A Day Off In Israel On A Saturday

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Getting out of Jordan required a 1 pound departure tax. Why can't they add that to the visa? After all everyone is going to leave eventually.

The border posts between Jordan and Israel are a few meters apart. Territory is king here for access for the Red sea. Leaving Jordan it was a friendly "Thanks for your visit, hope to see you again" from the guard. And then the Israeli female guard said "Hello. Welcome to Israel. Enjoy your stay Mr. Couch" Almost right.

Next was Israeli customs control, where another female officer took me aside and asked me all sorts of questions. My travels, family, job(!), destinations, money, education, reasons for coming and roll on deodorant were discussed. It could have been a speed dating evening, except she didn't tell me anything about her, a first. Once my bag was searched and scanned 10 times it was time to get my passport stamped. Another female officer, I have not seen any men here yet! After going around the middle east for 5 weeks the only jobs I have seen women do are pancake maker, cleaner and belly dancer. And only a handful of times I have spoke to local women. So it was a refreshing change. Once through I got a taxi to the Egyptian consulate, in Eilat town. "Is it open on a Saturday?" My cabbie asked, according to my Lonely Planet guide it was, but it wasn't, shit. I am stuck here until tomorrow. Never mind, time to find a place to stay, the taxi driver takes me to the middle of town and outside a not bad looking place, I check in and this place has the lot, all for a couple of quid. It also had a 10 out of 10 shower, superb!!

I had a walk down to the beach, nothing at all is open. Although there are plenty of people wandering around waiting for them to open. Gradually the shops, cafes and restaurants started opening and I made good use of them by testing the aircon.

In the late afternoon, t was time to find somewhere with the cricket/football on, seeing as there are quite a lot of English here, it can't be that hard to find. First pub I try has it, the Underground pub. Liverpool versus Spurs and the Manchester derby are on plus a flick over to the cricket every now and then. There are plenty of Spurs fans here, I couldn't make it up! I talked to a few including a middle aged woman who was a season ticket holder for the scum. Always good to here that they hate us just as much as we hate them. Manchester United could only draw 1-1 with City and Glory, Glory Tottenham Hotspur were celebrating a 0-0 draw with Liverpool.

Next up it was Arsenal versus Boro. We should have been 1 up in the first minute, we should have been 3 up in the first 20 minutes. But Boro had 2 chances and scored them both. 2-1 to them, shit. I have seen 2 Arsenal games on TV so far this season and we have lost them both. I will avoid them from now on! I went to bed with the hump and dream about a Arsenal away victory this season..

Straight off to the Consulate to get my visa, sorted out very quickly. There was a dutch guy getting his visa too. He made my trip seem like crap as he was cycling from Holland to South Africa! He started in May and plans to meet his girlfriend in Cape town in April, now thats a trip! He wanted to do the trip on a kids scooter, but i told him a bike is a better idea.

Back to my hostel, to the bus station and across into my first target for my trip, EGYPT!

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