All's Well That Ends Well-- The Miraculous Trek Home From Jaffa Port

 

The trip home from Jaffa Port was complicated... read all about it...

 

Whenever I'm not sure of the route, I trust Google Maps, which is pretty reliable, especially nowadays when there are so many changes in bus routes and bus stops. Actually, I arrived at the Jaffa Port reasonably easily via Ariel, where I had taken one of the buses to Tel Aviv and had gotten off by some government offices. From there I had no problem finding the 44 to the port. The instructions for the walk to the port weren't all that clear, but by concentrating on how many meters were left, I could see if an about face was needed. Trust me; there were quite a few. But then I saw the massive building by the port and just had to find the entrance. 

Where was I going? To a beer festival, the Beer Market had returned to Jaffa Port. Last time I traveled with the rest of the beer tasters via Jerusalem, but since then I discovered that it's easier and faster to get to and from Shiloh via Ariel. 

I was the first of our group to arrive; most arrived soon afterwards. This post isn't about the festival and beers, though I hope to blog about some favorites at a later date. Wisely I packed a nice vegetable omelet for dinner-- to counteract the alcohol of the beer and give me healthy energy for the trip home. 

As usual I consulted Google Maps and then was happy to discover that my favorite Tel Aviv-Ariel the express bus was listed as the one I'd catch "somewhere," but before I left the port the instructions began changing rapidly with all sorts of cancellations. 

The Beer Maven invited me to join them in the taxi to the Tel Aviv Train Station, where they were catching the train to Jerusalem. I thought about it for a nanosecond but decided it would just increase my trip, and I may be stuck in Jerusalem. I needed a bus to Ariel where I could catch a bus to Shiloh. 

With Google Maps, and a number of helpful strangers, to guide me I finally found the 44 going back to Tel Aviv. I got off where Google Maps instructed but couldn't find an Ariel bus anyplace. I kept asking people, but they didn't see the 286 number anywhere either. Finally a nice young man took out his earphones and began searching via the app Moovit. Apparently some big event in Tel Aviv changed traffic and bus stops. 

After we walked close to a kilometer we returned to where I had gotten off the 44, and we crossed the street. The 286 wasn't listed, but there was a 285 to Ariel on a sign, but it wasn't on the board  of "live" buses. He insisted that his app said the bus was close. He spotted a bus passing us and managed to hail it for me; yes the 286. I thanked him and climbed in through the back door. Yes, the bus hadn't realized that I was waiting. That tzaddik-- righteous man really saved me. 

I used my efobus app to check if I had a chance to catch a Shiloh bus in Ariel, and thank Gd I did. It wouldn't be true to say that the trip was uneventful or quick, but I got off at the first stop in Ariel on time. 

Then I walked slowly through the Ariel Shopping Center on the road, hoping that a neighbor would notice me and take me home. Finally, at the bus stop I waited for the bus which would take me to my street, ok via the scenic route of Eli, but it was MY BUS. 

Since my phone's battery was too close to zero for anything not urgent, I didn't check how the rest of the crew was doing. Once home, I plugged in my phone and contacted them. The Pisgat Zeev Beer Tasters had "landed" in Jerusalem but still not near their neighborhood. 

I enjoyed the beer and the company... and thank Gd and wonderful strangers I made it home safe, sound and sober.

Confusing-- Google Maps to The Rescue

Major changes have been happening in Jerusalem the past decade or so, and now hardly a week passes with another road being dug up resulting in changes in the bus routes. And when all this is complete, Gd willing I will live to see and enjoy it (it's no secret that I'll be 77 in a few months), we'll have more lines of the lightrail and changes in even the most veteran bus routes.

We don't have a car, so our transportation is public transportation. We can't trust that the bus routes we've known for decades haven't changed, so I check Google Maps when planning my trips in Jerusalem. 

When you open the app, you're asked to write your required destination and verify your "starting point." Then it gives you three basic options, private transportation, public or hoofing it- yup, walking. Each route option gives a time estimate, and walking-- including walking to/from the bus will offer routes. So, don't panic. Just click Google Maps.

Living Without a Car, How Do We Travel?

How do I manage to travel, even though we don't have a car, and public transportation can be rather complicated?

Sometimes it can be very easy, but days like yesterday can be rather complicated. I had to get to my cousin in Hod Hasharon, which in theory shouldn't be all that complicated --our 461 to Ariel and then there are usually many buses from there to the Yarkon Junction.

