We wanted to be ready for Andreaz who would pick us up and bring us to the airport this morning - "Yeah! Andreaz! Thank you!" yes he would be there at 7 am -
so we went down to the
Lobby at 6:45 am - it was good to sit and relax and just wait for a little while... Nick paid the hotel for our meal etc. 
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| This young couple was expecting a baby..and asked if we could have a picture with the 3 of them! Sweet huh? |
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| Pretty huh? |
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| God's perfect creation! |
.... and then some guests came down from their rooms & asked if we could join them with a picture...Yes...happy to do so...Smile!Then I got a call from Deb
Bixler...."where are you Ellen.... your house is locked and I have something for you!?"
Oh Deb we stayed in the Tetirah Hotel the last 2 evening so to make ready the house...get it emptied out etc & clean...she said "Wait 5 minutes .....I will right there!
So up the driveway alley she came on her yellow- sepeda motor!"Hey Debbie what are you doing up so early and buzzing around town?"
She said she was going to the gym...
...and she said she wanted to give us something - "ah so sweet Debbie - thank you!"
It was a decoration that was made by a organization that reaches out to young women.
"Oh Deb I saw these at the Christmas bazaar....they are beautiful!" She said ..."well my color is yellow" yes Deb I see that ...HA!...your motorbike is too!
"And I get to give you one more hug before we leave - she said!! Deb also mentioned that her daughter lives in Turlock - you're kidding??? -Really? We have very good friends that live in Turlock there too! Deb said she would love for us to say "HELLO" to her daughter! I we will certainly make the effort!!!
Deb & Steve are from the Fresno area, and working here in Salatiga!
Andreaz arrived - "Good morning Andreaz! Thanks for coming so early to pick us up for the airport!"
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| Seeing & thinking about Salatiga from the rear view window..."till we see you again Salatiga!" |
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| "We will miss you friends of Salatiga!" |
We headed out for our drive to 
Yogjakarta...and took the road by way of Solo...a little longer but not all those major holes and bumps in the road to Klaten like we had done before! Andreaz is a wonderful driver...and our trip went smooth, steady, and relaxed, talking to him and spending our lasts hours together! 
We were so thankful for this time with our friend! When we got to the airport at around 10 we checked in the baggage and then had a bite to eat 
with Andreaz - it was nice to sit for just a little bit longer! We then had to say our farewell's but instead of good-bye it is Sampai Nanti...we will see you again later! Oh Andreaz - we love you! And will miss you too!We paid our airport tax and when we got upstairs to go through immigrations
we were escorted right outside..
.I guess they were boarding already! 
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| "So Long Indonesia...till we meet again!" |
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| "We Love you Indonesia...thank you for welcoming us so!" |
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| Last sight of Mount Gunung Marapi - there in the distance sticking out through the clouds! |
Our beloved Indonesia....Yes such a special time we have had...and have met so many wonderful people! God has blessed us so with this year! Wow!
Air Asia attendant gave us the usual safety instructions...we had perfect seats (thanks Nick!)...with lots of leg room! Right across the isle was a couple from Australia - "Barbara was her name!" She and her husband live in Australia and had traveled to Japan...by way of Sri Lanka, Indonesia and now Malaysia. They live 300 miles outside of Sydney and Barbara said they had recently purchased a round house kit in the US and had it built on their property perched high on a outlook point...sounds so' nice Barbara! They loved to travel & she was really encouraging about enjoying traveling and see & visiting & making friends in different countries and I so" enjoyed my conversation with her! "God Bless you Barbara & husband on your continued travels!"
The flight took 2.5 hrs to Kuala Lumpur Malaysia and we knew we had a 7 hr lay-over here. But going through the process
of customs as you enter into Malaysia then having to retrieve your luggage - then going to departures and then checking in your suitcases again - going through safety check etc....it all takes a lot of time. 
