Posted 26 -12 – 2013 by AGF
That is what most people said when I told them the country I was going to. Why would anyone in their right mind ever go there. I don’t know where my interest in this country began but with each year my desire to visit grew stronger to the point it was the only place in the world I wanted to visit. This country is in a part of the world that is among the most violent and more often than not it is directly involved. And these are the reasons people thought I was insane to visit, but this was the exact reason I was visiting.
Sadly, there are many countries in this world that are seen in a negative way because we only hear of them when acts of violence have taken place. No matter the country, despite its beauty, history even its people there are some that cannot escape their past or present and that’s not without cause. This country is in one of the most volatile places on the planet. So why would I ever go here? I needed to see this country up close and personal.
Each time we plan to travel to a different country, is it safe?’ will always be a question, it must be. But the answer will always be no because crime is universal and when you let that factor into your decision you might as well stay at home. One of the greatest things about travel is the freedom to visit countries most people would never visit, the ability to look at a map and choose the country you’ve always wanted to see and in the winter of 2013 I did just that.
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After a year of waiting tables and saving every dollar the day has finally arrived!!! Good evening from Logan International Airport in Boston it is December 26th, 2013. I am sitting at my gate staring at the Air France triple seven that will fly me across the world. Let this journey begin. I arrived in Paris the following morning and luckily my connecting flight was a few gates away. After eight hours of flying from Boston I still had four more to go.
As we got closer to my destination the pilot informed us that we’d entered the country’s airspace, something I’ve never heard before. And truthfully it made me a bit tense but a few minutes later we were on the ground. Once I received my luggage and went through customs, I gave the cab driver the address of my apartment and we were off.
The sky was still dark with the high rises illuminating skyline and with each passing sign the city got closer. Finally, we exited the highway and reached the apartment I’d be staying, I got out of the cab and just stood and took in the moment in and I could finally say it – I was in Israel, at long last I was in Tel Aviv!!!