One of the best things about Israeli hostels is their free breakfasts! And not to mention free wifi coverage in the whole hostel as well as really meticulously clean rooms, bathrooms and kitchen areas. I love the fact that I don’t have to worry about breakfast. It can really make a huge difference to the rest of your day, especially if you’re a backpacker on a shoestring budget! Before coming, I expected the ‘free breakfast’ to be really basic – toast, butter, jam, coffee and tea. But to my delight, they also provided three huge baskets of red capsicums, zucchinis and tomatoes as well as hard boiled eggs (or uncooked eggs if you’d like to make your own scrambled or fried eggs).

It’s seriously one of the best things a hostel can provide, because often when you are away in a new place, you don’t want to have to worry about hunting for places to get vegetables and fruits. And Israel seems to lack big supermarkets like Coles and Safeway where you can get cheap food to cook for yourself. So for me, it’s really nice to be able to have a good, healthy breakfast to start off the day – since I wake up at around five thirty in the morning! But that only happens when I’m backpacking! ;)

If you are going to do this whole backpacking thing in Israel, make sure you look for the hostels that provide free breakfasts and free wifi (so you can use Messenger or Whatsapp to contact friends and family instead of using your phone’s international roaming or buying a local SIM card). These two things can be a lifesaver, because some places can be really far from local markets or mini-marts. And especially because on Shabbat everything closes, you’ll be stuck in a hostel with an empty stomach.

So far, I’m really, really glad that I decided to backpack in Israel! It is an awesome place to do it because they have an extensive bus network and a reliable train system too. The buses are pretty on time and very frequent, especially in the city areas. Also, most people speak pretty good English, so you can ask for directions or buy things without much drama. Another flipping awesome thing about travelling here is the blessed fact that you can drink tap water anywhere. Yes, yes, yes! You don’t have to buy water or boil water like you would have to in many other Asian or Middle Eastern countries. I filled up my bottle today at various rest stops while on the way through the Beer Sheva pass and the Arava desert today – and all is well so far!

So yes, there are many, many reasons why Israel is the place to go – especially in summer (well, simply because I love summer weather), but even probably all year round. I’m looking forward to discovering more and more good things about Israel as I backpack on!

Shabbat Shalom! It is the typical Israeli greeting on Fridays when Shabbat (or the Sabbath) is about to start at the end of the day when the moon rises. This is their ‘seventh’ day, and their Sunday. So for the Israelis, the weekend commences from Friday to Saturday (unlike for most of the rest of the world, where we have weekends on Saturday and Sunday!).

After zonking out at 9pm last night (is zonking even a word?), I was able to wake up at 6am this morning! I’m actually quite amazed that I didn’t succumb to jet lag at all. I just stayed awake until it was night and 9 o’clock was good enough to go to bed (but it was 4am Melbourne time!).

Anyhow, I got up early, and after a lovely breakfast at our hostel, I went exploring with my mom. We walked along Allenby Street and came to Carmel again. My mom was recovering from jetlag yesterday so she didn’t join me in my wanderings the day before when I stumbled upon Carmel Market, the Bauhaus City, Neve Tzedek and a few other really cool places typical to Tel Aviv! Today since it's Shabbat, the market is full of Israelis on their weekend break. Generally, I’m finding Israelis to be really kind and friendly people (apart from the occasionally hasty, grumpy bus driver perhaps). Also, they are really helpful when you do make it a point to ask a question or two if you need some advice on travelling about. I’m not sure if this is just Tel Aviv and everyone speaks English pretty much quite well (good enough for conversational style interaction), or if this is the same kind of vibe you get everywhere else in Israel. I guess I’ll have to do more travelling the next few weeks before I can say for sure what people are like here! But overall, it’s been really nice and easy to travel around. As long as you love walking, exploring and talking to people (and saying the wrong thing sometimes), it’s really such a cool place to backpack in – both as a solo traveller, with friends or even with family.

