November 2005 Tel Aviv Meet
Dec 1, 2004, 7:15 am
#32
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Originally Posted by apirchik
Dovster - I would love to attend and help you organize this meeting. As one who knows Tel Aviv and central Israel much better than you do, I think I can add some value here ... 
Wowser, apirchik.....with you and Dovster as a team this will be another utterly outstanding FT meet!
I am ok with those early November dates.....(personally prefer it not to be so close to thanksgiving which mr. dedehans' family make a big deal out of....)
How about everyone else?
Dec 1, 2004, 7:43 am
#33
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Originally Posted by Dovster
Hotels are no problem. The Hilton, two Sheratons, a Marriott, and a Crowne Plaza are all within a few minutes walk of each other. So is the hotel I will be staying in -- the Adiv, a three star facility with much lower prices than the major ones but everything you really need for a comfortable stay.
Are there any Ramada's in Israel??
We should probably set the dates in the next month or so as those booking SkyTeam awards may want to do so at the 331 day window.
Personally, we're going to try for El Al award tickets from LAX/TLV.
Shalom.....
Dec 1, 2004, 8:09 am
#35
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Two more maybes. We have relatives and baby relatives in the Galilee who by then will be long overdue for (a) having updated arguments with or (b) having updated fusses made over (respectively), so that works. We'll be either ending and/or starting fresh RTWs in IST or CAI around then, both of which are easily reached from TLV, so it would be handy to synch these happy events. (Very happy if your last name is Master Card.)
Dec 1, 2004, 10:10 am
#36
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Apirchik, I am very happy to have you help organize this Meet and even happier that you are coming.
I do, however, question whether you know Tel Aviv better than I do.
True, you live there and I don't. True, you have been to many more restaurants in the city than I have. True, you fly in and out of TLV about 5 times as often as I do.
I still knew you were going to get into a traffic jam on Kaplan Street and you didn't!!!!
For those of you who don't know Apirchik, he is one of those young whipper-snappers who have done so well in the high tech field. I have a feeling that he is going to be our guide to Tel Aviv's in spots.
He also appears to be one of those men who have no problem with women -- and hence I have been very careful about not letting him meet my daughter.
Gardyloo, I have added you and "Mrs. Gardyloo" to the list. I realize that was a presumption on my part and if by "we" you were not referring to a Mrs. Gardyloo, just let me know and I will change it to whomever you want.
Cholula, I am not going to wait until the end of the month to set a date. I will give it one or two more days for any input and then make the decision. (Other airlines may not have the 331 day maximum period for award flights.)
I do, however, question whether you know Tel Aviv better than I do.
True, you live there and I don't. True, you have been to many more restaurants in the city than I have. True, you fly in and out of TLV about 5 times as often as I do.
I still knew you were going to get into a traffic jam on Kaplan Street and you didn't!!!!
For those of you who don't know Apirchik, he is one of those young whipper-snappers who have done so well in the high tech field. I have a feeling that he is going to be our guide to Tel Aviv's in spots.
He also appears to be one of those men who have no problem with women -- and hence I have been very careful about not letting him meet my daughter.
Gardyloo, I have added you and "Mrs. Gardyloo" to the list. I realize that was a presumption on my part and if by "we" you were not referring to a Mrs. Gardyloo, just let me know and I will change it to whomever you want.
Cholula, I am not going to wait until the end of the month to set a date. I will give it one or two more days for any input and then make the decision. (Other airlines may not have the 331 day maximum period for award flights.)
Dec 1, 2004, 10:23 am
#37
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Originally Posted by Dovster
Cholula, I am not going to wait until the end of the month to set a date. I will give it one or two more days for any input and then make the decision. (Other airlines may not have the 331 day maximum period for award flights.)
Good!!!!
^
Dec 1, 2004, 10:31 am
#38
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Originally Posted by Dovster
Gardyloo, I have added you and "Mrs. Gardyloo" to the list. I realize that was a presumption on my part and if by "we" you were not referring to a Mrs. Gardyloo, just let me know and I will change it to whomever you want.
Dec 1, 2004, 10:36 am
#39
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Originally Posted by Gardyloo
Sorry. Yes, Mrs. will do. Or Countess.