We did arrive in the new airport which Beppie had told us about - and so we learned there is 3 new terminals...spread out from one another with a shuttle tram to get you Term 1 Term 2 Term 3...one is arrival International, then there is Term 2 togo to check-in with your outgoing flight in our case it was Royal Jordanian Airlines. After doing that - we were thankful to get rid of our suitcase again. We sat down
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| "Ah...I picked up a Lonely Planet - West Europe in KL" Got it...so glad! |
flight & flight attendants was tops! Service was good...and the 12 hour flight went well...watching movies and trying to take 'cat-naps'. We made one stop in Bangkok...and stayed on the plane - while some people got off and others came on board. A crew came in to clean up very quickly - all this took about an hour! Boy they do that fast! 
So we were back up in the air in no time at all...heading to Jordan again! 
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| Down to the last 1.5 hours of this 12 hour flight! Yeah!!! |  |
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| Sunrise - oh such a gorgeous sight! A deep orange glow! |
When we arrived in Jordan (local time) 5:00 am (4 hours earlier with Indonesia) we arrived there in a new 
airport - just completed and it was very big - 
we went through customs and collected our baggage
and then sat at Starbuck's (yes in Jordan too! ha!) and just relaxed with a good cup of Cupiccino coffee and split a very nice "coffee muffen" nice! We just took some time to soak in the comfortable chairs and charge up with our phone. Gosh we made it! We are here! 
It was a beautiful Sunny day out...the air was different and we could feel that right away...no moisture and a dry warmth - more like what we are use to from CA & OR...
After getting our bearings - we started to inquire about how to get to the border. We decided to go ahead and just do that...our first B&B was in Jerusalem. So talking with a lot of excited taxi drivers some spoke some English words here and there...we found out it cost $45, - just like the Lonely Planet book said - to get to the border with a taxi - a 1 hour drive. The driver said "no problem - no problem at border crossing today...yesterday busy...today OK" so we decided to do just that! We left with Muhammad the driver and headed to the border...oh what a drive it was! The scenery that is - was DRY out there! What a switch from Indonesia! 
Dry hills...we passed by Amman the town - and drove directly towards the border...Palestine / Israel / Jordan border. We dropped about 2000 feet in very short time...and came to a sign that showed us the
sea level and then Muhammad said that we are now going down to the Jordan River which is below sea level! He stopped to show us the sign!
He pointed up high to a mountain & said "there is Mount Nebo - where Moses the prophet stood overlooking the Jordan river looking toward Canaan. Oh my what a reality for us! Yes way up there "can you imagine him standing there looking down at this valley...so dry...so rough...and seeing in the distance his beloved Canaan land...WOW! What a reality. All the people standing there...having waited 40 years and then to see the lowlands of Israel.
But it was so dry...just didn't expect it to be so dry! Yes dessert - but having been in Asia for 1 year and experiencing so many tropical plants & flowers and all the moisture in the air...this was certainly a opposite view ! We continue down the valley and my ears popped. We were dropped of by Muhammad at the border gate...a little building and we sat there until they opened up - at 8 am. We met "Johan" and Dutchie who was traveling with his girlfriend - she was in Syria for the day - she works for freelance as a Auditor for the United Nations and was hired to do something for the day in Syria. They were enjoying the trip together for a few days in Amman...Johan is Dutch and lives in Italy with his France girlfriend. They started with 100 acres growing olives and importing them. He was excited to do some other things too in the organic field. Johan was fun to talk to and he decided while she would be in Syria he would cross the border and go see Israel for a day or so! Always fun to talk...as soon as we heard ......"the accent" we knew we were talking to a Dutchie...of course!Johan said he enjoyed life in Italy...and liked the relaxed atmosphere there - he welcomed us to their home just outside of Rome - in a town called Genazzano - sounds wonderful to me! Thank you Johan for the invitation! We just might take you up on it when we get to Italy!
