U Vorot

I'll explain the title later, when you are older.

This will be the next series of travelb logs that I keep to describe my current trip to Israel. I wasn't planning on coming to Israel for my winter break, but I found a good price on airfare and inexpensive lodgings so I decided to just do it, or something like it.

Talia drove with me and a co-worker (3 people in the car means "carpool rates"...hoorah!) to JFK for an 8:05 British Airways flight, So, in order to accommodate my neuroses, we left at 2AM, last Friday. In truth, we left at 4:30AM and hit very little traffic so we were able to check in early. Thing is, had we arrived even a few minutes later, we would have had a significantly longer wait in the various lines. I'd rather breeze through the lines and wait at the gate (U Vorot) than stand on line for longer. Talia drove the car home because it wouldn't go on its own. She took streets.

So there we were at terminal 7, gate 10, waiting to board the 747 which would take us on our first leg to Heathrow airport. I chose to check my carry-on for free at the airport. I had expected this and put nothing that I needed in my carry on. This was not an El Al flight so we didn't have a huge mass of religious Jews wanting to pray, but we scraped together 11 men for a minyan. It was an incredible mix of all practices and traditions, versions of prayers and ways of tying phylacteries. Jews from a wide range of places and understandings, all united in the same thought, "are we done yet?"

The different groups board in order, and I'm apparently in group a million, but because I checked my carry on, I had no real rush to snag an overhead compartment, so there's that. I had a seat in the front row so there was a bit more leg room, but the video screen and the tray table had to be located and assembled. I used the free earphones but my ears told me to spend some cash next time and get ones that don't hurt so much.

I had the full breakfast, eggs, bagel and cream cheese, fruit, juice and a danish. All delicious and unnecessary, like any good meal.

I watched 2 movies -- Gemini Man which was a solid Meh and Ad Astra which was a Meh+. A snack was served (water and cake). The seat, itself, was uncomfortable and my tush hurts. Send money. I davened mincha on the plane.

Arrived at Heathrow in the evening and, though the next leg was also in terminal 5, it was in the C gates, so I still had to take a train. Weird. The wretched refuse assembled by gate C52 for Ma'ariv. I think someone took our picture. Jews are cute, it seems.

The flight was still 1/4 empty and I had an empty seat next to me. Not enough space to lie down, though, so, while I had an aisle seat, I continued to be uncomfortable. Yay. Airbus A350 (3-3-3 configuration, as opposed to the 3-4-3 of the 747) for those of you keeping score. I didn't know if I should try to sleep, or succeed so I decided to fail at both. I really haven't slept much over the last 2 or 3 days, or maybe weeks.

I watched that Fast and Furious: Hobbes and Shaw movie. Mediocre ending but a VERY funny movie. The guest stars steal it.

Arrived at Ben Gurion and there were no lines. We (the co-worker and I) got a cab and I made it into Jerusalem by 5:15 local time. Hot shower, change of clothes and Maddie is here! Off we go.