He who would travel happily must travel light.
--Antoine de St.-Exupéry
International travel is fun, but it can be challenging. Proper preparation is essential. Bags must be strategically packed, everybody knows that. What everybody doesn't know is that the preparation of the mind and soul is just as important. Hints for the whole person are offered below (with a smile!) to help Bible Land Explorers on a two week bus tour in Israel/Palestine make the most of their journey.
Note: Preparing for other destinations (Europe or Africa) or other styles of travel (Mediterranean cruise) may require some adjustments to these suggestions. For you cruisers out there, go to the end of the list below.
Cooperation is key.
Group Travel
Solo travel has its advantages. So does group travel. Group travel makes it possible for the individual to spend less time wrestling with logistics and more time enjoying the ride. It is a distinct travel style, however, and one that must be contemplated in advance.
Listen to your feet!
footwear
Uneven steps, dirt trails, rocks, and ledges without rails are common in the lands of the Bible. Given these challenges, footwear is the most important clothing choice you must make. It is not the place to go chintzy. Go get your shoes on.
Really, are you going to go there?
Bottomside coverings
What garments meet the threshold of social responsibility, yet allow for freedom of movement? Here we consider a variety of ways to efficiently cloak the trusses of the human anatomy.
A sandwich bag of these can make a big difference.
Little things
It has taken me three decades to do it, but I have finally refined the kit of little things that I need for little trips. Some of these essentials go with me daily and reside permanently in my daypack. Others wait for me back at the hotel.
Soldiers and guns are not an unusual sight.
Group Security
Security is a high priority for governments, for local folk, for tour companies, bus drivers, and teaching guides. While absolute safety can never be guaranteed either at home or abroad, measures may be taken to minimize risk.
Hit the Road Jack.
Bus life
Movement on the ground is often facilitated by motorcoach. Bus life has its own manners and ethic. Savvy travelers will master these dynamics for the sake of their own comfort as well as for the comfort of others.
It is just a place to hang your hat.
ACCOMMODATIONS
We seek places that are comfortable and safe for study- and pilgrimage tour groups. A broad range of hotels/hostels are available to us, each with a distinctive set of services. Knowing something about these places and the services that they offer can make international travel feel less foreign.
There are many communication options for contemporary travelers. However, one must be careful.
communication
"Back in the day," as we are fond of saying . . . Of course, those days are gone. Today a broad range of communication devices keep travelers in touch with home. Sorting between these methods and devices is the contemporary dilemma. These newfangled gadgets are a blessing and a curse.
It’s not the technology that makes the photographer. It’s the eye.
PHOTOGRAPHY
No travel adventure is complete without a photograph to show for it. Preferences for cameras, formats, photo editing, and photo sharing technologies are highly personal, yet some basic concepts are always in style. Those concepts are as easy to remember as CELL.
Guard that little book!
travel documents
You must have a passport to travel internationally. Your passport certifies your identity and nationality. But that is not all! Be sure that you have these documents before your date of travel.
Mediterranean Cruise
The Mediterranean Cruise is a travel experience of its own. Dial the intensity down and the luxury up as you prepare to relax in the shade. I’m sure ready for this! Aren’t you?
What are the current rules for international travel?
Healthy Travel
Policies governing international travel continue to evolve as we gain new knowledge about the COVID-19. What do I need to know about policies and procedures for traveling to the Lands of the Bible in the weeks and months to come?
Bags are loaded under the bus.
about luggage
One of the ways to offset the challenges of foreign travel is to pack strategically. If you have the things you need, you will be more comfortable, mobile, and better able to direct your focus on the world around you. Here are a few helpful tidbits for packing strategically.
Sportin' the full doo. It has uses.
topside coverings
I remember how Kansas boys used to run around half-naked in the summer months. The full moon does funny things to the mind that way. Remember that the Middle East is not Kansas anymore.
Watch the sparks fly.
current issues
We love our electronic gadgets. But gadgets have drawbacks. They are heavy, expensive, and not always traveler-friendly. They also use electricity. Is this going to be an issue? Read on and be ready.
Ah meine Liebe. Es ist Sau wetter!
weather
Someone once said, "There is no such thing as bad weather. Only bad clothes." Packing for every possibility is impossible, but savvy travelers can hedge their bets by knowing what weather is typical for their destination.
Don't cross that line.
personal security
Balancing issues of group security (largely in the hands of others) are issues of personal security (largely in your own hands). You may be surprised to learn the identity of your biggest threat! Listen and learn.
Roommates Bettye and Karen.
Roommates
While single rooms are available, most travelers prefer to room with a buddy. Friendships old and new are created and enhanced by travel. Choosing a good roommate and being a good roommate is an important part of a successful pilgrimage- or study-tour experience. Read on to discover more.
Thumbs up to shawarma. And falafel. And schnitzel. And hummus . . .
food & drink
Most of our groups operate on a "room and half-board" program. This means breakfast and dinner are provided at the hotel, while lunch is not. Trying new foods is part of the travel thrill that you do not want to miss. Falafel, shawarma, and hummus are standard fare for Bible land travelers.
Sharing Scripture on Sunday morning. Consider a pilgrimage tour as a ministry tool.
for group leaders
Bringing a group of students or congregants on a Holy Land pilgrimage can be an experience of a lifetime. The enthusiasm it generates is reflective. It has the potential to refresh the process of spiritual formation in leaders as well as those they lead.
There's nothing like them in the world.
for Fam trippers
"Fam" is short for "Familiarization" and the “Fam Trips” through the Jerusalem Center for Biblical Studies are designed as a low-cost sampler to introduce future hosts/trip leaders to travel in Israel-Palestine.
WINTER travel
For some portions of the year, heat is the weather challenge in the Heartland. However, winter travel brings a whole different set of challenges.
shopping links
There is a slew of outfitters out there who are happy to sell you the gear you need (and even gear you don’t need!). Here are some of my favs.