Travelling and living in Israel

I think this is disgusting,...

Indeed! I did hear the security is pretty heavy, but I didnt know about the email part. Thanks for letting me know. I have a special email address for situations like this, but have never yet been asked to log into it by police. Usually, it is just so I can avoid having key loggers and any other email intruders get hold of my banking details, TravelBlog moderator log in details etc. It doesnt have much political stuff in it, but I did unsubscribe from all that is there yesterday after your warning, just to make sure it all stops long before the security at Tel Aviv ask me to log into it. 😊

The bag searching does make me a little nervous, but only because one of my travel habits is to take all my oldest underwear and socks, and throw them out after wearing, to prevent having to wash them while travelling. It is a bit embarassing when airport security people have a bit too much time on their hands, and insist on pulling a lot of things out of my bag. One time, I was wearing unmatching socks with some holes in them, going to Dublin from Germany. The airport security lady spent much longer than one would expect scanning my feet, and asking if I would lift up my foot so she could scan under etc. Maybe it was just too weird for her, that I was wearing such nice clothes and then there are those street urchint socks under my high healed attractively fashionable boots.

My best advice is to be ready for it and keep calm.

I will, now that I have been warned. 😊
Up until now, I thought Indonesia was the worst security experience I have had so far, but looks like Israel might even top it.
Here is a blog I made about entering Indonesia.
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Are you able to give me any idea of how much money ill need per day?

From what I have read so far, I am guessing the costs are similiar to central Europe. For backpacking, in countries with these costs, I generally spend anything from 20 Euros to 150 Euros in a day, depending on what I want to do that day, how much money I have managed to save up for the trip... As well as the falafal suggestions above, supermarkets always have lots of stuff you can buy for making picnics. And, some accomodation has facilities where you can cook and make coffee.

...they have strict rules and curfews...

I remember reading something about those and almost forgot about them. Apparently though, Tel Aviv is up and going all night every night. Where and when do the curfews happen, in Israel?

I love hummus and falafals, so much so that I even make them at home sometimes. Thanks for the list Yoav! I will take it with me. 😊

Does anyone have a town or place at the Dead Sea to suggest, where there is a wide range of accomodation, or some budget or budgetish accomodation at least? Preferably someplace possible or easy even to get to from Jerusleum by bus.



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What sort of sights interest you, Johnny - historical, religious, natural? Reply to this

If you're eating for one person, buying falafel on the street can often be cheaper than buying food in the supermarket.

Curfews inside Israel? what are you talking about?

Deadsea: Last time I was there was more than 10 years ago, the beach was full of 4 and 5 star resorts. For cheaper stuff you should try a place called Ein Gedi.

City of David would be a good place to visit, and take a guided tour.

Also, take a guided tour of the old central bus station area in Tel Aviv. There are tours in Hebrew, I don't know if there are tours in English (if there aren't any, there should be).
Keep in mind that this is a very dangerous area full of crime, drugs and prostitution. So don't go there alone, especially if you look like a tourist. This, I would say, is not on the tourist map and shows a different side of Israel.

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Another question Yoav(or anyone who knows) if you have time, is it safe to drink the tap water in Israel? I dont want to waste my money on buying water, unless it is absolutely necessary.

Trying to find the information about the curfews in the Lonely Planet has caused me to find more places I really want to see in Israel. I think, I will add Bethleham to my list. Christmas shops open all year, seems incredible. I didnt find anything about the curfews. I must have been remembering something of Shanes that I read at some stage. 😊 Reply to this

Thanks Johnny! 😊 I'll be sure to ask you any questions that come up.

I am in the middle of reading your blog about Bethleham right now. Those security checks seem even more daunting than ever, now that I read the details about them in your blog. I don't travel with a laptop or phone. I wonder if that will make the security checks easier or more difficult. Maybe they will just wave me on after the bag search, or maybe they will insist that nobody travels without technology these days...

Oh, I have a question already for you Johnny or anyone who stayed in Bethleham. Is it easy to get internet access there? I mean, are there internet cafes, and internet at the hotels and hostels? When there is not internet somewhere I am going, I need to warn my boyfriend in advance so he doesn't worry that something happened to me when he gets no emails from me. Reply to this

Thanks again Johnny! 😊

Check out this gem of a hostel in Bethleham. I usually just choose the cheapest hostel, as long as it is in a central location. But, this hostel in Bethleham seems well worth the extra few Euros. Ex home of a Mayor of Bethleham no less. It is almost an a attraction in itself, and not just some place to sleep. And, the views from it, especially from the roof seem pretty amazing.

Bethleham Youth Hostel

I hope they are not too serious about the Youth part of their hostel name, because I am not all that young. I do refuse to grow up though, so maybe that counts for something. 😊
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I can now claim to know from experience what it is like to travel in Israel. I as there last month, and here is the blog about it. It is the longest blog I have written so far. It is such a small country with so much to see. I want to go back there, in the not too distant future to check out what I missed on this trip. Next trip is to the Andaman islands. Maybe Israel after that? Don't know yet. 😊

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Mell, I read your emails when they were published and I thoroughly enjoyed them.

Kuan Yin, you won't get stoned.

Here's the reported you're talking about:
http://972mag.com/watch-ultra-orthodox-spit-on-immodest-8-year-old-girl-in-bet-shemesh/31268/

It caused serious outrage in Israel and people didn't stop talking about it for days.

So when in some parts of Jersualem and generally in religious areas, dress modestly. In other areas, wear what you want.

I would also advise to watch this:
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