The Next Adventure Begins...

Time/Date: 1:00 pm 12/18/10

Place: Home, Yardley Pa

Yesterday marked my final day in the Pennsbury School District before we pack up our bags (and house) and trek off to Israel and Southern Europe, including the countries Greece, Italy and Spain. Plagued by many tearful goodbyes and much sadness and despair, yesterday was a day of revelation. After all our planning and all of our angst and stress and sheer waiting, it was actually happening. Far be it for me to lie and say that I was totally prepared. Despite Mom's constant nagging to begin getting ready, Friday the 17th of December hit me like a brick wall. Only two days prior had I actually started any packing at all, and that was the first of my moments. A moment when all the jokes, all the waiting, all the research all came together to form one moment of supreme awesomeness. A moment when you realize: this is no longer a joke, the waiting is over, the hours of toil and endless work and research have finally paid off.


But now, if I cut the "philosophicality", I must say, that it does not concern me in the slightest to leave my drab and redundant life in suburban Pennsylvania for a quick adventure. I also feel it necessary to answer the one question that I have been asked more than any other. No, it is not, "Are you excited?", although I am if you were wondering. No, the one word I have heard more than any other is, "Why?" Even though I doubt it will slow my bombardment by the question, I would still like to put an answer out there, so here it is:


Back in early December of 2005, my mother, my father, my younger sister, Ellie, and I (all of whom you can be sure you'll hear more about), rented out our house, quit our jobs, and schlepped off to the tiny Central American country of Costa Rica. Despite only having planned to stay for 7 months, we ended up staying a full year. The experiences I had in Costa Rica (at the ages of 7 and 8), were monumental and life-changing. They made me the man I am today (at age 12). (By the way, my father also wrote a blog during our stay in Costa Rica [travelblog.org/bloggers/thebortmans] and is also keeping one now [thebortmans.blogspot.com])

Now, 4 years later, we have been itching to get back off the beaten trail. We plan to first go to Tel Aviv, and much of the rest of Israel, where we will stay for about two weeks. From there, we are flying to Athens and touring Greece (including the island of Crete). Then hopping back on a plane for Italy where we plan to take in all the sights, including, Rome, the Vatican, Pisa, Venice, Florence and Sienna. The last of which we plan to stay at for about a month, but after that, we're back in the air. We will touch down in Barcelona, and stay there for a couple of days until our Spanish friends come and pick us up. What friends could we possibly have in Spain?, you may ask. Well, in the 3 years prior, we have had different exchange students, the first two of which were brothers. When they heard we were traveling to Spain, they insisted that we stay with them in Valencia, so that is what we plan to do for the final three weeks of our expedition. This time also encompasses the Valencian festival of Fallas, for which I look forward to eagerly.

Time: 10;15 pm 12/18/10

Place: Philadelphia International Airport

We left our home about twenty minutes behind schedule and a close friend of ours trucked us off to the airport. Upon arrival, we checked our bags, passed through security and settled down for the long wait in one of the airport's innumerable waiting rooms which precedes all flights. Although dull and boring this wait was at least a little change from the others. About forty-five minutes to an hour into out monotony, we had to, since we were traveling to Israel, go through a second security outpost. And then, hey! What do you know, another waiting room!

The subsequent boarding of our flight was delayed by twenty or thirty minutes because “the caterers had not yet finished catering the airplane”. Like it would make a difference either way, airplane food always tastes the same.

Just now, we have reached our cruising altitude and the pilot has turned off the fasten seat-belt and no electronic devices signs, so I guess I'm free to move about the cabin and turn on electrical devices. Now I hope to drift off to sleep for a while.  It's a ten hour plane ride, so I bid you “Shalom”, and good-night.

That's our flight to Tel Aviv!

Hanging out at the airport with Nana and Pop-pop -  in the SECOND waiting room