Santa Cruz, February 25, 2007 - Day One - Travel Day
 Our first day started at around 5 AM when the Aptos Group all got up and headed out to Keith & Denise's home to meet and drive to the airport. Cynthia Coahran and Jim Ward from Calvary Aptos drove us all over at 6:30 AM so we could avoid the long term parking at San Jose airport.
We flew on Southwest Air to LAX to meet up with the Group from Guadalupe and with Nancy Bay who was with our group but lives in Washington.
The flight to LA was about an hour and was just a skip and jump compared with what was yet to come. We picked up our luggage and then headed out to the bus area to take a shuttle to the far side of LAX to the International terminal. We went to El Al and waited in line. There we were screened by security with a LOT of questions about where we were going and why and where we came from and did anyone touch our bag or give us something, etc. We then took our bags through security x-ray. One or two were kicked out by the machine and opened with us watching as they examined things that didn't look right on the x-ray. Then off to the personal screening of our carry on stuff. I was impressed with the depth of security. Once inside we met up with Ruben Cortez and his family.
Once at the gate we waited for about an hour for the plane to leave. In this shot at the left we are sitting while a group of Orthodox Jews say their prayers together by the window. We are just starting to get an idea now of how much dedication and faith these men and women have.
Our plane had a security escort as it went to the runway. Both an LAPD car and an EL AL car followed us all the way to take off. Very comforting and a start of what was yet to come as we experienced the greatest security system in the world. I think the odds are good that we will be safe.
 The flight left on time and headed east. We flew over New York but did not stop. Headed over the Atlantic and arrived over France as we headed down the coast of Italy and into the Mediterranean and on to Tel Aviv. This was a long flight but we were lucky because the plane was not full and we all had an empty middle seat in our row so we could spread out. The best part was the little TV screen in the seat in front where you could watch a GPS view of where we were and how high we were and our speed and how long we had until we landed.
 The food was good (well it was Kosher so it missed a little in having butter for the bread). Here you can see Denise eating breakfast. We got dinner and then a snack in the middle of the flight and finally breakfast before we landed.
Notice the little TV screen in the shot at the left. You could watch any one of several movies with many of them in English but a lot of TV and other program material was in Hebrew.
Sleep was necessary as we adjusted to the time change. Most of us were able to get a few hours of sleep. It was dark for most of the trip when we were the most ready to sleep. Rough at times we were in the back of the plane which can be the worst. But, it was close to the restrooms.
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