tired of lying to myself.

I think, if this was a man writing this how would this all come across? When I write it, as a women, I draw my own conclusions. This isn't art, this isn't a story to be told. This is trauma dumping. This is an unhealed women who was too stupid to leave.

I can see the validity in that. Love is such a gift. I think people see only the monster when they look at my story. They weren't a monster. Aren't we all monsters at the end of the day? I had areas to grow, toxic habits, bias mindsets. We are all trying our best. He had a lot of pain. I was loving him through it all. He was ... well I think he was loving me through it all. It gets blurred where did the using and taking advantage start and end. I can see how it may have been the whole time. I cannot go there. That is too painful to admit. He didn't want to let me go. I couldn't have been that awful to be around if he was always begging me to stay during the times I had a bag packed, hand on the door, saying I deserve to be treated better. Then their self-imploding causing me to comfort them, forgetting I was going to leave. The cycles I became addicted to. I was addicted to love, the lows and the highs of it all.

I am closer to being ready for a healthy relationship. I don't have a great support system established. I am growing my relationship with myself. That is beautiful. I am outgrowing everything around me. I am terrified with where to go next. I don't want to get stuck. I'd love to get stuck with the type of person I am looking for. I think I have a really good idea of what I want and need. I don't need anyone. It is more of the idea that someone is there to have your back in the harder moments. Someone that elevates your storyline and I theirs. I don't know what I want my story to be. I have been trying to be in the moments, seeing what happens.

I am not sure why these moments are so hard. Most of my adult life I was in the same relationship. One where I was the driving force, alone going to events and living the life I wanted while they were home. I never minded that. The time apart was nice. I think it is the moments when I am not okay. It is nice to have someone that you can ask to hold you for a moment. It is healing. It is easier than fighting the battles alone in your head.

Life feels pointless. When in a relationship it feels less pointless. That doesn't seem like a healthy mindset.

*Writes it on a post-it for therapy later*

I am determined to overcome the bullshit of my life so I can be healthy for the right person when the time is right.

For now, I will listen to Sound Tracks that stimulate my mind into narratives. Watching movies, trying to focus on work, paying rent, figuring out where to go next, spending time gaming with pocket pals online... And making Tik Toks I will regret posting and probably will delete later. What an awkward lost life to live, but it is mine and I wouldn't live it any other way. I have tried. I cannot wear those rose colored glasses.

That table cost how much? You bought a Lexus even though your last car was running fine? You bought a vacation home?

I think about the people I know that struggle to not be homeless... Gift Sub, Gift Sub, Here want a gas card? I can pick you up groceries. Your kids need winter coats? I got you covered, what size? Yes, I will be going to MX for a wedding. I feel really guilty about it TBH.

FIN

*I'd love feedback - opinions negative or positive* I can handle it. You have no idea what I have endured and can handle. 😜✌️

Tough Cookie energy trapped in an Awkward Turtle body.

#Spotify

[sunmarketing]

Jerusalem,Israel Plus have fun planning your trip, don't pet a moose

In this episode, FAQ is: How do I get from A to B when planning a trip? It sounds so easy, so what’s the big deal?

Today’s Special Series Destination is Jerusalem, Israel, part 1 of three on Israel

Today’s Misstep- Petting a moose. Don’t do it.

Travel Advice: Planning a trip can be half of the fun.

FAQ: How do I get from A to B when planning a trip? It sounds so easy, so what’s the big deal?

Response: It is a big deal if you’ve never done it. You have to know your geography. So, find a map and see the distance, the terrain, and transportation choices. You may be discouraged if you have never been to places A or B. Take it a bit at a time. Don’t try to swallow a watermelon whole. Eat one piece, and then see how you do. My book has 5 steps and takes you to these levels, one at a time, to help you.

Today’s Special three-part destination: Israel (split into three parts, Jerusalem, Dead Sea/ Masada, and Tel Aviv.

This may not be the ideal time to visit Israel. However, I’d like to share some of my travel experiences in the country in the summer of  2023.

  The traveler must know that everything shuts down Friday afternoon, as early as 1 pm in Jerusalem. It re-opens on Saturday night. So, if you want to take most public transportation during the Sabbath, you need an alternate plan, using taxis and rental cars.

  I bought a Rav-Kav card, which made getting from the airport to my Airbnb easy. I took the Navon light train to Pisgat Ze’ev (zev), part of East Jerusalem.

  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jerusalem_Light_Rail

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pisgat_Ze%27ev

   https://www.travelingisrael.com/old-city-jerusalem/

  https://www.immanuel-tours.com/israel/westernwallsights/

https://www.mywanderlust.pl/old-city-of-jerusalem/

  One of the unusual things in Jerusalem was grocery shopping. To get a cart, you needed to put a coin in the basket slot. During my shopping, one day, the lights went out. It was totally dark. No one seemed to be bothered by that. It took a while for the lights to return, so I wondered if it happened often.

Today’s Misstep- Petting a moose. Don’t do it.

A man has shared a video of his wife approaching a bull moose at a US National Park to pet the animal, ignoring his warnings to keep away. 

"This is proof, for the doctors, of what her bodily injuries are from," says the man, who is also standing much too close, as his partner edges closer to the animal. "This is 'what not to do' video, folks."

https://www.advnture.com/news/tourist-tries-to-pet-moose-at-national-park-while-husband-watches

This was not my misstep, so don’t make it yours. Don’t try to pet a moose. That is a moronic idea. 

Today’s Travel Advice- Planning a trip can be half of the fun, says my friend, Nancy Kramer.

“We travel, some of us forever, to seek other states, other lives, other souls.” – Anais Nin

“I travel not to go anywhere but to go. I travel for travel’s sake. The great affair is to move.” – Robert Louis Stevenson

  Connect with Dr. Travelbest

5 Steps to Solo Travel website

Dr. Mary Travelbest X

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Dr. Mary Travelbest Podcast

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In the news

  Check out this Dr Travelbest episode!

