I’m just back from two weeks in Athens, the first week for TBEX related work, the second week for traveling and touring about the country. Although I miss Greece already – the food, the people, the sights, did I mention the food – I was glad to be home to family, pets, and the real world of work and running a business. I’m sleeping a lot, getting caught up on laundry, and wading through my email inbox.

I’m not a nomadic traveler, and I have no interest in becoming one. I find joy in quick weekend trips as much as I do in longer, extended trips. And at the end of the day, I like having a home to return to after my travels.

So while I’m missing my daily baklava and coffee fix from Greece, I’m looking ahead to my next destination later this month. . . .

Israel

A general overview of the itinerary includes staying in 4 and 5 star hotels at eating at some of Israels top multicultural and innovative restaurants. Those are the type of value luxury experiences that I like to check out in every destination I visit.

And, of course, there are plenty of destination specific experiences lined up that represent the time of travel I enjoy – history and culture, with a little shopping thrown in. Currently on the itinerary:

• Exploring neighborhoods in Tel Aviv, including downtown, Neve Tzedek and Jaffa.
• Visiting museums, markets, flea markets, and local artists’ work spaces.
• Visiting Haifa, Acre, and Tiberias in northern Israel, and seeing the Baha’i hanging gardens, undergroundcities, Crusader ruins, and a taking a stroll along the shore of the Sea of Galilee.
• Swimming in the Dead Sea.
• A visit to Masada.
• Visiting Jerusalem, including the Old City, the City of David, the Western Wall, Via Dolorosa, Church of the Holy Sepulchre and the Old City bazaars.
• A visit to the Yad Vashem Holocaust Museum and the Mahane Yehuda market (both located in Jerusalem, although outside the Old City).

The trip is sponsored by Israel’s Ministy of Tourism and departs later this month. We’ll be using the hashtag #goisrael for those interested in following my adventures in real time. Just like with my time in Greece, you can expect updated Facebook posts and Instagram photos while I’m on the road.

I’m pretty excited and will be heading out to get some guidebooks, as well as searching some of my favorite other bloggers, to see what I can learn before I leave.