A First Time Hostel Experience with Israel’s Abraham Hostels

Never say never.  That has always been one of my mantras.  And yet, there was one thing I said I would never do.  I said I would never, ever, ever stay in a hostel.  Hostels are for solo travelers, super budget travelers, backpackers, and kids in their late teens or early twenties, right?  We don’t fit into any of those categories.  The thought of sharing a room with strangers and sleeping in a bunk bed frankly makes my skin crawl.  However, when we spoke to Abraham Tours and they offered to host us both on their tours and in their hostels, how could we say no?  Thus started our first time ever staying in a hostel.

A Tale of an Arab Village, ER Visit, and Israeli Kindness

I may look like I'm posing, but I'm really trying to get into the fetal position and not faint.

It was only our second day in Israel.  We had such big plans, so much food to eat, so many pictures to take, so much ground to cover.  But then it was all thrown off when I got really sick, fainted, and spent part of the night in the emergency room.

What to Do With One Day in Tel Aviv-Yafo

When we anticipated traveling to Israel, we imagined expansive deserts, ancient buildings and ruins, and cultures with histories going back millenniums.  But Tel Aviv is a little different.  Tel Aviv is as modern a city as it gets.  There’s still some old stuff, but a day in Tel Aviv is a day of exploring not only some of Israel’s ancient history, but also the new, vibrant, modern side of Israel.

Baby Jesus and Banksy: A Half-Day Tour of Bethlehem

O little town of Bethlehem, how still we see thee lie.  Sadly, today the reason why the little town of Bethlehem lies so still is because it is encapsulated in Israel’s West Bank, a place where many tourists don’t travel.  The town of Bethlehem, the birthplace of Jesus, used to be a very popular destination, especially for religious pilgrimages.  Now it is more of a ghost town, though Bethlehem is working hard to increase tourism once again.  For us, our visit to Bethlehem included the biblically significant attractions of Bethlehem related to it being Jesus’ birthplace as well as its more contemporary sites including the wall that divides Bethlehem from the rest of Israel and the modern street art that covers that wall and other surfaces of Bethlehem, including works of the famous graffiti artist Banksy. 

The Awesome Experience of Floating in the Dead Sea in Israel

Our trip to Israel was full of fun and interesting things to do ranging from Biblical history to modern times.  We saw where Jesus was born, where he lived, and where he died.  We stood by Jews wailing in prayer at the Western Wall.  We saw firsthand the struggle between Israel and Palestine in the West Bank.  While it was only a few hours in one day, probably the most joyful time we had while in Israel was floating in the Dead Sea.  If anyone tries to tell you floating in the Dead Sea is overrated, don’t believe them.  Floating in the Dead Sea is truly an awesome experience and a must-do when traveling to Israel.