Here is what to keep in mind:
- There are no lockers at the airport. You will need to transport carry-on luggage wherever you go.
- The city is a 30 – 45 minute taxi ride from the airport.
- Most historic sites close by 5 p.m. on Mondays and the Philadelphia Art Museum is closed all day. There may be other sites open much later. You can do an online search for Philadelphia Tourism Attractions.
- Rush hour can become a gridlock.
- Anyone leaving the airport during a layover must be back by 6:30 – 7 pm at the latest, go thru the security lines and proceed to the gate.
- Boarding will begin approx. 45 min – 1 hour prior to departure.
- Boarding the international flight is the priority.
What is the airline schedule for the group traveling from Boston?
US / 5692 05JAN2015 BOS 4:30P / PHL 6:10P
US / 796 05JAN2015 PHL 9:15P / TLV 3:10P
US / 797 17JAN2015 TLV 11:30P / PHL 5:20A
US / 1819 18JAN2015 PHL 8:15A / BOS 9:39A
Israel and Jordan are 7 hours ahead of EST. If we leave PHL at 9:15 p.m. it is 4:15 a.m. in Israel. We arrive at 3:10 p.m., which means the flight is about 11 hours.
What time should we arrive at the Boston airport?
If you are traveling with the group from Boston, plan to arrive at Logan airport 2½ hours ahead of our flight time to Philadelphia. For travelers coming with the group from Boston, baggage will be checked through to Tel Aviv. Travelers coming from other areas will get information from the travel agency with specific instructions.
What can I expect for sleeping accommodations?
The hotel rooms in Israel (as in most of Europe) are typically smaller than the U.S. rooms. So if there is a triple, there will be a rollaway bed brought in. It is unlikely that any hotel has two queens. They will have either one queen or two twins.
What type of chargers and adapters do we need to have for devices that require electricity?
The electric current is 220 AC volts, 50 cycles, European type. Both adapters (makes the plug physically fit into the wall) and converters (powers up the voltage of the electricity) are required for American products. All hotels have hair dryers.
What time do we start each day and how long are the days?
The days will begin early. Although this is subject to change, a typical day may begin with breakfast around 7:00 a.m. and dinner in the evening around 6:00 p.m.
What is the daily schedule?
- Rise and Shine
- Breakfast (included in the price of the tour)
- Board Bus
- Devotional
- Review of sites for the day and touring
- Lunch followed by more touring (Note: One falafel lunch is included. Most lunch stops are going to be at shopping areas/malls or downtown areas. A typical lunch would be in the $10 - $15 range. Usually you will have more than one option. Most people don’t want much of a lunch after the big breakfast at the hotel and before the big dinner.
- Dinner (included in the price of the tour)
Are there toilet facilities on the bus?
There are no toilets on the bus, but keep in mind that the distances in Israel are short, and there are going to be plenty of stops and restrooms opportunities every day, throughout the day.
Will our carry-on luggage fit under the bus when we travel to tourist stops?
Stay within the carry-on dimensions required. Carry-on luggage of required dimensions should fit under the bus with the one-checked bag allowance. You may want to have a smaller bag that you pack (such as a backpack) and then use to carry with you each day on the bus.
Can we leave our belongings on the bus during the day?
You will want to keep valuables with you at all times. You may leave a coat on the bus if it is a warmer day or other small replaceable items. We will be using the same bus throughout the tour.
What will the weather be like? Will we need winter coats?
The weather will be mixed. It can be cold in January 30s-50s and there have been reports in the past of snow. Weather will be warmer in the south and in the desert, but nights can be colder. The best advice is to bring layers.
How many tourist stops will we be going to while in Israel?
There are many tour stops every day. The number of stops varies from day to day. Some are in commercial areas, other more rural. Some familiar places we will not visit are Capernaum, Masada and the Dead Sea.
Where can I find an itinerary and map of the tour?
You can access the itinerary and map by going to the blog and clicking Archaeological Study Tour Home Page under the Helpful Links title.
How much money should I bring?
A good place to start is 100 $1 bills (newer bills are more compact and vendors prefer bills that are new). Most vendors who are trying to sell small items want U.S. dollars. For higher-priced items, a credit card will be acceptable.
How much walking should we expect? Would it be helpful to have hiking boots?
There is quite a lot of walking involved each day. Not straight through, but it accumulates. You should be sure to bring good walking shoes or hiking boots that you have already broken in.
Will there be an opportunity to do laundry?
Sometimes people do hand washing of a few items in their own room. Normally, that would be fine…but the problem is that the hand washed items won’t dry in one night and would have to be re-packed wet, stay in the suitcase until the next evening when we check in at the next hotel.
Another issue is that we get up early, tour all day and usually getting back just prior to dinner. In a one-night hotel it could very likely not be finished and you would have to leave without it. Having laundry done is a possibility at hotels where we are staying for two nights.
However, the last hotel in Jerusalem is a 5 night stay. The Dan Panorama does have laundry service. So if travelers pack enough for the 8 prior days and have something that needs to be washed, it can be cleaned there for the final 4-5 travel days.
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