#travel #women #dr travelbest #best travel

[whattheabcxyz]

2024-02-14

Singapore

Police probing two events here related to Israel-Hamas conflict

Ex-flight steward who "slipped on grease patch & fell" on plane sues SIA for $1.78m - Bugger off already, scumbag! He even said he had already noticed the grease patch prior to his fall, so why didn't he take care to avoid it on his own?! Idiot! 🙄

Complaints about monks pestering devotees at temple for alms

Worrying rise in number of young people & women arrested for drug abuse last year

...with repeat drug abusers raising 2-year recidivism rate - highest number of inmates in rehab centres since 2008

Govt to refund $7.5m in GST wrongly collected by 6 agencies over 5 years

Largest single-site rooftop solar panel system to be installed at Changi Airport by next year

Nature

Photos of snake eating ladder gudgeon at Pasir Ris mangrove become 1st record of fish in Singapore since the 1800s

Singapore: Speeding road biker runs over monitor lizard at Gardens By The Bay - scumbag didn't even stop to check on the poor creature! 🤬

Environment

IEA & Singapore to set up regional energy centre to spur Asia’s green transition

Politics

Prabowo on track to becoming Indonesia’s next president, with 75% of sample votes counted - I know he's Jokowi-endorsed, but he looks fat & lazy tbh, & I don't think he'll do a good job 😩

Travel

Bodies of 2 Malaysians recovered after Singapore-owned light plane crashes in Selangor

Entertainment

^ Hello Kitty is now a game

Transport

Survey shows Singapore commuters more satisfied with local taxi & private-hire car services in 2023 than 2022

#singapore #nature #environment #politics #travel #entertainment #transport

[taxiemunisrael]

Enhance Your Travel Experience with a Professional Airport Taxi Service

Are you tired of the hassle and stress that often accompany airport transportation? Whether you're a frequent traveler or heading out for a vacation, hiring an airport taxi service can significantly improve your overall travel experience. One such reliable service provider is Emun Taxi, committed to ensuring a smooth and comfortable journey for every passenger. Intercity taxi in Israel

Choosing to hire an airport taxi service comes with a myriad of benefits. First and foremost, it eliminates the need to navigate unfamiliar public transportation systems or deal with the inconvenience of renting a car. With Emun Taxi, you can enjoy the convenience of a pre-booked taxi that awaits your arrival, providing a seamless transition from the airport to your destination.

Professionalism and reliability are key factors that set airport taxi services apart. The drivers at Emun Taxi are trained and experienced, ensuring not only a safe journey but also a courteous and customer-focused experience. The fleet of well-maintained vehicles caters to various preferences and group sizes, ensuring that you travel in comfort and style. online taxi service

Time is of the essence, especially when catching a flight or arriving at your destination. Airport taxi services understand the importance of punctuality, and Emun Taxi is no exception. By pre-booking your taxi, you can rest assured that a prompt and reliable transportation solution will be waiting for you, allowing you to save valuable time and avoid unnecessary stress.

Additionally, opting for an airport taxi service provides a fixed and transparent pricing structure. With Emun Taxi, you won't have to worry about hidden fees or unexpected charges. The convenience of knowing the cost upfront adds another layer of comfort to your journey. taxi fare in israel

In conclusion, choosing an airport taxi service like Emun Taxi is a smart decision for travelers seeking a stress-free and enjoyable transportation experience. From professionalism and reliability to convenience and transparent pricing, these services go the extra mile to ensure that your journey begins and ends on a positive note. Book your airport taxi with Emun Taxi for a travel experience that surpasses expectations.

View More: Taxi Services in Israel

[lhvcclubfraud]

Lifestyle Luxury Vacation Club/ Hilton Habtoor City Scam Alert

This is not technically a scam, but the act of trying to make you sign an actual contract (under UAE law) in which you will get scammed/robbed/fleeced in every possible way. This is the reason why they still have managed to keep it going. Secondly, they are targeting Western tourists exclusively, who wont have the time/resources to fight legally in the UAE. Thirdly, they seem to have the full cooperation of the interests running the Hilton in Al Habtoor City. Now the Habtoors are rich people and you may wonder why they would allow their premises and their names being used in the scam rather than leaving it to some Lebanese/Egyptian habibis. Maybe they are facing hard times. Or maybe their just being drunkenly negligent. Or maybe they do this sort of thing. They love doing business with Israel and even rushed to open an office there when ties normalized. Currently they are pushing EVs which makes no sense (UAE is a fossil fuel economy duh…..or maybe they dislike the fossil fuel industry which gave birth to the modern UAE). Whether or not thet are Jewish is matter of opinion. Their scams reek of something non-Emiraati. Also, these folks are literally drenched in booze (Even rotten Muslims tend to be more discreet about booze).

First you arrive in Dubai airport and notice a legit looking Vacation Club called Lifestyle Luxury Vacations wanting to give you some offers and get your contact info. But look closely, they are only approaching travellers who look loaded and they confirm that you have citizenship of some Western country.

Next, they send a taxi to a free lunch at at the Hilton at Al Habtoor city and a promised free marine cruise (The three buildings including the Hilton are run by the Habtoor family). You assume that you may get to see some good vacation/travel options, but no, they want to talk to you one-on-one. They first confirm that you are intend a Western citizenship holder and not some Third world jumper. This is the point where I got spooked.

The idea behind getting you on the 39th floor of the Hilton is to wow you. These couldnt be some Lebanese/Egyptian habibis. The Habtoors have all the money in the world, you must be grateful for the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity yada yada.

You notice they have also called in other travellers who also get the one-on-one treatment. The person talking is usually a Lebanese Habibi. His "manager" is a creepy Haitian who looks like a pimp. And his higher ups appear to be either Egyptians or Emiraatis. There is no lunch. Just a snack.

They are trying to sell you an RCI membership for approximately $10000 USD. On the RCI website, a one year subscription is for $159 USD. But they never use the name RCI. I figured out after noting the website the salesman was logging into.

