Administrative, Business, General

Off To Israel

29 Comments

I’m flying there tomorrow on business, back next Saturday. I’m thinking about renting a car. The rates seem pretty good (though I don’t know what the surcharges will be), and I can get supplemental insurance for $40 for the week. Anyone have any experience?

[Evening update]

OK, gotten a lot of useful feedback. Sounds like it would be manageable for me if it’s really no worse than south Florida with all the Haitians, but my new info is that they have a pretty good train system. If I were on vacation and wanting to explore, and into a terrifyingly entertaining experience, I’d definitely rent the car, but I’m there on business, and not moving around much. It looks to me like the best bet is to take a train from Ben-Gurion to Hertzlia, then a short cab to my hotel, and get around locally with cabs (and colleagues with whom I’m there on business). On Friday, my main day off, I could take train to airport to drop bag, then another to Jerusalem for sightseeing, then back to airport for flight home.

29 thoughts on “Off To Israel”

  1. No personal experience, but an Israeli friend (who now lives in NYC) tells me that Israelis and Arabs are the world’s worst drivers. Supposedly, New Yorkers are polite and courteous by comparison; traffic laws are considered suggestions rather than rules.

        1. It’s one of those cliches that really isn’t true. The statistics have shown that Israeli drivers aren’t much more dangerous than those in any other developed country. I think it is a function of the cities not having been designed for current traffic patterns.

          To avoid looking like an American I suggest you roll down the windows and put this on the stereo: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=00a0DYiKaVA

  2. Haven’t been in a couple of years but had good experiences on three occasions renting from Eldan.

    I wouldn’t worry about safety. The newer roads are first-rate and I don’t think the drivers are worse than in Florida. Enjoy.

  3. Two mistakes I’ve made. In Greece I didn’t have enough background to really appreciate the places I was near. In Istanbul I tried to pick up film I’d shot of a wonder of the world right before my flight and the shop was closed.

    Have a great time.

    1. In Greece I didn’t have enough background to really appreciate the places I was near.

      That happens a lot. You can mitigate it somewhat now that we have the Internet on most hotels in Europe, if not all of them, but you still have the problem of actually getting to the information that you want.

      tried to pick up film I’d shot of a wonder of the world right before my flight and the shop was closed

      Thank God for digital cameras.

  4. Rand, I hope you check before attempting the bag drop at the airport and heading off for some sightseeing. I haven’t been to Ben Gurian recently, but in many airports these days, you can’t drop off luggage more than a three or so hours before a flight. I’ve run into this issue worldwide – even in places you could do it pre 9-11. They used to have baggage storage, but now they don’t. I’d suggest checking with your airline for advice.

    Hotels, on the other hand, often do allow baggage drop before checking in or after checking out.

    Have a great time!!!

        1. Don’t forget that public transport, along with much else, closes early for Shabbat. The last train from Jerusalem to the airport leaves at 13:46. A quick Googling also suggests that airport baggage storage closes early too.

          The best way to squeeze this lemon might be to check into a hotel in Jerusalem on Thursday evening and then start at dawn on Friday.

  5. i’d rent a car , the drivers are aggresive, but i drive here everyday and survive.
    main trouble in places like Tel aviv and Jerusalem is parking
    i’ve been in Rome ,and i wouldn’t dare drive there,
    don’t forget there’s no public transport on Saturday\
    have a good stay
    Moshe

  7. In a completely different venture, I was searching Google maps for BBQ around the world (“barbecue” turns up more), using it as a proxy for civilization. There are small Pacific islands like Saipan that seem to have more BBQ joints than France. Even Kuwait City and Dubai have southern BBQ restaurants, as does India.

    Anyway, there’s a Texas BBQ in Tel Aviv, in case you have a craving.

    1. Wiser words were never spoken. I learned that the hard way on a trip to Ireland.

      The fish was awesome..the spaghetti? What a mistake….

  9. My fantasy: Rand sits down on the train next to a Catholic priest from Bethlehem University. They get into a wide-ranging conversation about Christianity & Islam, , the Israel-Palestinian conflict, and, er, trains, and then Rand receives, and accepts, an invite to visit Bethlehem, and thus our free ice cream includes Rand’s politically-tinged commentary on what life is like on the West Bank.

    Fantasies don’t always come true, but I hope you have a nice trip.

    2. Yeah. I’d have gone with you sitting on a train with a platoon of super-hot IDF soldiers, who then try to convert you to Judaism with crazy train sex, but then you are saved by the Dallas Cowgirls who show up with a cooler full of beer and a carry-out box with a full slab of baby back ribs, lobster, filet mignon, and a big steakhouse cheeseburger.

      Wait, get the heck out of my fantasy, damnit! Go find Bob’s priest in the other car while I handle the tense standoff in this one.

    3. I had a fantasy. It was that Israel would give Gazans autonomy and that Gazans would use that autonomy to create a functional society at peace with its neighbors. You are right, not all fantasies come true.

      Gazans couldn’t even make it past a couple of elections before falling under the thumb of Islamic tyrants bent on the destruction of all the Jews and the intentional suffering of their own people to be used as propaganda for useful idiot westerners.

    4. FWIW, I’m pretty sure I’ve never offered any “politically-tinged commentary on what life is like on the West Bank,” so I’m not sure what prompted this latest insult.

      1. I did not intend my comment to be an insult in any way. I’m very sorry you’re reading it that way.

        I was suggesting that if you choose to comment on your trip from a political point of view, it would make for interesting reading. And I was imagining that Bethlehem would be even more interesting to hear about from your point of view than Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, if you actually had the time and inclination to travel there.

        But regardless of where you go or what you comment on, I sincerely hope you have a good trip.

        1. It didn’t read as insulting, merely snarky. Hit up Behind the Black if you want to read some experiences from someone who has a different political view than yourself. IIRC, the last time Zimmerman went to Israel, he was in the West Bank and wrote about it.

  11. Hey, Rand –

    If you have time you should try to check out Raffi Yoeli & the Urban Aero operation. I have always been interested in what they are doing there. It would be cool to get some more info.

    Have a safe trip!

    E.

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