Part 1
I am embarking on this trip solo, as my family could not join me. I am traveling to attend two family Simchas, but I have also allotted some time for sightseeing and exploring. I am staying in Jerusalem accommodations provided by family (BH! as prices are through the roof!).
I booked a United business class one-way with a stopover in BRU booked using Air Canada it was a 70,000 Miles ticket but taking advantage of the transfer bonus it was 59 taxes were about $70.
The flight was from EWR; I arrived about 2 hours before my flight. The bag allowance is 70 lbs for Business class, and you're allowed two bags. I fully utilized the 70 lbs on one of the bags (did someone a favor). The 2nd bag was under 50. I made sure to tag everything myself as well. I asked the man if it would be checked all the way through as 2nd flight was on Air Brussels, and he said he didn't know, the "best answer" I told him (it was checked through)!
I proceeded to go to security, I have Clear + global entry, so I proceeded to that line. wait was about 90 seconds at clear. The agent asked me for my Boarding pass, I had printed it out. She said that was not good enough, so I showed it to her on my phone. I asked her what would you do if the person didn't have a smartphone, she said that a boarding pass printed at the airport would be acceptable. She then took me through; no need to show ID (I did notice that of the group behind me they were showing the passport of one of the passengers). At security, I took off my jacket and asked for a bin (as they sometimes ask you to), but the TSA agent said that it wasn't necessary but once it was off he'll get me a bin (which I needed for my metal CCs anyway
).
All in all, I was through security about 25 minutes after arrival at the airport.
I went to the Polaris lounge, which was quite busy, with around 85% of its seats occupied. I managed to find a seat in a cubicle with two swivel chairs, which I felt guilty about taking up, but there weren't any other semi-private options available. After grabbing a drink and some fruit, I headed to the restroom, where I was met with a line. I was disappointed that there weren't enough bathrooms; having a gender-neutral separate room setup only resulted in wasted space and longer wait times. Although the wait wasn't too lengthy, it was still annoying.
I was searching for Kosher food but didn't find anything. So, I went to the dining area and asked the person there if they could provide Kosher food. He told me that there was a menu in the buffet area and that I could ask any waiter for something from the menu. It took a minute for me to find the menu, but when I did, I saw that none of the dinner options suited me. They had chicken, but it was the nine days, and the other options were not to my liking. I then asked if I could have a breakfast item instead. He said he would check if they had them, and after waiting for two minutes, he came back to confirm they had them (he mentioned that they had just got a delivery that day - it sounds like they don't get delivery every day). I asked for cheese pancakes and vegetable frittata, and he asked me how many portions I wanted. I decided to try two portions. I showed him where I was sitting, and about five minutes later, he brought the food out. The food was really, really hot, I am not sure how they warm it, but the plate is also hot and double-wrapped.
To be continued...
I am currently in Israel and would love some tips on what trips to do, not looking to break the bank, and do not have a rental car (as of now).