But thats not all. This is supposed to be an exclusive once-in-a-lifetime offer from Al-Habtoor himself. Some of the additional benefits are described here. There is definitely some kind of connection to the Dominican Republic (so thats where the Haitian comes into the picture). But remember, the aforementioned link leaves out alot of what is promised, which is….

Complimentary stay at "5 Star" Al-Habtoor properties. Yes, they sell the scam as one being generously offered by Habtoor so that plebs can also experience his garish, boozy and distasteful hotels. Yes, they try to sell the package as a Habtoor package.

You get to experience being taxied in a Bentley which i assume runs smoother than a Camry.

You get vacations in the Dominican Republic even though you never intended to visit that godforsaken country in the first place.

You get discount on boozing (liver cirrhosis here I come).

No mention of prostitutes but I get the feeling they are on the menu.

They become more pressuring and insistent. You must sign the 100 page contract right now (Spoiler: it has to be signed in UAE to be legally enforceable…they cant let you walk away or sign it online later).

The more reluctant you get, the more the price drops. I managed to bring it to $1200 just for giggles.

You will also notice the salesman getting cagey. For example, I am allowed to glance at the 100 page contract only if I promise to sign it! I am not allowed to keep any brochures or even take photographs of it because it explicitly links the scam to the Habtoor properties. Their website on the other hand steers clear of the Habtoors but you will eventually find them lurking. For example they promise access to the cheesy La Perle Circus, which is on a Habtoor property. They promise access to the Andreaas Beach Club, which is again a Habtoor property. Lifestyle Luxury Vacation Club is itself on the 39th floor of the Hilton Al Habtoor City.

I also managed to talk the salesman into giving a free tour of the hotels, just for sheer amusement of peeking at what kind of creatures inhabit this world. It is clear that the salesman had

Access to all Habtoor hotels.

Was well known by hotel staff.

Organized the meeting in a special area of the Hilton Habtoor.

When you refuse and walk out, you will notice the Egyptians or Emiraati higher ups shaking their heads at the "loss."

They will hope you just go home but if you create a scene, you will get your free taxi back. I managed to make a useful friend with the taxi driver who confirmed what was going on.

As for the cruise vouchers, they are given but since you did not sign up on losing $10,000, they are never arranged. The organizers simply ghost you.

This is my experience. But there is more:

There is an earlier Reddit thread on r/dubai. To quote,

Does anyone know someone that bought a membership to the Lifestyle Luxury Vacation Club?They are usually posted at Lamer and some malls and promise you lunch or dinner just to listen to their pitch. You sign up because of free food(or I did), once you show up for the appointment at Hilton Dubai Al Habtoor City it all goes downhill from there.If no one knows anyone, is there an avenue I can post to find people? Thanks for your help

Just google them. Numerous complaints of fraud.

Here's more from TripAdvisor Reviews of Hilton Dubai Al Habtoor City.

I came to hilton to sign up with Llvc. A holiday club. I was scammed myself and 100s of others have made hilton aware and they simply say its got nothing to do with them. They are aware of the ongoing scams happening but are doing nothing about it.

And more:

They rushed me to sign $9000 contract with false promises.. I need my money backStay a way and safe your money. they mislead me to pay $9000 for a membership that they claimed is very good deal.. they told me I could book a week in the Hilton for a out $500, but I discovered that the $500 is just their fees and I need to pay the Hilton as well. I asked for refund but they refused and said the cancelation policy is 4 dayes.. they had me sign the contract in a very rushed manor especially the 2 pages for tirms and conditions, couple people brought them at the end and said sign these quickly because we are closing..

Both these reviews got this response from Hilton:

Response from Fredrik Reinisch , General Manager at Hilton Dubai Al Habtoor CityResponded Mar 6, 2022Dear [EXCISED],Thank you for sharing your valuable feedback with us. Lifestyle Luxury Vacation Club is an isolated company which locates in Al Habtoor City, and its operations are irrelevant to Hilton Al Habtoor City. I am terribly sorry that you have had an unpleasant experience during your recent visit. Please accept my most sincere apologies for the disappointment you had to endure. We have shared your comments with the concerned management team for further investigation, who will be in touch with you shortly.I would like to apologize again for the inconvenience and miscommunication caused, please be assured that Hilton hotel services are never interrupted by irrelevant company operations, and we are looking forward to welcoming you back to Hilton Habtoor.

Sincerely,

Best regards,Fredrik Reinisch – General ManagerHilton Dubai Al Habtoor City

So it is clear that Hilton/Habtoors know what is going on but look the other way.

Here is a complaint by someone who actually took the bait:

All inclusive is a lieWe booked our vacation thru RCI. on line it says All inclusive but that is not true nothing is inclusive but just a breakfast everyday that's it and you can get to eat lunch same lunch every day Caesar salad and half a baby chicken that's it that's all is included in all inclusive. Hotel have five bars and clubs we have NO access to ANY of them no alcohol included in all inclusive no dinner no lunches only breakfast they have a great breakfast everyday but that's it that's the only part is all inclusive we pay $ 2400.00 for all inclusive that includes BREAKFAST ONLY. NEVER HEARD OF THAT BEFORE ALL INCLUSIVE MEAN EVERYTHING IS INCLUDED YOU HAVE ACCESS TO ALL RESTAURANTS BARS CLUBS AT THE PROPERTY AT THE PREMISES.THIS IS A BIG SCAM BY LIFESTYLE IN DUBAI.

Now here is Hilton's response:

Response from Ken Wang, Guest Services / Front Office at Hilton Dubai Al Habtoor CityResponded Apr 12, 2021Dear Mr. Mian,Thank you for sharing your valuable feedback with us, it is with great distress and disappointment that I read your survey that we failed to deliver your expectations. Please accept my most sincere apologies for the disappointment you had to endure. May I invite you to be connected with Lifestyle Customer Manager at [email protected], the team will definitely Make It Right for your future visits.I would like to apologize again for the inconvenience caused, please be assured that corrective measures have already been taken in order to avoid similar situations in the future, and we are looking forward to welcoming you back at Hilton Habtoor.Sincerely,Xiaolong WangFront Office ManagerHilton Al Habtoor City

[wise-journey]

Netanya: Israel's Hidden Gem

Welcome to Netanya, a mesmerizing city located on the stunning coastline of Israel. Boasting gorgeous beaches, a rich cultural heritage, delectable gastronomy, and a host of activities for both relaxation and adventure, Netanya is an unexplored treasure for travel aficionados. Let's embark on a virtual journey to explore this coastal gem's hidden enchantments that are bound to leave you spellbound.