Carmel Market is probably one of the only places around Tel Aviv where you find ‘hawker-style’ characters (similar to the night markets in Kuala Lumpur or Bangkok). You hear people hollering out their goods and the shekel prices or saying ‘Shalom, bevakasha!’ If I were to think in Australian terms, it probably translates to ‘G’day, please (have a look here)!’ I just love the feeling that I’m actually walking in an Israeli market. It’s so cool, I can hardly put it in words. It’s just the whole vibe and atmosphere, you know. When you hear people speaking in Hebrew, it’s so strange. Sometimes it feels like I were back in Malaysia or something, because in these parts, it’s quite a similar ‘market’ experience. But then you’d hear Israelis chatting in Hebrew or sellers shouting in Ivrit, and you’d be jolted back to the reality that wow, you’re really here in this place so, so far away from home. It’s a one-of-a-kind feeling I’ll always now identify with travelling!

We bought grapes and cherries for about 24 shekels and brunched at a cute little Israeli eatery called ‘Bar Okhel’ (but it’s in Hebrew letters, which I was able to read because I’ve studied Hebrew). We ordered a yummy plate of shakshuka with bread, hummus, tehina, salat hatzilim, tabbouleh and chicken kebabs. It was flippin' delicious! The chef was very nice to explain what the dishes were made of to us, and it was a pleasant first meal in Tel Aviv.

I’m finding the Middle Eastern summer blazing HOT! By noon (or tzahorayim), the heat was near oppressive. I can’t imagine going to Eilat and the Red Sea this Sunday and living in forty-degree heat! But I’ve heard people say that it’s been one of the exceptionally hot summer days today. Amazingly, everyone appears to have flocked to the beaches along the Mediterranean coast. You see a lot of young blokes topless, and teenage girls strutting around in bikinis. It really, really reminds me of Surfers’ Paradise! It feels so good to be back in summer and escaping Melbourne’s wet winter, though. I've gotten a tan in pretty much no time at all, which is nice.

For more photos of Carmel Market, check out this album.

Hahaha, never did I think my mom would be able to live the backpacker's life! She usually can't stand messy quarters! Oh but who cares, we're backpacking now!

Wandering along Allenby Street, King George Street and the infamous Dizengoff Street, we found the Nahalat Binyamin and Betzalel Arts and Crafts Markets!

There were stalls selling all sorts of lovely, pretty little things like intricate hand-made pendants, necklaces, wind-chimes, postcards, collector toys, paintings, ceramics and pottery, avant-garde Jewish candle stands, clay magnets, patterned cloth, puzzles, travel journals, hand-made kaleidoscopes and all sorts of beautiful art pieces. I absolutely loved it. So far, I haven’t really come across any other Asian-looking people – not even many English-speaking people. I think that’s why I see people, Israelis and Arabs alike who look at me twice or ask me where I am from when they pass me on the streets or at the beach. It’s quite funny! You definitely will not see a Malaysian backpacker around these parts!

I didn’t take a map with me. I decided to just walk wherever I felt like continuing to walk, and just listen for the effervescent noises of this busy city. It’s so great that my hostel happens to be only a block away from Jerusalem Beach, and from there, you can pretty much walk north or south and find amazing beaches throughout the whole stretch of Tel Aviv’s coast. It really seems like nobody is working at all in summer, because everyone appears to be chilling at the beach! I guess when the weather is warm, Tel Avivim (or Tel Avivians) flock in droves to the city’s beaches. Noisy, hipster teens appear to be the prevalent group hanging round these beaches, especially Jerusalem and Banana Beach. It’s all good fun, and I just love observing what life’s like here for ordinary Tel Avivians! 

I kept walking and ended up stumbling upon the infamous Allenby Street where I  found the equally infamous Carmel Market. One would find aromatic spices, vegetables, fruits, olives and all kinds of bread all laid out by various stalls. It also had a myriad of clothing shops, jewellery stands and every other thing you could possibly want to get for a bargain (I found it reminiscent of Malaysia’s pasar malam or night markets). I didn’t buy anything just yet. I had my camera in hand and just observed for any good moments or angles to shoot. Ultimately, what I love about traveling is being able to just take in the sights and sounds and smells of a place utterly foreign to me. It’s such a refreshing way to live! 

