STOP 3 | Israel: Custom Procedures, Baggage, Covid-19 test, Taxi, Dormitory, Quarantine, Negative Karma!

I landed on time. It was a relatively short flight (about 4h). Traveling with Dutch and Israelis made me feel home. No one, as Italians, would follow any rules on that plane: people changing seats, people standing while take-off and landing, people walking in the cabin when the belt sign was on. I didn't sleep during that flight, I just caught up with the Archaeological Dig documentation (still no internet on the plan, but I had printed some materials) and ready pretty much the entire Lonely Planet of Israel and Palestinian territories.

 

An Israeli friend of mine - that I don't quote - told me when I asked to provide some advice on Israel culture:

It’s very similar to Italian, very direct and heated up, remove all the bad habits/fakeness/hypocrisy you had to adopt somewhere else and you should be fine

No description was more accurate than this! :D

Let's put it that way: it took me 3h to reach the University Dormitory after landing at 2:35AM in the morning of July 9th. After just 1h in Tel-Aviv, I was already fed-up with everyone, but let me tell you the story, step by step.

1. Before going into Customs, you get a Border Control Card, which summarizes data from your passport, with a bar code used by the police officers. I got mine pretty easily and quickly.
   
   
   
   
   
2. I reached the Passport control and surprisingly everything went so smooth, they only checked my Visa and the Border Control card, but not the 25 docs I had ready in my folder. :D The officer, who was pretty silent and with an emotionless face, reminded me to go on Isolation for 15 days. He gave me an additional blue sticker to exit the passport control and gave me back the Border Control card above together with my Passport. Basically I was in...
3. ...but I was not. I gave the blue sticker to an officer waiting to me after Passport control, who directed me to the exit. I was supposed to use the card above to exit the security turnstiles (with a camera that was matching your face). I tried multiple times but it was not working. I turned the card on hands and realized it was not mine.
1. I went back to the officer of the blue sticker telling him it was not working because it was not my card and either the police officer exchanged it or I got a wrong one at the machine in the first place, even though I remembered I checked and there was my face on it.
2. The blue sticker officer brought me to the Police Officer and asked him in Hebrew if my card was maybe swapped (I assumed). The funny thing about Israeli is that all of them speak and understand English, but they prefer speaking their language big time, and they don't care if you don't understand a damn thing. The police officer looked at his desk and found my card, which he handed over to the blue sticker officer, who gave it to me.
3. No sorry, no smile, no look of discomfort (nothing!)
4. I was able to exit, so I was in Israel: wooohooo! But actually...I needed to do by law a PCR test at the airport, which as you may remember I paid in advance. No signs, nothing. I was in the baggage claim only. There were some desks with COVID-19 test receptions - plenty of them, actually, but all unattended. And there were people praying close to them (I believe they were praying). I found the Lost & Found desk with two people, so I asked them and they confirmed I needed to pick-up my luggage first and exit the hall. Went to the belt and my luggage was there. Let's move to the PCR test location and go home...but
5. While exiting, I believe I became suspicious to some additionally security control, due to my big backpack and my Galapagos bag. A guy shouted at me in Hebrew and obviously - since everyone was shouting at everyone - I didn't quite get he was talking to me (he didn't switch to English, when noticing I kept walking). He shouted more so I turned and he pointed at putting my luggage into the security detector.
1. I did that, and apparently they "found" something, so they had to open my Galapagos bag. They checked the GoPro and the empty plastic water bottle I had. Checking where I was from and they let me go. Now I was out...
6. But...still the PCR test. A guy shouting in Hebrew directed pre-paid clients in front, but obviously I didn't get that, so had to ask, losing precious seconds (many people passed in front of me). But it's not ended. I was doing the same queue of people that just paid, while I could have skipped the line. And the queue was big...
   
   
   
   
   
7. A COVID-19 inspector noticed that and let me pass. I did my test, actually with 2 nasal/throw swabs. Amazing, now time to get food, but actually...NOT
8. The arrival part of Terminal 3 at TLV airport has been tweaked to let you out immediately after the PCR test: you cannot spend time at the airport or buy food or water or anything (probably only at vendor machines outside).
9. I decided to give up food and opened the Gett app to order a taxi (IL does not have Uber). I was just in front of the Taxi line, however I prefer more the apps, as taxis may rip you off. I was at the ground floor and Gett pick-up was at second floor, Gate 23 (Terminal 3) - obviously no directions. I had to go back to another entrance to reach the second floor. The positive thing is that I encountered a bakery at the entrance, so at least I could get some food. I made my way to the 2nd floor: it was like slalom across the airport, as many entrances / elevators / escalators did not work. I reached that freaking Gate 23 and I booked my taxi, so it was done, only after 1 from landing. I wish...but
   
   
   
   
   
10. I kept ordering taxis and they were not coming. A driver called me saying to wait for 5 mins, after 6 mins he was still at original spot, without moving. I called him again and he said to wait other 5 mins. I decided to give up and call other ones, but I was finding the same drivers, so I kept canceling the rides, till when Gett blocked my profile.
1. I tried to reach out to the Customer Service, which does not work over night and on Saturdays. So I had to go back to the original taxi line.
2. In the meanwhile 1 another h had passed
11. Reached official taxi lane again and got a taxi, it was not metered one (and I didn't want to ask, as also I was freaking tired, being almost 5AM in the morning). He asked me for 150 NIS (45 USD), so yes, it was a rip-off, that rip-off which I wanted to avoid in the first place (average Gett price ids 100 NIS). This driver was nice though, despite a little bit hectic and texting on Whatsapp to his friends, without paying too much attention to the street.
12. I reached the dormitory, and even at the University gate, they checked my bag again, which can be understandable. The taxi driver drove me in front of my building: 101. I was envisioning my bed already, but...
13. There were 2 buildings named 101, a new one and an old one, but it was written in Hebrew except the number (I found out this later). I reached my apartment, where the door should have been opened, but it was closed, but also the environment was pretty dismissed. I was desperate:
1. I called the 24/7 line and the guy told me he was coming to open the door for me (I was in the wrong building though, so I waited in vain!)
2. I called again and no one picked-up (because he was in front of my actual door). I called another number and tried to explain to the person, who told me she would have called me back immediately
3. 5 mins and nothing, so I called again and she confirmed the guy was in front of my door, so I asked: do you have 2 buildings with the name number? 
14. The lady put me in touch with the guy over phone and eventually I found the right building (newer and shiner), which was labeled with another name.

3h to reach home. That's it!

I slept a few hours and at 8:30 the Lab guy called me to draw my blood. I had to go out because they were not finding my apartment (I told them building 101, apartment 008 and Elad - the Lab guy - was waiting to me in front of the 108 building).

I did the Serologic test and now I am waiting for the results, enjoining my Quarantine time, hopefully to get out soon, and assuming I had enough negative Karma already.