Once upon a time, the best thing in the entire world happened. My amazing aunt offered to have Milla for a weekend. That’s right… I would be by myself from Friday morning to Saturday night. For any parent that’s kind of amazing, but for this mama who is almost at the end of a crazy, intense and full on trip, this is beyond words. I decided to go to Tel Aviv to have some time on the beach and hopefully a tiny bit of sunshine.

Some context: we have now completed 7 of 8 weeks of the program. The weather is getting colder and wetter. I am missing home more and more. The end is in sight but not quite close enough. My beautiful friends from South Africa have just returned home. I am desperate for Lulu, Mr V., sunshine and about 6 years of sleep.

So… what does one do on an overnight trip in Tel Aviv? Eat! And walk. And eat some more. This is how my night rejuvenated me enough to give me energy to complete the final week of the program.

Where and what I ate:

• North Abraxas – O.M.G. This was one of my favourite meals while in Israel. I stumbled in here by chance as it was across the road from my hotel and another of the patrons at the hotel said they’d just been there and though not kosher (or cheap) I would highly recommend to anyone! I’m still trying to recreate the grain salad (seriously, what is it!?!) and the cauliflower was just amazing.

• Frishman Sabich – this place is an institution with a queue around the corner. I didn’t even order something specific – I literally just asked the guy behind the counter for his specialty and boy did he deliver. I didn’t even have time to take a photo before I inhaled it! So incredibly delicious.
• Lala Land – I ordered the muesli and between sitting on the sand, the sun on my face and having just been for a wonderful run along the beach it was the perfect start to the morning. Plus the added bonus of hilarious people watching made this exactly what the doctor had ordered.

• McDonalds – OK, so this is probably not very exciting to most people, but for someone who only eats kosher meat this is major!

What I did:

• Run along the beach (Brighton Beach I miss you!)

• Walk along Rothschild Blvd – this street is just fun! Buskers, cafes, kids, dogs, people just hanging out… it was such a lovely vibe.

• Sarona Market – I wish I could go there every weekend! An amazing undercover mostly food market with places to sit and eat, drink, food to take home and just wonderful things to explore.
• A movie at Dizingoff centre – a movie by myself! Such a luxury! But I do miss my theatre buddies at home.
• Visit Tel Aviv Fashion Mall – I haven’t shopped a lot while we’ve been away and I did need another jumper for this cold and blistery weather. Though the range isn’t amazing I did enjoy a little bit of retail therapy.
• Sleep! An afternoon nap on each day was such a luxury and so needed!

What I didn’t do:

• Check my phone obsessing about Milla – it was Saturday and my aunt doesn’t use her phone so wasn’t able to call me. Besides, I was in another city so I couldn’t even drop in to check on Milla.
• Have a structured plan – except for check in time and the first bus out of Tel Aviv on Saturday evening, no times mattered. I happened to find a movie that I wanted to see when I went to the cinema but this wasn’t mandatory or planned.
• The architecture tour, street art tour or food tour that I was hoping to do! That’s OK, I’ll do these next time!

I have now returned to Jerusalem refreshed and ready to take on this final week. Only a little while now until we farewell Jerusalem and have our Bali reunion. Countdown is on!

J x