Starting Out and Israel

Well, last trip for the year and in fact, with the impending birth of my fourth grandchild in February I have nothing major planned till July next year when hopefully I will get an invite to work in the Youth Championships in Croatia with a South American exploration on the way. I do have bridge in Canberra and Gold Coast and some time share breaks in the Hunter Valley and Gold Coast to avoid any withdrawal and need for rehab.

This time However Israel for two days and what I am sure will be a joyous Barmitzvah, Paris for 8 days (more later) and World Bridge Championships in Sanya China. Sanya is on Hainan Island West of Hong Kong and is known as China's Hawaii with five star hotels and 11 golf courses.  I am looking forward to some nice time there as many Australians and other bridge friends from around the world will be coming tHere to participate in this OPEN world championship where anybody can participate - so I will no doubt catch up with them for some meals or coffees.

Sydney airport was the busiest I have EVER seen it. Check in was quick as was immigration with an express card while the queues for "regular" checkin and immigration looked to be over 90 minutes long in total. Recent iPhone purchase required a GST refund which took the best part of an hour.

Writing this on flight from Sydney to Bangkok where I have an eight hour layover before flight to Tel Aviv. Qantas flight pretty ordinary with oldish plane which they say will be refitted by December. Nice having justin travelling with me although on this flight we are on different parts of the plane while next flight we will be sitting together which will be nice. 

Because I booked my points ticket some 9 months ago I had to choose a destination in Europe so chose Paris but not really sure I will spend the full 8 days there. Not sure if it will happen but thinking Morocco as a possibility. Luckily my neighbours are spending a year in Paris and will be on holidays exactly the time I will be there there and have kindly offered to lend me their apartment for my stay. Been a good year for convenient accommodation 7 days in London and 8 days in Paris not to count working at the bridge and the accommodation being included.

I will arrive in Israel at 07:00 Sunday morning and have a 2 hour drive to Mount Masada where the Barnitzvah will be held the following morning, celebrations in the afternoon and a desert stay that night after which I fly out late Tuesday afternoon. The Barnitzvah is a full circle Thing with My parent's being at Victor's Barmitzvah, Victor being at my Barmitzvah my being Mark's, Mark being at Justin's in Israel and now Justin being at Asher's - all highlighting the strong bonds between the Stern and Grynberg clans. 

Arrived safely at 16:10 in Bangkok only to find that we can't access the lounge for another four hours and Justin could not collect his bag and recheck it in to Tel Aviv also for another four hours. Justin goes out to recheck his luggage at the allotted time and gets grilled about why he and his father aren't together and then told that security wants to see him and his father together at the gate.

We sit around the airport some small amount of shopping and after the lounge we head to the gate to be grilled about how far apart we live, how often we see each other, why we were going to Israel and the female Thai interrogator ask if the Bar Mitzvah had made Aliyah to Israel.

Almost begrudgingly they let us on our flight which leaves almost two hours late firstly for a security delay and then a lightning storm which halts the luggage loading and in the process soaks Justin's baggage. The 747 which Justin assures me must be older than he is (34) and we are finally away. Apart from the old plane the flight was comfortable with good food and believe it or not friendly staff!!

We arrive at 08:00 and despite the business tag my tag comes onto the carousel almost last - seems the luggage order reads right to left as well!! We buy a data SIM card and find that every ATM in the airport is out of order. We collect our Thrifty rental car (46k kms) to find that every single panel has multiple bruises, scratches, dents and it takes almost 30 minutes to inventory the damage before we can head to the Dead Sea.

We arrive at the King Herod Dead Sea Hotel and after settling in Justin and I go for a swim in the pool and Dead Sea. I must say my skin feels great afterwards but I put this down to psychological reasons. We run into a number of people who have arrived for the Barmitzvah tomorrow morning - (Wobers, Barry Pryers)

Tony Wober explains that the hotel is 400+ metres below sea level and as such it is harder to get suburnt and the air is thicker making breathing easier. Also no pollens or allergens - interesting.

Oh well it's 16:00 and a large dinner will be held at 19:00 so I'll report again after the Barmitzvah.

Best to all

XD