Day 11

Friday, glorious Friday....
The day I get to traverse all over the country all by myself.  So I begin to plan my trip.  I realize I have to go into Jerusalem first in order to get there.  That means time to kill, which means meeting up with someone.  Seeing as a fifth of the country is Yeshiva/Seminary students chances are I can find someone to chill with for a few hours.  So I make a few phone calls and sure enough what do ya know someone was available.  Not just someone, and actually not a yeshiva student, but a friend who made Aliah 3 years ago.  I met up with them and they showed me all the important shops and places to buy things, because that all tourists ever do in this country.  But in all seriousness there are things I need so that was good.  Then we realized I was gonna be late.  So I begin the trek up the hill to the main bus terminal.  I arrive at the gates with just enough time to make it to the bus.  Now, being the stupid American student that I am, like a genius I forgot to factor in the massive all powerful metal detectors at the door that make the lines go to the moon and back.  As I make my way through the line I am getting more and more nervous as my Uncle told me that the bus I am on is notorious for leaving exactly on time if not 10 minutes early.  So there I am praying like crazy that by some miracle he will still be there by the time I am cleared to enter.  I get through and blast my way upstairs to the bus and I was trying to find which door was the right one to go through.  I find the correct door and thank G-d the bus is still there.  I am the second to last person on the bus.  The driver is a nice guy and he speaks English.  Turns out I am 7 Agurot short and don't have another cent on me.  I turn around to the guy in the front seat and innocently say Slicha (please)??  And sure enough he gave me 7 Agurot!!  I had such good luck that day.  When I got off the bus there was a Chiyal (solder) who got off behind me.  He had  helped me in telling me which stop to get off, and he asked me where I was going.  I told him I had cousins here and turns out he knew them.  So he got a ride with us!
I arrived at my Uncles, had some warm fresh out of the oven potato kugel and all was good.  Then it was Shabbos.  And that is the end to my saga of traveling the land.
Jesse