The New York of the Middle East.
Captains Log Day 7 – 31/07/16 6:09 am. Arkia.
Welcome to Israel. We question ourselves as we disembark the flight – IsReally Israel? Have we really crossed that many oceans to make it to the so called New York of the Middle East? The answer comes loud and clear from the 4 Israeli security officials that baptize us with questions. ‘Why are you here?, Where are you from?, What is your Grandfathers name? What do your parents do? Why did you leave your country to move to Australia?’ A paranoid mind starts to hesitate, it’s not the clarity we lack but rather the sleep.
11 am we land dressed in our Clubbing uniforms, smelling of a barrage of spirts with our eyes resembling the color of Heinz ketchup. We have made it to Tel Aviv. Clearing the first and second round of interrogation, we withdraw our first set of the local currency – Shekels, instantly in our minds start playing “Mary Mary – Praise You”. We leave the airport, the sun bleaches our faces, scorching our skin, we are embraced by the taste of the desert heat a cool 38-degrees.
A mixture of elements contributing to our overall exhaustion as we take a taxi to our centrally located accommodation, only to find that the keys are at another office. Leaving Rebel leader to fend our luggage, the co-captain and captain venture in the 38-degree heat to retrieve the keys. Within one minute of walking both are drenched in sweat and browning like nuggets in the oven – only 15 minutes according to Google Maps left. Finally, we return triumphant and open the door to our abode.
We have not eaten much, in fact I don’t think I can remember the last meal we had. We drop our bags and venture out to the Shuq (market) which is next to our apartments, as we walk we admire the produce, the crafts and entrepreneurship of the locals. Starving, like Bedouins lost in the desert, we come across a vibrant food house which glimmers in the sun. We sit and break bread as we devour plates full of salads, dips, breads and meat. Bellies exploding of goodness, we head back to the hotel.
We shower and get some well needed rest, with both co-captain and the captain descending to sleep within seconds. We awake feeling groggy and exhausted, however this is not the time – it is our first day in the country and we must fight our fatigue. We freshen up and not long after we are sitting on the beautiful Tel Aviv beach sipping on mojitos as the heat swell cools down. It is at this point that the Captain calls upon his old companion who has moved across Tel Aviv. General Joske. The flamboyant and lovely soul who migrated from Melbourne to the land of David’s star.
As we sip our cocktails on the beach General Joske calls us back and asks for the battalion to join her at a friend’s house party. Unexpected and feeling the fatigue, we decide it was time to call democracy again to decide if we continued on to the party or went home and rested. After a landslide victory of 3 – 0 we picked up a 6 pack and were on our way to a Random house Party in Tel-Aviv.
General Joske greets us with open arms, her friends warm, gracious and welcoming – it is not long after that we are sharing laughs and exchanging contact details. We continue to drink laugh and enjoy the time with our new found friends, we are honored and excited to be in a new country for just over 4 hours and be at a house party. Upon the chit chat of the night General Joske gave us some fantastic tips for our trip. A golden nugget being, a way to go and see one of the 7 wonders of the world – Petra. Intrigued and curious we started contemplating a trip. The seed had been planted. The good times continue until a few of our new found friends decide that it’s time we all go out to one of the best bars in Tel- Aviv. Bidding a sad farewell to the beautiful and wild General Joske, we join our new comrads.
Standing at a secret entrance of Beit Romano, we enter the compound. It looks like a series of closed shops with the upstairs dedicated to a very busy and happening bar. Going upstairs we are greeted by friendly staff and some very beautiful looking people. We buy the first few rounds of drinks and take a seat, admiring the bar, the vibe the weather and not to mention the eye candy. The drinks are flowing, our comrads are beside us and conversation is becoming more and more loose as time goes on.
Suddenly the co-captain is feeling peckish, we order some white fish (not being a fan of seafood the captain is hesitant), when this grilled creature of the sea arrives it is a whole fish with head and everything – the captain is freaked, however when he cautiously takes a small piece, he tastes the fish and it is just divine.
Within minutes four whole fish disappear into our bellies alongside with an onion filled focaccia which is better than I have tasted before. At this point I draw a blank on how we are outside the bar taking a taxi home. I do however remember sitting with the co-captain and rebel leader at a drinking house near our apartments, calling last drinks and the captain heading home solo only to pass-out within seconds. I did realise that something was wrong, I left it to exhaustion but the captains body was saying no.
The night seemed long and painful, the captain waking up multiple times coughing and short of breath to the point of fainting – it was as if scurvy had hit the captain. Waking up in the morning pale and unable to speak the rebel leader and co-captain realised that help was required. The captain was not well and looked like something was wrong. The sins of the past had caught up with him and incarnated themselves as a dreadful illness. Sitting up we evaluated the situation and although the captain could barely speak, he sat with the co-captain heading the words of General Joske and planning how they could go and see Petra. With an open browser, wifi, within 1 hour they had organised a trip the following day to visit the country of Jordan, travelling with a chartered plane to visit the beautiful wonder of the world Petra. Now back to the other problem that needed a solution; a dying veteran.
The captain felt ill to the point he was feeling like he was going to faint due to low oxygen in his lungs. Everything was hurting. The shortness of breath alongside the constant coughing and green phlegm was now extreme. The team pulled together, it was not long before the squad was on route to a ship doctor – Tel-Aviv Soursky Hospital.
Reaching the hospital, the captain was quickly x-rayed and blood tested – he was then taken to the emergency medical department where time slowed. Doctors came to check up on him as he lay like a fish out of water in a hospital bed. After hours of waiting it was discovered that his scurvy came in the form of Asthma triggered by a viral infection. His lungs had progressively gotten worse as the lack of sleep, minimal sustenance, rest and ongoing ‘strenuous’ activities took the better of him. The captain was soon put on the Asthma Nebulizer and was treated with steroids. 6 hours and $500 later he was discharged with a series of prescription medicine.
Departing the hospital, the fish out of water felt more like a turtle out of water and had a slightly better grasp of what was going on. His lungs functioning; at least at 60% – the team went and hired a car – It would be best to option to pack the luggage in the vehicle, as we checked out and flew to Jordan the next morning. We hired the car from the airport, the captain dead on the back seat. Once we had hired the car we realized that this would be the last day in Tel-Aviv, and without any hesitation aside from the loud breathing noises and the feeling of death we took the hired car to the Old City of Jaffa.
Old Jaffa City was worth it. An area surrounded by beautiful restaurants, bars, with light and music pumping. Once again the photos and words do not do it justice. The vibe was ecstatic, people eating, dancing, drinking, people old, young, people on dates, out with friends, everything. The captain was feeling extremely faint, the squad walked around holding him in an upright position. We walked, the captain limped and after a quick Google search we found the best rated restaurant in Jaffa City “Puaa”.
The day had been long and there had been no sustenance or times to sit and eat something. This moment was for eating and… if you promise not to tell the doctor… DRINKING. Yes, the captain was back on a strong Jerusalem Ale as he drank more. He could swear the alcohol was killing the bugs in his system. The feast was divine. Consisting of meats, salads and the tastiest Moussaka I have ever had. The beer took the captain to the next level as he reached the car and passed out once again in the back seat as the rebel leader and co-captain drove around Tel-Aviv for the last time.
We reached home at 1 am – we were scheduled for the 5:30 am chartered flight to Petra, meaning we would have to load the luggage to our hired car at 4 am and be at the airport at 4:30. It was going to be a long day and the remaining 3 hours of sleep were going to take the squad a long, long way. It was time to say a goodnight to the City as we slept in Tel-Aviv for the last time.