When to Go

Netanya's climate is Mediterranean, characterized by warm summers and mild winters. The best time to visit is during spring (March to May) and autumn (September to November) when the weather is agreeable and tourist crowds are fewer. During these seasons, the temperature averages around 20-25°C (68-77°F), creating the perfect conditions for outdoor exploration.

How to Get There

Netanya lies just 20 miles north of Tel Aviv and is easily reachable from Ben Gurion International Airport. From the airport, Netanya is accessible via taxi, private transfer, or public transportation. Regular buses and trains connect the two cities, offering a convenient and economical travel option.

Where to Stay

Whether you are looking for a luxury beachfront resort, a boutique hotel, or a cozy guesthouse, Netanya caters to all preferences and budgets. Popular choices include the Ramada Hotel & Suites, the Island Suites Hotel, and the West Lagoon Resort Netanya.

What to Do

1. Immerse Yourself in Culture Begin your cultural exploration at the charming Herzl Street, a beautiful blend of modernity and tradition. This boulevard, adorned with unique architecture, boutique stores, and local eateries, offers an authentic taste of Israeli life. 2. Delight in Gastronomy Netanya's vibrant culinary scene offers both traditional Israeli fare and international cuisine. Relish fresh seafood dishes with panoramic views of the Mediterranean Sea. Savor the local delicacy, shakshuka, in one of Netanya's quaint local cafes. 3. Embark on Outdoor Adventures Netanya's pristine beaches and clear waters provide endless opportunities for outdoor activities. Bask in the sun at Poleg Beach, snorkel or dive in the Marine Reserve, or stroll along the scenic promenade. If you crave adrenaline, try paragliding over the appealing coastline. 4. Discover Historical Sites Learn about Netanya's fascinating history at the Heritage Museum, which chronicles the city's development and early settlers. A short drive from Netanya will take you to the ancient city of Caesarea, where you can explore Roman ruins and an ancient amphitheater.

Where to Eat

Netanya's culinary scene is a delightful mix of traditional Israeli cuisine and international flavors. Try the irresistible falafel at Mezcal, enjoy authentic Middle Eastern cuisine at The Old Netanya, or opt for a romantic dinner with a view at Olive & Fish.

Sights and Tours

1. The Blue Bay This stunning marine reserve offers snorkeling and diving tours, allowing you to explore a vibrant underwater world of colorful coral reefs and diverse marine life. 2. Netanya Promenade Stroll along Netanya's extensive promenade along the coastline. Take in the breathtaking views of the Mediterranean Sea, admire the meticulously landscaped gardens, and stop for refreshments at the cafes and restaurants dotted along the way.

Tips and Advice

Respect local customs, especially when visiting religious sites. Dress modestly, cover your shoulders and knees, and be mindful of cultural norms. Also, remember to stay hydrated, as Netanya can get quite hot, especially in the summer.

Money

The local currency is the Israeli Shekel (ILS). ATMs are widespread throughout Netanya, and most establishments accept credit cards. It's advisable to carry some cash for small purchases or for places that may not accept cards.

Nightlife

Netanya's nightlife teases with a mix of trendy bars, clubs, and live music venues. Try delicious cocktails and live music at The Blue Bar, dance the night away at Liquid Club, or sip wine while admiring a breathtaking sunset view at Island Lagoon.

Transport

Netanya's public transportation network, including buses and trains, makes it easy to explore the city and its surroundings. Taxis and car rentals are readily available for those who prefer more flexibility in their travels.

Shopping

From modern malls to bustling markets, Netanya offers a variety of shopping experiences. Visit the Ir Yamim Mall for a wide range of international brands, explore the colorful stalls of the Netanya Market for fresh produce and local souvenirs, or browse the charming boutique shops along Herzl Street for unique finds. Netanya stimulates the senses with its perfect blend of relaxation, adventure, culture, and gastronomy. Whether you're seeking a tranquil beach getaway, a journey into history and heritage, or an opportunity to indulge in delectable food, Netanya has something for every traveler. Pack your bags, immerse yourself in this coastal paradise, and witness the enchanting allure of Netanya. Safe travels! Read the full article

#coastal #Israel #Netanya

[msmatx]

03.27.23-04.01.23— Week 26 [TLV & a National Strike]

On Sunday we went with my cohort to learn about and visit the Gaza envelope. Immediately upon arriving back at TLV, atlas said he felt sick. At first, he said he was nauseous. Then he said he also had a sore throat. Hero had been sick the few days leading up to our Gaza trip but was feeling better on Sunday so I thought he just had allergies. I immediately got them home and walked to the pharmacy to get strep throat tests. We all tested positive. When I had initially arrived in TLV, Hero’s friend’s mother, Ariela, WhatsApped me with the contact information of a pediatrician who makes house calls. I’ll never forget what she said, “Trust me. You’ll need this someday.” Sure enough, I was frantically messaging him Sunday evening.

He asked me to send photos of the positive tests. Then he agreed to write three prescriptions for each of us and instructed me to pick them up at his apartment at 8pm. Anywhere else in the world, I would have been paranoid by this. Not in Israel. Upon arriving at this apartment, his mother invited me and tried to serve me a snack. But the taxi driver was waiting to take me back. Three prescriptions, no doctor's visit necessary, record time, and at no cost. I went straight to the pharmacy to get the prescriptions filled and then home to get us ready for bed.

