Three Months of Paradise
In and around World
I happen to have some of the greatest parents in the world. While most of my friends desperately sought i-banking and consulting jobs during their senior year of college, my parents simply said, Go. Enjoy yourself. Enjoy life. Take some time out for yourself. Come back fresh. You have the rest of your life to build a career. For now, have fun.
So while many of my friends have thrust themselves into the real world, I have spent my summer vacationing in Tel Aviv. No wake-up calls, no work, no responsibilities or commitments. Life's a beach, quite literally.
Despite appearances, I have done more than simply sit and stare; those adventures are detailed here. Enjoy :)
Route taken and entries by Real Traveler sdabby
-
1
Birthright: A Complete Blur
Birthright is quite possibly the most brilliant soft-power campaign in Israeli history. The idea is simple: bring young Jews aged 18-26 on an... Continue reading »
-
2
Jeeps and Land Mines
We started the day by going on a water hike in a beautiful nature reserve. We stopped once to change into our water shoes. If... Continue reading »
-
3
A View of Hezbollah
From what I remember, we spent this day at the Lebanese border, talking to psychologists about the impact of the war on citizens up north and to a cra... Continue reading » -
4
March of the Blind
We began our trek to Jerusalem after an exhausting two days driving throughout Northern Israel. We stopped for a quick swim in the Jordan Riv... Continue reading »
-
5
Mud Baths and Camels and Bedouins, oh my
Just a couple of thoughts:
1. I love the Dead Sea. The Mud. The water. That cut you had? Healed. That sinus infection... Continue reading »
-
6
Testing Limits and Pushing Borders
On our last day we embarked on what would be a controversial destination: Sderot. Sderot, a town of about 20,000 inhabitants, sits... Continue reading »
-
7
On My Own
I've been asked what I've been doing all summer. I've been asked what a typical day is like. The truth is, I don't really know. No... Continue reading »
-
8
Sketchy Encounters En Route to Cairo: Let the Adventures Begin
There is something very special about growing up in one neighborhood your entire life: the opportunity to grow up with the same peer group from kin... Continue reading »
-
9
Hani the Hash Dealer: From Taba to Cairo
James and I arrived at the Taba border crossing at around noon. Our plan was to take a bedouin taxi from Taba to Cairo. My sister... Continue reading »
-
10
Where's Waldo in the Arab World
When we arrived at the hotel, James began searching for Anant; I waited in the hotel lobby, absorbing a scene reminiscent of an Arab Where's W... Continue reading »
-
11
The Pyramids...the Semi-Illegal Way.
James, Anant, Aryan and I did not start our day until noon. Between the boys' gambling habits and my general exhaustion, I don't think we could've... Continue reading »
-
12
You speak English. Take the phone.
We got up the next morning and headed to the train station. We arrived there in plenty of time. We boarded the train, which was really... Continue reading »
-
13
Negotiating on James' Birthday: The Market and Swanky Celebrations
Another relatively straight-forward day in Egypt! In the morning James and I headed to the Egypt museum, which was stunning, despite the fact... Continue reading »
-
14
The Drive Back to Israel and Overall Impressions of Egypt
...And this time, I didn't take a bedouin taxi back to the border.
On the drive from Taba to Cairo, Canada told us we could take an air cond... Continue reading »
-
15
I like Jordan. I don't like Tutenkhamun's Revenge.
After our adventures in Cairo, I decided to book an organized tour to Petra. Though I toured Petra solo, I immediately bonded... Continue reading »
-
16
Ohhh China: Planning for the Mainland
SYDNIE REED!
What is there to say about Sydnie (‘Cindy?’ ‘No, Syd-nie, like Australia’)? Sydnie was my newest yet closest friend from Princet... Continue reading »
-
17
What the Hell?
NOT.
His name was Peter, he was a Russian Jew, he was 26, he worked for Siemens, and regretfully, I got separated from him at border control... Continue reading »
-
18
Back to Civilization
If Shanghai is the city that tries really hard to be Western, Hong Kong is the city that puts the West to shame.
Let’s start with the basics.... Continue reading »
-
19
A Shopper's Guide to Shenzhen
I’ve discussed my ‘inner fat kid’ at various points in this blog, but Shenzhen unleashed another ‘inner’ trait – that of my ‘inner girl’: someone w... Continue reading »
-
20
Sarah and Robby do Historic China
Beijing! Real China! Or at least, what you picture China to look like in your head.
Lucky for me, Robby had not started working by the time I... Continue reading »
-
21
Shabbat
I spent my last Shabbat dinner in Israel with Erez’s entire family. I call it the ‘migraine’ side of the family, because much of the time is spent... Continue reading »
-
22
My 'Farewell Tour' of the East Coast
Instead of heading directly home to San Diego, I spent two weeks on the East Coast visiting college friends and family. I figured it would be my la... Continue reading »
-
23
The Place that Never Changes
I just wanted to add another pin to my map. I don't have anything profound to say. For those of you who know Princeton, you know one ve... Continue reading »
-
24
Back to Kindergarten
Much of the past three months – and much of the year, for that matter – has been devoted to getting back to my true, bare-bones self: a type-B, eas... Continue reading »
-
25
Bonfires, Chainsaws, and Deer Crossing
Last stop: Vermont!
I insisted Carley, Andy, and I take a trip to Burlington in order to see Carley’s parents, Kelly and Steve, and to see t... Continue reading »
Would you like to comment or ask a question?