But the Transportation Ministry has decided that people don't travel on Israeli Independence Day by bus. Most of the buses to Ariel had been canceled, so I took the first one, which came to Shiloh about 10am. For a few stops I was the only passenger on the bus! Then some more came on.
As we arrived in Ariel, I checked on the bus app (efo bus) for buses to Yarkon Junction. They all said "day+" meaning tomorrow. That wasn't very helpful. I didn't want to tremp-- hitchhike.

Suddenly it indicated that an 86 to Petach Tikva would be at Ariel Mall stop in about six minutes. I was a few minutes from there, but if the driver was planning on letting us off at the official last stop, I'd miss the bus.

At times chutzpah is necessary, so I asked the driver to let me off a few hundred meters early, and he agreed, so I easily caught the connecting bus. The next bus was about an hour or more later. Neighbors would be passing by about a half an hour afterwards, so they could have picked me up. I only found out that they'd be traveling in the direction I needed after I had left on the 461.

At Tzomet Yarkon I was picked up by my cousin. The return trip was a bit more complicated... If you want to hear, please let me know.

Sometimes People are So Nice

 

No doubt I'm sometimes guilty of complaining too much, but when there's something really nice to talk/write about it's so important to let the world know.

Last Thursday on my way home from Jerusalem after seeing cousins, I had some wonderful experiences. While walking out of the Old City, I had checked the bus schedule and saw that if I hurried I could catch a bus to the Shiloh Junction. 

With still another couple of minutes' walk to the lightrail I saw a train coming. I had to hurry, since the next train might have gotten me there too late. As I huffed and puffed onto the train a young man slid out of his seat, so I could take it. I paid and then sat down. I guess he heard and saw my arrival.

I got to the bus stop with time to spare, and the bus actually came on time, which is quite rare. 

On the bus I looked up and saw those little "outlets" to plug in the phone for charging, which was needed, since my phone battery was getting dangerously low. The only problem was that no matter how much I tried, they didn't work, so I asked the driver about it. He couldn't fix it from his end, but a young soldier on the other side of the aisle offered me his portable charger. But he got off a few stops later, and I saw that my phone battery was still low. I thanked him and told him it was fine.

To my surprise the driver reached into his pocket and gave me his portable charger. Wow!

 Yes, Sometimes People are So Nice.

Friday's Travels, Tremps & Buses, Life in The Slow Lane

Friday morning when I left home to catch a ride at the Yarkon Junction, I was very optimistic that I'd be on time. Usually I am. I got to Ariel, near the university with time to spare, so I decided to go to the nearby mall and use the loo. Blog post on that, Gd willing, in a few days.

I was disappointed to discover that the Ariel Municipality still hasn't made a safe sidewalk for pedestrians entering the new mall from the university, bus stops etc.

 As you can see from the above photo, there's still a dangerous "under construction" sidewalk of sorts along the main road to the mall. Whenever I've found myself walking in the dangerous mess over there, I think that Ariel Founder and Mayor, the late Ron Nachman, Z"L, would have made sure the sidewalk was safely completed before the stores had opened.

Not wanting to walk on the rocks and along the road in the direction of traffic, I crossed back to the bus stop I needed far from the "crosswalk."

Unexpectedly I discovered that it would be at least fifteen minutes to a bus, which meant that I'd be cutting it close at best. Davka, I didn't check in advance and chose the time of the morning with the least buses.

Of course, the bus was late, and a dozen or more people got on. Some of them with travel bags, which the driver insisted should be put under the bus. When one of the passengers with a bag on wheels sat in the front and looked totally blank and uncomprehending at the driver's request to sit in the back, I spoke to the man in English. Thank Gd, I guessed correctly, and he took himself and his bag further back.

There are signs available for those looking for rides that can show where you need to go.

Of course I updated my ride that I'd be late.

I'm glad to have discovered that bus routes in Ariel have changed. I don't know if it's all the buses, or just the ones I went on, 186 and 86, if I remember correctly. They now take the new bypass road at the Rami Levi Mall. This makes it easier to get to those stores. That means there's less bus service to the old industrial zone.

Luckily it didn't really matter that we were "later than planned" to the event we were going to, because there was no formal program.