As I allowed myself to get lost along the streets of Tel Aviv, I realized that I am finding Israel to be truly a unique country in a class of its own. Tel Aviv itself is made of an unusual fusion of both old and new, modern and old-fashioned, contemporary and traditional. And I’ve got to admit, it’s leaving me rather confused! One moment you find architecture or public transport that impresses you, another moment you see the chaotic tangle of electrical wires (that appear to have been installed years and years ago) and buildings with peeling paint alongside dusty streets. I believe this is where I passed through Tel Aviv’s Bauhaus White City – where the buildings are simply structured with horizontal lines, curved corners, cute little balconies, vertical windows and a complete absence of ornamentation. These 4000 or so buildings in total have been declared a Unesco World Heritage Site (2003) as Tel Aviv has more sleek Bauhaus buildings than any other city in the world! 

And everywhere I walk, there seems to be the incessant sound of cars and buses and mini taxis (sherut) all honking at each other simultaneously! It’s as if the vehicles themselves are talking with each other. I think it’s become a way of driving, and a way of life over here. It’s a noisy, chaotic city.

Thankfully, I kept walking on, not knowing where I was headed, but that’s when I stumbled upon the cozy little European-Bohemian suburb of the southern city centre known as Neve Tzedek – which means ‘Oasis of Justice’ (according to my Lonely Planet book, which I really like the sound of!). Neve Tzedek is probably the most historic part of the city, as it is where the first buildings were built a century ago on Rothschild Boulevard when the State of Israel was formed in 1948. It’s quaint blue French-style shutters and bright pastel wall colours truly appealed to me as I wandered through the nooks and crannies of this lovely little neighbourhood. I also found it a timely refuge from the noise and glaring sunshine of the streets before. All appears to be peaceful and quiet in this leafy, picturesque suburb.

I absolutely love, love, love the quaint little leafy suburb of Neve Tzedek (and I like it's meaning too - 'Oasis of Justice')! Over here, the noises of the city dropped quite a few decibels lower and all was serenely quiet.

I eventually found my way back out onto the coastal promenade, and at four o’clock in the afternoon, the Middle Eastern sun was beating down almost oppressively on me. If not for the sea breeze, I think it might be a little unbearable! Nevertheless, I am so, so glad that I am here and that I am realizing more and more that I truly love traveling with an attitude of a wayfarer – and not just a mere tourist.

One of the funny things that happened while I was strolling along the coast was when a friendly chap cycled in my direction and smiled jovially with a greeting. I returned it and kept walking. A few minutes later, the same fellow cycles up beside me and asks me if I speak Ivrit (Hebrew)! I surprised him by saying, ‘Ken! Ah, mah nishma?’ (Yeah! Ah, how are things?) He was so thrilled he kept saying, ‘Att tov!’ (You’re good!) It was a good opportunity for me to practice my Hebrew and try asking him some questions. To my delight, he could actually understand my rudimentary Hebrew, and I could actually pick up on his words too! I couldn’t believe that I’d only been in the country for less than three hours and I had already found a friendly local Tel Avivian to chat with. Pretty awesome!

Chilling round the hipster Banana Beach and Ge'ula Beach close to Charles Clore promenade :)

Anyhow, it’s only around six o’clock now (seven hours before Melbourne!), but the sun is still up in the sky and isn’t showing any sign of abating its radiating warmth. Pretty awesome, since I’ve come from Melbourne’s dreary winter, where the sun has been setting around five thirty! Can’t wait for my body clock to get used to the summer time here, I’ll be sure to go on more wandering adventures in the next many days I’ll be in Israel!

A glorious Middle-Eastern sunset (this was taken round 8 o'clock), right on the promenade of Jerusalem Beach. The sun was so round and huge, literally a ball of fire sinking beneath the Mediterranean sea. It was something out of this world to behold.

For more photos, check out my Tel Aviv: Carmel Market | Bauhaus City | Neve Tzedek | Jerusalem Beach gallery here.