I woke up at 3am and checked my phone, which had numerous messages from friends back home indicating something was happening with the anti-reform government movement. During the day on Sunday, Netanyahu fired his Deputy Minister Gallant because Gallant had been vocal against the coalition's push to overhaul the judiciary. The firing was widely unpopular. The protests later that night had grown to the largest size and now included tire burning on the highway. The protests continued through Monday and were widespread across the country. Early Monday morning we were getting notifications of strikes: the banks, malls and stores, transportation, the airport, and schools (Hero’s and mine). It was anxiety-inducing because the situation felt very unpredictable. We were all still feeling under the weather but I made a trip to the grocery store before it shut down. Eventually, we mustered enough energy to sit at the beach for a few hours. On our walk there, Atlas noted that it felt like Shabbat; the streets were eerily empty for a Monday. Many people were waiting for Netanyahu to announce a half to the government reform bill until after the Passover break. That announcement didn’t come until 8pm. While it was a relief once it came, there was a palpable level of exhaustion for a few days after. And many people remain speculative that any meaningful negotiations will come from the cooling-off period.

Our week carried on as usual. Enjoying Midas Chocolates, a chocolatier in our neighborhood. And sushi at Moon on Tuesday.

Hero finally returned to “school” on Wednesday morning. His school was officially on Passover break but his teacher was the lead teacher on Wednesday for the holiday camp. Atlas and I dropped him off and walked around the corner and saw him come out of the school building to the garden. Two of his classmates ran to greet him and his teacher, Alon, gave him a huge hug. Alon has been such a remarkable person in his life this school year. Hero adores his teacher and they share a special bond.

I sent this photo to A+H of me sitting in the hallway before my class. Many of the campus buildings have a resident cat. This one was particularly friendly.

On Wednesday afternoon, Atlas & Hero took the bus alone to meet me at the university. We had dinner at the university food court and then we walked over to the ANU museum on campus to see the Codex Sassoon. The kids loved teasing me that I was making them "see a piece of paper. Ohhhh, see a really old piece of paper." They were not wrong but I was not backing down. And I do believe that they were curious about it once we were there and could read more about the exhibit. It’s not everyday you get to see a 2000+ intact Hebrew bible that is likely to sell this summer for $30-50M.

And on Friday, we headed to the beach for our evening walk.

[doingthedirtydishes]

Iceland, I know it is cold there, but please stop pulling the wool over the eyes of unsuspecting visitors.

Iceland, the land of fire and ice, mountains and glaciers, ageless sagas, fables, mythology and unpronounceable names, uniquely positioned on an active volcanic island in the middle of the cold and blustery Atlantic Ocean. A rocky and craggy, wet and windy place, known for its wild seas and unpredictable weather, with all its historical Viking allure and endless amazing wonders of nature, had finally enticed me to visit. After countless years and efforts to attract visitors to Iceland, a tiny secluded island nation, some say overdue for a volcano eruption, population 350,000, through their very popular international ad slogan: “A Transatlantic Journey with a Stopover in Iceland,” I finally acquiesced and booked my trip. Since it was a stopover, ultimately my final destination would be Stockholm, Sweden.

Iceland reminded me of other “I” countries: Israel, India, Ireland, Iraq, Iran and Indonesia. They always seemed to fall into the loved it, cannot wait to return, or hated it, will never return, when speaking with other seasoned world travelers on do not miss, must visit countries of the globe. There is no better way to find out about a new place than to visit and discover what hidden treasures await there on your own. My immediate concern turned to my injury and travel needs. How would they treat me there, how would accessibility be for city streets, public transport, restaurants and hotels and, most importantly, would I be able to access the timeless peculiar beauty and infinite splendor of the island whilst in a wheelchair?  Well, it did not take long after I arrived to find out just what made so very extraordinary Iceland and its people.

Most times before I visit a country, especially since in need of some occasional physical assistance, everything would be incredibly and meticulously planned beforehand.  But sometimes the world and its daily stresses do not allow such taken-for-granted securities into consideration of schedule, instead requiring you to be a voyager, on a self-discovery, wild pilgrimage of sorts: Doing the Dirty Dishes of life – living with your heart and eyes open again. The reservation process, as far as an injured person goes, was more than difficult with the biggest and best travel websites offered. It would be new and unknown exploration, wrapped in intrigue, encased within an adventure. The magic of the trail was sure to be upon me. What scary and unknown situations could I throw at the universe to see what awesome memories would result. I was ready.

After arriving at Keflavik airport, located about a forty-five minute drive from the city of Reykjavik, it was not long before luggage and immigration were sorted and I was in need of local transport. I queued for a bus company that went to my hotel and had a fair price. Iceland is a bit way expensive of a country to visit. Normally I would pay for the convenience of a taxi because of my injury and wheelchair but at $250 USD one way, I decided to take my chances with a tour bus company. After paying $60 return, they directed me over to a bus waiting close by with a line already in place.  After about ten minutes or so a smaller slender man appeared and asked me if I was ready.  Before I could tell him where to grab me, he had me in the air as he attempted to lift me onto the bus. Safely up the stairs, onto the bus, he plopped me down into the first seat. I knew I was in a special place, with exceptional people.  Chair safely secured below in the cargo hold, we were on our way – let the adventure begin.

The ride was unlike any other bus-to-city ride I have ever taken.  The foreign terra was filled with so many new shades of greens and browns, mountain landscape and hot spring vistas as far as the eye could see, with snow, ice and water mixed throughout. There was no doubt – I was in a supernatural place. Soon I would arrive at my hotel, the Hotel Cabin.  As the bus parked curbside in front of the hotel, the scrawny driver grabbed me once again, placed me over his shoulder, and as his small frame shakily carried me off the bus, pointing out along the way my luggage sitting safely to my left, softly dropping me in my chair, he said “welcome to Iceland,” and then off he went.  He had other injured to carry up and down bus stairs.

I would find the same level of willingness to help strangers at the hotel as well.  In fact, I found this to be the case with the whole country, whether native or newly emigrated; those I met were always on the ready to lend a helping hand.  The three gentleman shuffling hours at the front desk of my hotel were out of this world helpful:  Aiwa, Arkadiusz and The Conductor. The Icelandic manager at the front desk was so incredibly helpful. She took one hour from her day, telling me every local hot spot to visit and eat – the best gems not found on any tourist maps.  Claus-in-Iceland was the best photographer-disguised-as-a-museum-guide one could find. The Portuguese lady and others at the front desk, as well as all the Polish staff at the hotel, were absolutely the best. I later found out the driver of the airport transport bus was also Polish.