As we got going through the customs - so going through the departure section of Jordan : they gave us a slip of paper where we had to write out name, passport # and country of citizenship on it, We had to hand in our passports. Then get into a bus waiting outside - and put in our suitcase...then drive to the gate of the no-man's land...in the mean time the officer handed back our passports inside the bus with the exit stamp on it. As we drove through this no-man's land we were handed back our passports. We came to this other area all gated and fenced and it was the Isreal border check-point...so we all got off the bus gathering our baggage and getting into a queue area and we were lined up going in a out through this queue area...till we came to a window where we process to enter into Israel, why were we here? How long will you stay? Where are you staying? And where will you be departing too? All good questions...and we explained we were traveling through and would be heading to Greece from Tel Aviv Airport from here...not even sure how long our passport visa is - I should look....oh Wow we have a permit to stay until the 26th of September...nice! That was generous!
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| We were all getting really sleepy - I saw others bobbing off! |
Jerusalem....oh - and the activity...so busy...with so many taxi's buses...and people everywhere! Jerusalem lots going on! |
| We couldn't believe how dry it looked out there....! |
wall...could hardly believe we were even standing here...can you believe it? The City gate...so much to see and do in the next 7 days. I waited there - in the busy shopping street - while Nick wandered off to go look for a taxi to bring us to our bed & breakfast place...thankfully we had a street address and found out it was in a new development just on the outskirts of Jerusalem...so our taxi headed out and we were about 15 min outside of the old town...The apartments were in a area of family living. Stores & shops - a comfortable area - "Aliza's home was a downstairs unit
...so she has a garden to sit in ...and 3 bedrooms. She rents out 2 bedrooms and lives in the back master bedroom off the kitchen. We have a double bed which is very very comfortable...and we have use of the bathroom, tub/shower. Nice! We have a desk in the room (with WiFi!) and a TV above the bed. Use of the kitchen with lots of appliances too! We can even use the washing machine! The weather by the way was about 85 degrees...a dry hot...just like we are more accustomed to in the States. So that was nice! When we arrived we rang the
doorbell and no one answered at first. We rang it a few times and then heard someone above outside on their balcony...so we called out. "Aliza? Aliza?" And all at once someone came to us...a young man and opened the front door and led us to the front door of Aliza's house. She was at work..and he showed us the 
apartment, kitchen, yard and our bedroom....oh that bed looked so inviting! 
It was around 1 pm by now and we were BUSHED...as the saying goes! We dropped like flies! We put down our suitcases...and washed up and went to bed till 1:30-3:30 pm so very tired! 
Maybe get a bite to eat and get some items we needed! It was so neat to hear the language spoken - and we thankful to be here! OK...let's eat...in the shopping mall we found a nice place...we ordered a salad..and a small pizza. Our Greek & Veggie salad was KING SIZE! So good! We were thankful for the early dinner and the items for the room. Yes it was good to get out, have something to eat...and then head back to the room again! Aliza was still not home 7:30 pm - we hit the sack...and CRASHED...Gone...slept like a rock till morning! 6:30 am - a new day in Jerusalem....can you believe it? We woke up very slow and very groggy! But rested this morning! We had some of the things we had bought and tried to nose around in the kitchen...but Aliza was not yet awake...so we quietly waited till she was...and at 8:30 am we met our "innkeeper" no our hostess...who was very gracious and welcoming! "Thank you Aliza for letting us stay in your home...we slept wonderfully - the bed was so comfortable and the room is so' nice...we are thankful!" She showed us the kitchen..and the use of the appliances - hot water dispenser...and the coffee, and ...and the outside garden area. She was so sweet! She showed us a picture of her children...she had triplets...2 boys and a girl...and she said her husband had passed away from a bad heart. Her sons would be coming over this evening for dinner & we could meet them and we could also come and join them all for dinner! How kind!
Well time to start our day here in Jerusalem - it is 9:30 am ...a beautiful day it is! But wanted you all to have the latest - from us! And getting these pictures on the blog - is important to me and to keep you all posted as well! We are excited - Aliza just handed us 2 cards for the new tram to the Old City..how nice! So I guess we will head out soon...when Ellen gets done on this computer yes?
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