Shalom? Salaam Alaykum? Hello.

In Tel-Aviv now, hijacking Wifi from some unsuspecting resident near our hostel. This is why I always will keep my network open: as a public service to weary travelers just looking for a little communication with their far away home. Is that too cheesy?

In any event...

On my birthday we wandered around the Old City of Jerusalem. We saw the Dome on the Rock, the Holy Church of the Sepulchre, the Wailing Wall, and other stuff whose names I don't remember. When it was dark out we snuck into the church on Mount of Olives, climbed said mountain, and then slid down the slippery road. We were wicked hungry at that point and ate at a delicious vegetarian restaurant on Jaffa street in regular Jerusalem (as in: not Old), after which we made our way to the bus station and rode for an hour here, to Tel-Aviv. At the bus station we asked the taxi drivers how much it would be for a taxi and they wanted four times what we ended up paying for the bus. I used my navigator skills and got us to the hostel recommended by the former ski team captain of Chelsea, where we got a room and crashed.

The next morning we rented bikes, with which Chelsea and I went along the beachfront to the southernmost bit of the city. I read a book while she looked for sea glass and napped, after which there was a meeting with Andy and Corina further up north by the marina that we missed. Lunch was at this wonderful natural foods grocery store, as well as some deliciousness from a nearby falafel place. After wandering a bit we found another hostel that was cheaper, more centrally located, and altogether more hostel-y. Back up to the other hostel to get the others, but they weren't there.

We waited around, found out they were there, but in a room, in which Lauren and Andy decided to stay the night. After returning the bikes, Corina, Chelsea, and I walked all the way back here to the better hostel. The worst game of pool ever attempted was then sucked up by Corina and I, and now it is now.

Later tonight it is off to find a piercing place, tomorrow we shall get lunch with Chelsea's friend who couldn't meet up tonight, and then we head back to Jerusalem for the West Bank, Sulafa and Muniir, as well as the Dead Sea (and friends). If you ask real nice, I might even put up some more pictures.