Dec 1, 2004, 10:41 am
#40
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Originally Posted by Dovster
He also appears to be one of those men who have no problem with women
Dec 1, 2004, 10:47 am
#41
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wow what great information!
Thanks for all the information, I'm very interested. You can put me down for a maybe.
Originally Posted by Dovster
Peachfront, I just spoke with my daughter, who is the family resident bird expert. (I am serious -- she was trained by the Israeli Air Force and had the job of keeping birds off of their bases so as not to be sucked up into jet engines.)
As you probably know, Israel is birdwatchers' paradise because the flocks migrating from Europe to Africa (and return) have no other route to travel which would take them over land.
She told me that the Northern migration takes place in March-April-May with April being the ideal time and that the Southern migration is September-October-November with October being the height of it.
She suggested, however, that you not confine yourself to Eilat. The Hula Valley (slightly north of the Sea of Galilee) houses a very large nature preserve and is even a better spot for birdwatching. The downside of the Hula Valley is that it does not have any hotels and you would have to stay in either Rosh Pina (many small b&b's) or Tiberias (several large four and five star hotels).
Depending on how much free time you have, and when the dates of the Meet are finalized, you might want to come beforehand for your birdwatching and then join us before you fly home.
But, to be fair, there is one problem in that: Oct 18 through the 26 is one of the biggest holiday periods in Israel. Hotels in both the Sea of Galilee region and Eilat will be jammed. You would have to make your reservations long in advance and be prepared to pay premium prices.
As you probably know, Israel is birdwatchers' paradise because the flocks migrating from Europe to Africa (and return) have no other route to travel which would take them over land.
She told me that the Northern migration takes place in March-April-May with April being the ideal time and that the Southern migration is September-October-November with October being the height of it.
She suggested, however, that you not confine yourself to Eilat. The Hula Valley (slightly north of the Sea of Galilee) houses a very large nature preserve and is even a better spot for birdwatching. The downside of the Hula Valley is that it does not have any hotels and you would have to stay in either Rosh Pina (many small b&b's) or Tiberias (several large four and five star hotels).
Depending on how much free time you have, and when the dates of the Meet are finalized, you might want to come beforehand for your birdwatching and then join us before you fly home.
But, to be fair, there is one problem in that: Oct 18 through the 26 is one of the biggest holiday periods in Israel. Hotels in both the Sea of Galilee region and Eilat will be jammed. You would have to make your reservations long in advance and be prepared to pay premium prices.
Dec 1, 2004, 5:18 pm
#42
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Originally Posted by Cholula
Sounds like an Israeli version of platbrownguy....
I had the same thoughts ^ ...hope Platbrownguy planning to come....sans platbrownbabes?
Dec 1, 2004, 5:18 pm
#43
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Originally Posted by Dovster
Dan, we would, indeed, like to get to actually meet you this time! 
Does anyone have any problems with any of the dates listed in Post #27 of this thread? Any preferences?
If I get no response in a day or two I will go with the second one on the list (Nov 4 to Nov 11).
Does anyone have any problems with any of the dates listed in Post #27 of this thread? Any preferences?
If I get no response in a day or two I will go with the second one on the list (Nov 4 to Nov 11).
As far as dan1431 is concerned, I think that you will really see him this time and will be delighted when you get to know him. His missing the last two Meets seemed to be entirely beyond his control, as all sorts of things do happen when you're working on jobs and try to fit yourself into someone else's schedule. Sometimes it just doesn't work out.
Dec 1, 2004, 5:24 pm
#44
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Originally Posted by dedehans
I had the same thoughts ^ ...hope Platbrownguy planning to come....sans platbrownbabes?
Dec 1, 2004, 5:39 pm
#45
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My biggest requirement for a hotel is a decent internet service. I think the problem I had in VCE was that my room was the very back room on my floor, and I think the phone wire was defective.
Any of those dates are OK for me. I can't stay a whole week, since I only get 3 weeks vacation and need to spread it out among many, many trips. So I would just be there the first few days.
Any of those dates are OK for me. I can't stay a whole week, since I only get 3 weeks vacation and need to spread it out among many, many trips. So I would just be there the first few days.