Buenos Dias, Bonjourno and Boker Tov,
Today is travel day to the Holy Land. Confusing greeting, now you can get an idea of the day we had: Madrid to Rome to Tel Aviv.
We got wake up calls at 3:00 AM plus I had the alarm set for 3:15, just in case I fell back to sleep. Sue and I laid in bed and we could tell by each others’ breathing we were not sleeping, both our minds racing. Finally, we got up around 11:00 talked for awhile and Susan took half a xanax, but I didn’t want to…..afraid I would sleep thru. Johna and Sam were having the same problem in their rooms, unknown to us as they watched TV.
Susan’s breathing confirmed sleep and I laid there with one eye open as the clock struck 1. Two hours later the phone rang, I answered and 15 minutes later I got up after the alarm went off.
The kids were up and ready to go just as I finished my shower. Our flight was at 6 Am and we were close to the airport but I had to get the kids and the luggage to terminal 2 and then Susan and I had to return the beast to terminal 1 and walk to terminal 2, So we needed extra time.
Mission accomplished: we checked in and had one hour until the flight boarded. As we approached the gate we still had time for a quick coffee and toast in the lounge.
The flight took off on time and we arrived in Rome ready to change planes in the same terminal. The plane unloaded us on the parking tarmac and we were bussed in. We thought we could go to the lounge and relax for the next flight, but we had to walk from one end of the terminal to the other, only toget on a bus to take us back to where we first landed.
Who runs these companies???
We just made it, but people were late and we sat in the plane for an hour +, also having lost our place in line. We all slept until they shoved something that looked like food in front of us and a baby two rows up started to CRYYYYY. Three hours later we arrived in Tel Aviv, one hour late and exhausted.
Customs wasn’t to bad and we got our luggage and I went for the car rental. An hour later we were in the lot searching the for the car. Twenty minutes later we were loaded and ready to go, but no one was around and 20 minutes later we took off after I figured out how to drive it and use the controls and the I-pad they gave us for a GPS system.
4:00 pm and we were off for Haifa. Traffic was a bear and we had to take a pit stop and get water. By 6:00 pm we were in Haifa at our condo, luggage ready to go down these long stairs, but nobody was home to let us in. Twenty minutes later, as we stood there, the owner came back and let us in. Amos was very nice and invited us up to his home for some wine and cheese, which we did until we knew we had to get some food and get organized for tomorrow. The kids and I went to the Supermarket and Susan stayed at the apartment to get our travel plans in order.
We finally made some sandwiches and ate, all of us exhausted and running short of patience ( I think it was me), so we went to bed, all of us praying that tomorrow would be a better day. You will have to wait to find out. We were so hassled, we only too 7 pictures all day. See below
Layla Tov,
God Bless you all
Love Tom, Susan and the kids
It’s not too late to send us your prayer intentions, we will present them at all the stops we make along the way: TSMelillo13@aol.com
Prayer to Our Lady in Time of Trouble
Holy Virgin Mary, you are reigning in glory, with Jesus, your Son. Remember us in our sadness. Look kindly on all who are suffering or fighting against any difficulty. Have pity on those who are separated from someone they love. Have pity on the loneliness of our hearts. Have pity on the weakness of our faith and love. Have pity on those who are weeping, on those who are praying, on those who are fearful. Holy Mother, please obtain for all of us hope and peace with justice.
Amen.
May God Bless Each and Every One Of You!
Tom & Susan Melillo
Palm Beach Gardens, FL 33418 (USA)