Going home, I was dropped off at the Yarkon Junction and got a ride to the Gittit (Revava) Junction. There after a short wait, I caught a bus which took me to the Ariel University. I got off a stop early, so I could walk a bit. Then I got a ride with a neighbor.

And I managed to finish everything necessary at home before Shabbat. That's pretty good, since it was one of the "shortest Fridays" of the year.

Yes, this is how I survive without a car.

Pet Peeve, Bad Bus Design

Israel's intercity buses are starting to cause me pain. That's because they have the bell, which announces to the driver that he must stop at the next stop, on the ceiling.

I'm short and I have short arms. There's no way I can reach it while sitting. And even if I stand up, I end up pulling my arm and re-injuring my shoulder.

So, I pray that someone else, who is getting off at the same stop will ring it. Or I ask another passenger to ring the bell. And if there's no one available, I try to get the driver's attention to inform him that I need to get off the bus at the upcoming stop.

I may be wrong, but it seems like the bus designers are all taller than me with longer arms. And they don't travel on buses.

Do you have this problem or anything similar?

Jerusalem Egged Buses Modernizing, Part 1

For the past few weeks, there have been announcements and warnings about major changes on Egged's Jerusalem buses.

To speed up travel, bus drivers will no longer be "clerks" selling tickets and making change. They aren't going the way of the American "exact change only." We are supposed to use these little machines to load our RavKav cards with the tickets we need.

This is fine if the bus stop has one of the machines, like the one here, and you have a charge/credit card and time. Some machines will take cash, and there are special RavKav centers in some of the malls around town. Passengers on the Jerusalem Lightrail have gotten used to the fact that we can't buy a ticket on the train, but the trains are more frequent than than many buslines. It can be very annoying to miss a bus that only comes every twenty minutes, because you were loading your card.

Frequent travelers who get a monthly pass will just have to deal with it once a month. Many other regular users of the trains and buses keep a number of trips on their card, so they won't be caught empty. You can check the content on those machines. For people like me, who usually begin our bus travels to Jerusalem in Egged Taavura, it's less problematic, since our bus drivers can load the RavKav cards with the various options. There are no ticket machines in our area.

The only people who will really find this problematic are tourists and others who don't have RavKav cards*, but I think they can be purchased from the machines and other places.

If I've gotten anything incorrect here, please let me know, thanks.

*There are two basic types of RavKav cards. One is the personal one, with a picture, registered to a single person. It automatically charges discount rates for the Senior Citizens and those officially recognized as handicapped by government authorities. The second is the "anonymous" card which can be used by anyone. It gives the 90 minute transfer but no senior/handicapped discount, nor can you do the special "all day" ticket.

New Haunt of Sorts

In taking on new challenges, I found myself wandering around Malcha near Teddy Stadium.

Literally I wandered around, since I couldn't find the entrance needed. Luckily I gave myself lots of spare time.

I also discovered that there's a fantastic bus that goes there from the Jerusalem Central Bus Station, #31. Years ago, I'd take the same number to the Malcha Mall from the center of town. I spent a good portion of the trip from Shiloh googling and examining google maps to find the best bus. I also asked for help from others. I could have just taken the #77 from Ramat Eshkol, but it certainly would have taken longer.  I had also thought of taking the #15 from the bus station to near Matan and taking the #77, #18 or #14. But I was convinced there had to be a more efficient way, and that's why I kept googling. Davka, the #31 leaves from the same stop as the #15. And even though the "board" and my "efoBus" application both insisted that it would be another 19 minutes to the next bus, one came about two minutes after I got to the stop.

And not being able to find the exact place I needed did have its advantages, I walked a lot, lots of steps.

An Advantage of Having to Get Up Early-Gorgeous Sun!

OK, when today I could have slept as late as I needed my body decided that two days of waking up just after 4am weren't enough. So I've been up since long before dawn. Gd willing, I'll sleep later, to a more normal time, tomorrow.

Yesterday I had to catch either a ride or the earliest bus, just after 6am, to Jerusalem. When I was waiting at the main bus stop, I was mesmerized watching the sun rise to its early morning glory. Here are a few photos of it.

Just before the bus came to the stop I caught a ride. Even though we ended up in an awful traffic jam, since I had left early enough, I still had time to walk most of the way to Matan from where I had gotten off in the Center of Jerusalem.