TIME AND TROUBLES AND THOUGHTS

  Of time I certainly had plenty, unfortunately of time at the wrong time which allowed for no time to actually have any kind of consistent sane thought process. Caught up in the process of trying to exit Israel in order to be sure that I would be back in the United States in time for the weddings of two granddaughters, we invested much time and energy and sanity in trying to find a way out.

Using the pathways via Jordan and Egypt were not our cups of tea for obvious reasons. Additionally, we were warned that religious items were confiscated upon entry into said countries. No go. So, what next?

We thought that perhaps the American government would actually send in some kind of organized operation via which they would extradite their citizens caught up in the confusion inside Israel. However, despite filling out numerous online applications, the closest we came was instructions telling us to fill out more reams of forms. Finally, one more form and then, perhaps, maybe, some time, no date or time available, we would receive notice to be in Jerusalem or Tel Aviv promptly upon notification, about 70 people at a time (with literally tens of thousands of citizens there). Well, considering the state of war, with Iran sending over barrages of drones and rockets, transportation from other areas of Israel was not easy to come by. Humph! Well, that made planning just a tad, shall we say, difficult, and hence, onto Plan Z+. 

Mano Cruise line out of Ashdod Port, to Cyprus overnight, and then a flight to anywhere planes were flying. Docking time was to be between 8 and 9 AM and plane reservations were made as per that time and planned or possible destinations. Needless to say, the possibilities were not great, highly limited due to time factor of meshing time of docking and time of flights. Not exactly as simple as ABC. Still, doable, even if not exactly convenient. BUT, a great big overwhelming but, was the lack of certainty of getting to that ship and therein lies another chapter of time and troubles and thoughts. 

So. For hour after hour after hour we sought a way in which to make a reservation on that ship so as to get to Cyprus. Would there even be a ship going there? Would the rocket barrages, generally in the morning, stop such sailings? Would there be planes flying from there? Nobody knew anything for sure, other than we could not be sure of anything. All remaining sane brain cells were engaged in endless talk re suggestions and possibilities. Would we be going, or would we be staying? How do we plan when no firm areas of planning exist?? What do we do with the myriad governmental offices which needed to be informed of our plans? How could we inform them of our plans if we actually had no firm plans to inform them of? Simply no room for sanity.

Finally, an opening and success in purchasing a cabin for that overnight "cruise”, and not knowing re kosher food availability, or palatability, on ship or plane or Cyprus, we stocked up on snack foods and water and decided that a little dieting would not hurt any of us. We packed and repacked and unpacked and re- re packed because the guidelines were never clear. In fact, they were constantly changing. One suitcase or two? Or none? Only carryon and was that one carryon or two. Weight regulations? No firm decision so we did the best we could but even then, with all the uncertainty of Tuesday and fear that we would never actually get to the boat and board, it seemed we took too much and yet too little. At the end of it all, we had not enough and too much.  

Communication from the organizers was almost nonexistent and caused a great deal of aggravation. Times of meeting and places of meeting were changed without informing us, we who had to meet. We ourselves went wandering through much of the morning from initial meeting place to another meeting place to yet another place of waiting to come across other people waiting with their luggage, not knowing where to go or what to do. Nobody answered the phones when we called. No messages got through in either direction and only thanks to a restaurant which opened up early for us, after a few urgent words with the owner, were we able to get out of the hot beach sun and rest our weary feet. Inside we ordered drinks and traded information, misinformation, disinformation and no information at all.

At last, one of the lookouts spotted a bus, which offloaded people with suitcases. Some of us waiting there ran over to the people and were informed that they had come from the ship, which had finally docked two hours late. Assuming, logically, that we who were waiting would board the bus and be brought to the ship, all left the restaurant, happy that it was finally! Then the bus shut its doors in our faces and went back empty. What the hell!   

This happened time and time again. The crowd grew. It became more restless. Voices were raised. Confusion reigned. Angert grew. Soon we gathered a convocation of cab drivers who offered to take us to the boat. However, we had all been mourned that no cabs would be allowed into the dock. Only the shuttle busses. However, the shuttle busses kept leaving without us. Problem. Finally, we were all the end of our rope, and we 'busjacked' the bus and the next one, and the next one. As we turned into the dock area, lo and behold, we saw cab after cab after cab with other confused, hot, weary, upset passengers. However, once on the boat, brought to our cabins, our luggage brought to us, all was forgiven. Until ...

Our tickets said we would be docking between 8 and 9:00 AM. We had all made reservations based upon that information and we saw light at the end of the tunnel. Then the lights turned off. We were now told that we would be docking at 4:00 PM. Our reservations useless. We would not be there on time. Confusion reigned. Voices were raised. Kids traveling back from seminary and other schools were confused. Travel agents were called Parents were called. Relatives who had made reservations were called. Once again, a no sleep night for many.

Most of us on the ship spent much of the time making new cancelations, new reservations. Confirming the reservations. Canceling the reservations. Reaffirming the same reservations.   The information we were getting was not exactly timely nor consistent and flight availability was not plentiful. For too many a four-to-six-day journey seemed in the offing. Happy campers, we definitely were not.

 As time to disembark grew closer we were told basically to halt in place. Wait, for maybe they might be able to change the time of docking back to what it was supposed to be. More frantic redialing and frustration growing. We called our poor put upon grandson to try to get us back on the flight we had just canceled. Luckily, most of us were able to fix flight times. Our presence at the weddings of our granddaughters was assured.

 However, the aggravation is still playing havoc within my body and my head and my heart as well as my ears, still crackling with fluid. But finally, after sleeping for 12 hours straight, brain function is returning as is the process of thought. 

Time to think, basically in bits and pieces, here and there. What did these times of troubles mean to me as we were living in Israel? Could we have done anything different? What did this whole experience impart to us and what will be its effect upon us? Will it change who we are, how we think, how we feel, and will those changes be welcome?

One thing is for sure. We owe so many people, friends, family and strangers alike, on both sides of the ocean, a great deal of thanks. Without them, we never would have made it through and back - and we hope back again. 

 Our yesterday was tough. Our today better. Our tomorrow - well, we shall see.

More of the journey and time and thoughts in another posting.

'night all. Stay safe.