After Sderot we came back to Tel Aviv where my father lives in an apartment in Dizzengoff Center.  I got a new phone number for Israel and chilled out trying to adjust my sleeping (by limiting my naps!).

I took a bus to the ‘New Tel Aviv Bus Station’ its name is still ‘new’ but its like 20 years old and a bit decrepit! It’s a nightmare trying to navigate but luckily my cousin Amit came with and used her pushy Israeli ways to get the right info so I got on the right bus. I bussed down to visit Shuki and Shefa. We spent a nice evening together eating a meal and then going out to catch crickets for the Chameleon’s. Shefa is a pro she just sees one and grabs in the air and she’s caught it – she got 6 in the dark and Shuki and I none!

After the night shuki went to work and I hung in the house. Nice surprise that Tali and Yaam got to come home early so I was able to spend a bit of time with them before I bussed back to Tel Aviv.

Now I’m back in Tel Aviv and am getting ready to go up north to hang with my Uncle Chuck for a day before I start on my kibbutz.

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Slept till about midday today and decided to make it my mission to stay up till midnight so I could get used to this timezone quick – its 11.20 now so I’m almost there – the heat during the day doesnt help my cause!

Today we just drank coffee and ate Shakshuka in Sderot, my uncle on my dads side came and joined us with my cousin Amit and we went back to their place to spend shabbat together. My littliest cousin is a little cutie and was really nice to spend time with her.

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Wow – so I guess no time like the present to start writing new entries to my Travel Blog. Here marks the beginning of my Israel Journey ‘09/’10!

After a fairly emotional send off (mostly me actually realising what the hell I was doing!) I made my way teary eyes through customs and onto the plain. Had a fantastic first leg – there was no one in my little row so I had two empty seats next to me and was nice and comfy(ish) and managed to sleep for about 6 or 7 hours.

On the plane I also started writing my personal paper journal – I guess I was reflecting on that saying ‘A journey of thousand miles begins with a single step’.. A journal of a thousand words begins with a single sentence!

Now I am sitting in Hong Kong writing this and completing a few things. My flight leaves in about 2 hours and I’m basically just killing time.

Please don’t forget to add me on skype if you want a chat (time is minus 9 hours).

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From here on up will be postings from my current 2009/2010 mission.

Lots of love
Ilai