Seven days of my three weeks visiting Iceland were spent with an old friend, Sunita. We had met over twenty years previous while I was living in Tokyo.  She was in Japan on a work visa, from Nepal, patiently waiting and trying to find a way to America. Presently married, with a gifted and beautiful teenage daughter, Hazel, she is a RN manager, currently living in Boston – just a short hop, skip and jump to Reykjavik.  We spent our one week together in a rental car traversing every part of the island reachable via day trip. She was a godsend in more ways than can be written here, but especially as she was my rescue after arriving in Iceland from Sweden with a wallet emptied of cash and all cards. They had been stolen after being drugged and robbed in Stockholm three days prior. I will forever remember her experiencing her first Northern Lights far down a dirt country road, nestled in between dark rural farm fields, under a pitch black sky. I am sure she will not forget either – they are a cosmic atmospheric orgasmic cornucopia of lights and colors that everyone should witness at least once in their lifetime.

Reykjavik, a city of 120,000 people, charming and inviting, settled in 871 when Ingolfur Arnarson arrived on its shores, is a must see. When he landed, steam from the various hot springs caused him to refer to the settlement as “Smokey Bay” or modern day Reykjavik. The city is filled with distinctive landscapes, brightly colored Skandinavian homes and endless unique architecture, including Harpa, Hallgrimskirkja Church, The House of Parliament, City Hall, Austurvollur, Hljomskalinn and Hofdi House, among the endless amount of world renowned art galleries and historical museums.  It was very easy to get around the city in a car, and there was ample parking for those in need. I highly recommend the waffle stand by the big church – or any other Icelandic tasty eats or delicious snacks you can find in the streets. The city also offers whale, volcano and glacier tours, hiking and camping, scenic city and flight tours, buggy and snowmobiling, as well as tons of seasonal events and festivities for every type to see and experience.

It is only but a short drive to get out of the city and into the heartland of Iceland, where one can find the true beauty of the island.  Springs can be seen often on the side of the road, warm and steamy, tempting one to their warmth and earth-bubbling healing properties.  Sunita and I especially loved the Blue Lagoon spa. One does not have to look too far to see natural landscapes that take your breath away – until the next turn on the highway causes your breath to go away again – and then again. Endless mountain peaks filled with snow, mixed in with green and brown grassy cratered hilly meadows and waterfalls, await your every turn – causing one to be very careful while driving – the island and its optical treats are that overly luscious. They will fill your eyes in awe, with pause of the natural world, of God’s cathedral. The list of must see places would not suffice in this blog. I visited in October, the start of Northern Lights season. The glaciers, hot springs, beaches, mountains, continental divide, waterfalls, and countless hills with farms and sheep all await your own personal page.

The world is a book, and those who do not travel read only a page. — Saint Augustine

Iceland was surprisingly much more injured and wheelchair friendly than expected.  Leave it up to Viking ingenuity and Skandinavian pragmatic living in order to make it all make sense for those in need of public assistance. All public buildings I visited, such as Reykjavik Public Library, where a copy of my book can be found, were all easily accessible. It was definitely possible to have your own little wheelchair adventure obstacle course once you left a public building, in order to reach another but wherever possible, it was noticeable they took time mitigating any possible stumbling blocks in the way. Although, it would have been much nicer if Icelandair would have allowed me the use of my own wheelchair while in transit, rather than the confusing mess that occurred, resulting in damages to my chair. Of course, once you went off the beaten path, very easily accomplished, you were on your own; all nearby public areas were accessible however, albeit rough gravel.  I would certainly challenge you to put on your creativity cap, strap up your boots, Buttercup – and, as I so aptly state in my book, Unbreakable Mind, go forth into the world to live and experience life again: Teeth to the Wind!

One cannot speak of Iceland without speaking of the magic of the land and its people, but also its amazing food and drink. Whale, liquorices, lamb, horse and various cold water fish (Arctic char and Halibut) are all local specialties, found with their own unique recipe from village to village. Reykjavik has a great nightlife scene, replete with trendy bars and restaurants, with no lack of tasty community craft beers or ancient cocktails. One cannot forget to mention the amazing baked goods and other tasty treats on the island as well. Pylsa (Icelandic hot dog), Flatkaka (Unleavened flat bread, recipe from 9th Century), Humar (Icelandic lobster) and Kleina (Icelandic twisted donuts) will make your mouth water for more; all which has also caused some people in recent times to refer to Iceland as a foodie’s heaven.  I would agree.

Which brings me to my beef with Iceland: Stop pulling the wool over unsuspecting travellers’ eyes by baiting them to your island with a stopover which is not a true stopover – it is actually two separate flights, resulting in additional travel leg(s) and unnecessary exorbitant costs to the traveler.  On your Icelandair website you state: “Travel across the Atlantic via Icelandair and add a stopover in Iceland to your journey, at no additional airfare.” It is not correct – and, in fact, is ripping off naïve travelers who know none the better. Your island is beautiful enough; surely there is no need to lower your country to trickery, smoke and mirrors, to increase tourism. With your real estate industry in another bubble, an economy slowing, tourism numbers decreasing, while rapid development on a large scale continues unabated, with banks continuing lending freely, one national airline already bankrupt and the other teetering on the brink, considering the lessons of 2008 financial crisis, and the fact that your GDP is heavily dependent on tourism: Hættu þessu kjaftæði, Iceland (Stop the bullshit)!

