Sunday, January 30, 2011

n00b

I made it! It was a smooth flight, for the most part. A little ironic, on the one hand I had an entire row to myself, on the other– the only family on the flight (equipped with two sobbing babes. Did you know babies can wail for 9 hours? Without breathing? It's phenomenal) sat right behind me. Right behind me. But I was flying, even if time was not, and I did make it.

I had one goal getting off the plane: don't look like a n00b. Especially traveling by myself, I wanted to keep my savvy in gear. I started my swag off on the right foot. Made it off the plane, with confidence. Walked through passport control, with confidence. Claimed my bags, with confidence. As I prepared for the home stretch– ready to roll away to my taxi, hit the road to Jerusalem, champion of traveling! Israel, I belong here!– the handle broke on my suitcase. Not the 15 lb suitcase. The 43.2 lb suitcase.

Worst homestretch ever. I had to hold the bag close and at an angle to keep it from rolling into my heel. My shoe fell off twice before I figured that out. And this was before I hit the cobblestone. And I hit the cobblestone long before I realized I was going the wrong way. Anyway: Lots of breaks. Lots of sweating. No swag.

It must have been glaringly obvious that I was confused. That I was harrowed. That I was a new. The taxi driver lifted his eyebrows as I staggered out of the airport. Even before I stepped onto the sidewalk, he was walking over to me. He hovered an arm over my shoulders, speaking like I do to small children who have left shoes on right feet, or shirts on backwards, "My dear, where are you going?"

Anyway, many thanks to that taxi driver. He was gracious and his resourceful driving techniques got me to JUC just in time to hit the ground running with a tour of the Old City.

That was incredible: the upper room. Neon cauliflower. The site where Jesus' tomb [most likely] was. Rooftop view of Jerusalem. Incredible and strange. Last night I was clearing the snow off Stark Rd.'s pond to go ice skating. Tonight the Dome of the Rock is in my backyard.

Maybe I was ice skating two nights ago. I'm pretty confused– my head is furry, trying to figure out which hour it wants to be in. Nothing like a kick in the teeth from jet lag!

Blessings all, thank you for reading [there will be photos with the next post!]

M



Thursday, January 27, 2011

Momma N and her icy fist.


The day has arrived! I marked the heck out of my calender. Circled. X'd. Highlighted in red. A garden of exclamation marks. Thursday, Jan 27th- see ya States. All day I've been double-triple checking the itinerary. Out of Albany at 5 30. Waitwaitwait in Newark. Then, 10 50, board that plane to Israel!



Hi.
I'm still home.


Momma N has set her snowy foot down, no flights to Newark for Emily.

I feel like I just got spanked. But, best to be petulant in the comfort of my own home rather than camping out in an airport. My flight has been all switched up and [providing I can coax the weather to my side] Israel, I'll meet you Sunday.