The Return...

Eventually made it back to the UK...wow...Ben Gurion is very security-conscious!!

It all started when I got stopped for taking photos in Tel Aviv beachfront...apparently I was taking pics of the US Embassy! I've no idea where the US Embassy is! Anyway, it was quite interesting...five minutes after I'd been stopped by a guy with a pistol and another with a machine gun, he knew my address, how long I'd been in Israel, where I was staying, whom I'd been to see, who I worked for etc, etc...eventually I was allowed to carry on my way (after showing them the photos I'd taken) and made my way back to the hotel.

I decided to go to the airport early...I'd heard that security could be an issue and to allow for 3 hours...I'd allowed four...

Upon arrival at Ben gurion, you're greeted with a checkpoint and armed guard. This is the first check - a quick "Where are you going? What flight" What time?" etc, etc and we're through to the drop-off area - another mile or so further on.

There's another armed guard here but I didn't get stopped here and carried on through into Departures. Once inside, I joined another queue and then the questioning began. It's very intense...asking all sorts of things about where I'd been, why, who with, time spent there, where, etc, etc. I then got taken into another area where my case was unpacked, re-x-rayed and every item was checked individually. I was there in total for another couple of hours before finally being "released".