Let me take a minute to explain how a true stopover works.  With a true stop-over, or extended layover, a traveler would only need to pay the taxes to exit the airport (for however many days they want to stopover on the island to visit (most countries have a limit on # of days)); whereas Icelandair does not do that – you end up being charged for two separate flights – a victim of a well orchestrated international bait-n-switch scheme – basically, absolute bullshit. So, instead of a round-trip flight to Stockholm, with a true stopover in Reykjavik, costing me $704 + local airport taxes to exit Keflavik (most countries are $36-90) into Iceland, it now cost me $1108 return flight to Sweden.  I would think that is a wee bit more airfare, save any additional taxes. Number Forty-three would call that fuzzy math. Nu er nog komid, Icelandair (Enough is enough)!

It was eventually time to get back ‘on the road again,’ the journey of life was calling out my name – she was singing me home – as Willie Nelson’s melody softly played in the back of my head, slowly I packed my bags – Iceland and its people securely in my heart. It was also not long before the tour bus would come by to scoop me up, literally, again. Another skinny Polish driver would play Hercules. It should be duly noted that there are innumerable tour companies that will pick you up at your hotel for everything from northern lights to local island and harbor boat tours. My time in Iceland was memorable to say the least.  Iceland is an astonishingly beautiful country – truly a supernatural land – an island of intrigue and mystery all its own – with a friendly people and interesting history – and with untold delectable treats and potent potables to boot – a place I will visit friends again, just hopefully next time it truly will not cost me any additional airfare. I need to save it for the taxi rides and horse carpaccio.

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[learningnewways]

Israel - Prayers Needed!

After a day spent in transit, flying from Cairo to Amman to Tel Aviv, we finally arrived in Israel. While we were waiting for my mum’s bag, I spotted two cats wondering around the airport. So cute! Can’t say I’ve ever seen cats inside an airport...

Once we found a taxi driver to take us to our hotel, the first thing he said was, “Have you heard about the rockets?” And then began my terror and anxiety of being in Israel...

So I’ll try to explain to the best of my understanding... Gaza is a small portion of land to the South-West of Israel. Around 2 million people live there, all Arabs who identify as Palestinians. Gaza is controlled by two terrorist groups, the Hamas and Islamic Jihad. The Islamic Jihad has committed many terror attacks against Israel and often shoot rockets from Gaza to Israel. Usually Gaza starts this, however recently Israel decided to change its policy and approach, and instead of waiting for Gaza to strike and Israel to respond, they did it the other way around.

On Friday morning, the Israeli army killed a Islamic Jihad leader... To which of course Gaza retaliated and launched 100 rockets into Israel. Luckily Israel has a thing called the Iron Dome, which intercepts around 99% of rockets while they’re in the air. Israel fired back at Gaza and ended up killing civilians, which is not good. Everyone I have spoken to seems to think there will be a bit of back and forth firing of rockets over the next few days, but nothing serious will come from it and that we are safe.

Israel and Gaza have been fighting for a long time. Tensions rise every now and then, and rockets are fired between Gaza and Israel. I’d assume that people in New Zealand are probably aware of this tension. While it’s nothing’s new, it’s actually my one of the reasons I’ve been too scared to come to Israel all these years, because I’ve grown up watching the news and seeing bombings and rockets going off in Israel. As I said, it comes and goes, but all was well recently until Friday 5th August, literally the day I arrived...

It’s hard not to freak out. When I got to the hotel and another guest told me about the safe zone and warned me about the alarms and I burst into tears. This stuff freaks me out so much. Like I said, it’s one of the reasons I haven’t been to Israel yet. And I’ve got a whole week here! Luckily we’re in the Northern part of Israel for the first few days, which is further away from Gaza, but even then, Israel isn’t that big... And then on the second half of the trip we are in Jerusalem, which I could imagine would be a big target for retaliation...

Our driver got quite a few text alerts from the Government today and they’re scary to hear, kind of like the Covid phone alerts in New Zealand. The text alert was because the alarms went off in Tel Aviv today as there was rockets fired towards there. We actually drove through there today and it is where the airport is. I don’t think anything happened as the Iron Dome must have done its magic...

So with all that said, I would love some prayer! Prayer for peace and protection mainly. I get so scared and anxious, even though I know there’s nothing I can do about it. I know everyone says it’ll be fine, but I don’t know. This is some scary stuff! I am very scared! We have wifi on our bus, but I’m trying to not look at the news reports because it’s too terrifying. Everything within me just wants to cancel my trip and fly home, but I know I shouldn’t. I know that our tour guide, who has led over 75 trips to Israel, will change our itinerary if need be... But I can’t help but we really scared and anxious.

So please please please pray for me over the next week or so! I really need it!

Also, I’ll be trying to post updates each day of my time in Israel and our tour guide will also be posting summaries and photos of our day online, so feel free to check them out at https://biblicalisraeltours.com/august-2022-adventure-israel-tour/

[michael6618]

Here's some fun fact travel advisories from around the world.

Before everybody goes gung ho on America let's take a look at some things. We depend on foreign tourists, a lot.

Let's take Germany for example. Most employers grant up to 30 days of annual leave. The average across Germany is 28 days per year. The number of Urlaubstage is listed in your employment contract or collective agreement (Tarifvertrag).

French law mandates a minimum of 5 weeks vacation per year. And actually, that 5 weeks is a minimum. Most French people get anywhere from 6-10 weeks annual leave depending on their profession and where they work. And this is on top of paid public holidays. Don't let your jaw drop.

So you have all these vacation days that are astounding in different countries. And we have all these International tourists. Would you like to bet that the local chamber of commerce wants those people visiting their City?

So don't be so uppity when you read the following below.

Australia’s SmartTraveller website warns its citizens that it’s legal for Americans to openly carry guns in public and that people who choose to live here should “learn active shooter drills.” It also says, “Violent crime is more common than in Australia and gun crime is possible in all areas. Follow local guidance and instructions.”

Canada advises its citizens to observe normal security measures while visiting America, but to take extra precautions at our border with Mexico. Canada’s travel risk advisories also mention the potential for stumbling upon “criminal incidents associated with drug trafficking” when traveling at night in border towns and large urban areas.

