In-reute to Tel Aviv...

I'm going to be updating this entry as I make my way down to Tel Aviv to meet with the "Hikkup" team.

Follow pics of this trip here.

Noon Thu Nov 16, 2006, - Redwood Shores, CA. I am on my way to Tel Aviv, Israel. This is my first trip to Israel but not the region. I’ve been to Dubai a couple of times the last few years. I was born in Baghdad (yup! Iraq) before immigrating to California, U.S.A., 27 years ago. While in Baghdad, I have foggy recollections of visiting Aleppo and Damascus in the mid 70's. My mom tells me I’ve been to East Jerusalem in 1965 at the age of 3 (this I definitely don't remember).

The cab ride to SFO was uneventful. The cab was late about 5 minutes because – like every other cabby – the driver was lost looking for my street. In this day and age of GPS navigation, you’d imagine this would not longer be happening but I guess “lost drivers” are not a “pain point” for taxi companies yet to invest in the technology.

I had a very polite driver who ended each sentence with “sir” (not something you hear often in the U.S.). We drove by the San Carlos airport and the conversation turned to the cabbies desire to own a private helicopter  … and a yacht with a helipad… Young guy with big dreams – why not?!

My flight to Atlanta Delta DL1648 is delayed 30 mins… hopefully, this is the worse of it. A friend from overseas recently traveling with Delta got a double-whammy: her luggage was lost twice – on the way in and on the way out. Ouch!