Off to the Middle East
Whenever I tell people I'm going to Israel, the reactions tend to either be "Wow, how exciting!" or "Is that safe?". I've always thought these were funny things to hear, probably because I've already been there more than 18 times -- to me, it's passe'.
Not that I don't love the place, Israel is like a second home. Spent most of my summers there as a kid visiting my grandparents -- the kibbutz they live in is its own community, tons of places to wander to, beautiful countryside (did you know the climate is exactly like southern California? It only turns into desert when you go further south near Egypt). The cities themselves are amazing and have so much history to them all -- it's wild to walk through Jerusalem or Akko or drive through Nazereth and know people still live normal lives in buildings thousands of years old. Plus access to a pool and a T3 internet connection (how my grandmother got her hands on that I have no idea) and plenty of European tourists keeps things interesting. Been trying to drag my friends there for years, it's a great experience, but no one ever seems to have time to take an international trip :P.
So come this Saturday I'm hopping a plane to Haifa for my cousin's wedding. Should be fun, I haven't been there in four years. Will also be chauffering mom and grandmother around to Tel Aviv and Jerusalem (driving in Israel is always... interesting). Been getting things ready: clothes, paying bills, writing my will (well it is the Middle East; plus anyone who's seen an episode of Lost knows trans-oceanic flights aren't without risk), and setting the VCR for a week (speaking of Lost), among other things. Good times ahead.