The United Kingdom’s travel risk advice includes the same warnings about large cities and the U.S.-Mexico border. They add that travelers should never make terrorism jokes, especially in airports. They also say that mass shootings can and have occurred, but rightly include that they account for “a very small percentage of homicide deaths.”

As for Mexico’s travel risk warnings to its citizens visiting their northern neighbor, they focus on the potential for violence related to racial and ethnic tensions. One advisory cites an El Paso, Texas mass shooting where more than 20 people were killed. Mexico’s government advises its citizens to always carry their Mexican passport and avoid large crowds where rioting could erupt.

France lists America as one of the safest countries when it comes to travel risk, but also provides specific information about crime in certain cities. Visitors to Boston are told, “it is recommended to avoid traveling alone, on foot and at night, in certain parts of Dorchester, Mattapan and Roxbury.” French tourists visiting Atlanta are told to “be vigilant in isolated areas of the city center (downtown) after the close of business and favor taxi travel at night.”

Germany’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs warns of U.S. travel risks related to gun violence. Potential visitors are reminded that it’s easier to obtain firearms in the U.S. than in Germany and to beware of large gatherings. New Zealand’s warnings are similar, and they take the extra step of directing them to an active shooter response pamphlet published by the U.S. Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency.

Japan, however, takes an entirely different approach, providing specific actions to take if travelers find themselves in an active shooter situation. Travel risk advice includes hiding in a room and barricading the door, muting cell phones and escaping even if it means leaving alone. If those actions are impossible, Japanese citizens are told to “throw things close to the criminal, use them as weapons; scream; act with all your might.”

Israel gives the U.S. its best safety rating. Because of the level of terrorism the tiny country continually faces, it saves its harshest travel risk warnings for countries experiencing citizen-focused terrorism. Israel is less concerned about general crime issues.

[asp1990]

Day 17: Saturday July 9th – Monday July 11th, 2022 [FINAL DAYS]

Breakfast: Coffee and toast / pizza pocket / cinnamon scroll Lunch: Margarita pizza and mimosas / chicken baguette Dinner: Cheesy chicken with potatoes and veg / lamb with potatoes and spicy veg

Steps: 12, 480

Andrew had booked an apartment close to the airport so wasn’t at our apartment for the last night. Amara had an early flight, so she left at 6am while Tim and I were still asleep. We’d settled up our Splitwise spending the night before and it was lovely to get $300 AUD back from Amara and $143 AUD back from Andrew for joining our accom. What a delight! I’d done most of my packing the night before, so had a long shower, 2 slices of toast and then it was 10am and time to checkout.

With luggage to drag behind us, there wasn’t much we could do, so we just walked to the nearest cafe and had a coffee. I called Dad while Tim played on his phone and then Jane joined us. While Jane had a coffee, Tim went off to try the last thing on his to do list - fermented shark. He ended up going back to the Dick Museum as we had seen it on the menu at the museum cafe but not many other places. When he came back he was chewing gum and said that fermented shark tasted like shit. He was glad to have tried it though.

We had 3 Airbus tickets booked for 12pm so waited at the bus stop at 11:50am. Hoards of people followed us, but they were getting on a day tour. At 12:15pm, our bus still hadn’t arrived and we were contemplating getting a taxi. The shuttle arrived at 12:25pm and we thought that was our ride to the airport, but instead it was a 3 minute drive to the bus depot where we got on a charter bus. The drive was 45 minutes and Tim slept most of the way. I deleted some of the seconds from my travel video and looked out the window.

When we arrived, the luggage check in was an absolute circus. We followed the TV list and then got sent back to whence we came. We lined up for 45 minutes in self-check in after printing luggage tags then cruised through security in 3 minutes. Jane then went to the business class lounge (lucky) while Tim and I sat at a restaurant and shared a pizza and mimosas.

We walked 20 minutes to the terminal and were still in line to get a bus to the plane at 4:07pm when our flight was meant to depart at 4:10pm. We waited another 15 minutes, then got on the bus and waited another 5 minutes for it to leave. We were lucky to have exit row seats on the flight and the seat next to me was empty. Two wins! I felt so drowsy on take off that I had a wee nap. I then spent the rest of the flight watching The Circle on my iPad.

We arrived at Heathrow at 8:45pm and were first off the flight. We had to walk through all of terminal 2 to go up an escalator then down another escalator so that we could get a 15 minute transfer bus to terminal 4. Hooley Dooley. There was a woman on our flight who was rushing to get her connecting flight to Israel and she ran to the security check where we arrived 5 mins later. We cruised through security and got to our gate to find out that our flight had been delayed by half an hour. We had nothing to do but sit down and wait.

We boarded at 10:30pm and when we scanned our boarding passes the machine flashed red. Our luggage wasn’t registered as being on the flight. The woman checked our luggage receipt and updated our details in hopes that they would be popped on board before take off. Once on the plane, we had a spare seat next to us again and a 1hr waiting time on the tarmac. Amara messaged us to say that she’d made it to Spain, but that Heathrow had lost her luggage. Zac messaged and said that he was stuck in London until the next flight to Melbourne on the 11th. What an absolute circus. I had cheesy chicken with potatoes and veggies for dinner and watched Turning Red. After that, I tried my best to sleep while we had such a luxurious amount of space.

Our transfer at Abu Dhabi was relatively painless - we got off the plane and onto the final one within 30 minutes. I checked on our bags and we were told that they were on the plane, which was a relief - I hoped it was true! We were seated in the back half of the plane where there was less leg room and way more children. One of them cracked it before we’d even taxi’d out which felt like an omen for the 12 hour flight. I surprisingly slept about 6-7 hours on the flight. I watched Moana & Encanto while eating. The meals were average, but the cinnamon scroll we got for breakfast before landing was delish.

We cruised through customs and duty free and had to wait about 30 mins for our luggage. It didn’t come out. The rest of our flight slowly cleared and we were left without our stuff. We went over to the service desk, reported our luggage missing (luckily we had taken photos of them) and were then told to wait 24 hours then call to follow up.

Then it was Uber to Tim’s, drove myself home and waited for Morgi to get home from Perth.

What a trip! Until next time X