' Israel '

Israel
I have just come back from a reconnaissance trip to Israel and was really surprised to be honest; it was not what I expected. I have been to most European cities and this felt as safe or even safer than most of them. The fact that they were involved in a war last year cannot be dismissed and that is a valid reason why some fans may opt to give this game a miss but I can honestly say I would have no reservations taking my family there.
You should expect to travel to a coastal location with temperatures in the mid to high temperatures, there are great beaches to enjoy and you should pack your cases with that sort of trip in mind. It is expensive here with London prices but there are many “happy hours” in pubs that ease the costs, but expect to pay at least £4 a pint.
Haifa is very quiet in comparison to Tel Aviv and is very hilly although they do have a port and beautiful beach area, I would highly recommend fans to stay in Tel Aviv and travel to Haifa on the day, possibly 5 or six hours before kick-off…it takes one hour by coach from Tel Aviv and due to the game being played on the Sabbath (Saturday) there will be very little open and hardly any public transport other than taxis.
We have organised coaches for the match from Tel Aviv on match day and also some pubs who will do happy hour prices, they are even happy to open all night on our return to Tel Aviv after the match and we intend to make Mikes place our FSF base for the trip, this will also be the place to collect your tickets for the coaches. Contact myself, Leigh James or Neil Dymock if you want to book places on the coach, it will cost £18 return. You can get a taxi and the cost will be approx. £80-£100 each way
I have also met up with a travel agent to get hotel places at a reduced rate and she will contact me with prices for hotels ranging from the best to budget, if you want me to help you with this please get in touch. She will also be able to arrange excursions for groups to Jerusalem or the Dead Sea on the Friday or Sunday.
They are also discussing a charter plane for the fans from Cardiff to Tel Aviv , Thursday to Monday…I will have more information about this soon and we were looking at £400 plus per person but nothing is near completion just yet and if that is still the case by the end of the year I think people should then continue to get the best deals at the cheapest prices. Do not rely on this charter, it is very much in the planning stages and not guaranteed to happen

Israel
I have just come back from a reconnaissance trip to Israel and was really surprised to be honest; it was not what I expected. I have been to most European cities and this felt as safe or even safer than most of them. The fact that they were involved in a war last year cannot be dismissed and that is a valid reason why some fans may opt to give this game a miss but I can honestly say I would have no reservations taking my family there.
You should expect to travel to a coastal location with temperatures in the mid to high temperatures, there are great beaches to enjoy and you should pack your cases with that sort of trip in mind. It is expensive here with London prices but there are many “happy hours” in pubs that ease the costs, but expect to pay at least £4 a pint.
Haifa is very quiet in comparison to Tel Aviv and is very hilly although they do have a port and beautiful beach area, I would highly recommend fans to stay in Tel Aviv and travel to Haifa on the day, possibly 5 or six hours before kick-off…it takes one hour by coach from Tel Aviv and due to the game being played on the Sabbath (Saturday) there will be very little open and hardly any public transport other than taxis.
We have organised coaches for the match from Tel Aviv on match day and also some pubs who will do happy hour prices, they are even happy to open all night on our return to Tel Aviv after the match and we intend to make Mikes place our FSF base for the trip, this will also be the place to collect your tickets for the coaches. Contact myself, Leigh James or Neil Dymock if you want to book places on the coach, it will cost £18 return. You can get a taxi and the cost will be approx. £80-£100 each way
I have also met up with a travel agent to get hotel places at a reduced rate and she will contact me with prices for hotels ranging from the best to budget, if you want me to help you with this please get in touch. She will also be able to arrange excursions for groups to Jerusalem or the Dead Sea on the Friday or Sunday.
They are also discussing a charter plane for the fans from Cardiff to Tel Aviv , Thursday to Monday…I will have more information about this soon and we were looking at £400 plus per person but nothing is near completion just yet and if that is still the case by the end of the year I think people should then continue to get the best deals at the cheapest prices. Do not rely on this charter, it is very much in the planning stages and not guaranteed to happen

Corky, I have been to Israel (during a much worse time than now) and as you say is a safe place.

However I am sure safety, or lack of it, is not the reason why many fans feel like they do not want to make the trip but rather ethical and moral concerns.

Maybe but if many are like me, they would not concern themselves with politics or religion, it is just football to us and we tend to take people for what they are, everyone was so friendly and helpful and that is what I will take from the trip. If Wales were to play a match in Palestine or any region that is against Israel we would happily go there and probably also meet Friendly and helpful people...Sport and politics/.religion do not mix or belong together in my opinion, but I respect your opinion mate.

Nice one Corky.

Fair play to you, what you do for the fans is immense

I'm looking forward to the trip, I've already booked my flight!

Maybe but if many are like me, they would not concern themselves with politics or religion, it is just football to us and we tend to take people for what they are, everyone was so friendly and helpful and that is what I will take from the trip. If Wales were to play a match in Palestine or any region that is against Israel we would happily go there and probably also meet Friendly and helpful people...Sport and politics/.religion do not mix or belong together in my opinion, but I respect your opinion mate.

good response - difficult one this. I spent some time there years ago; even though I spent a couple of nights in a bomb shelter (being bombed!) bizarre as it sounds I did generally feel safe.

good luck to all who make the trip.

I am looking forward to this trip too lots of Sand and Sea and a fees drinks along the way do some site seeing and cap it off with a Welsh Win even a draw won't ne a bad result. Flight booked Thursday - Tuesday.

spot on corky polotics and religion are an excuse for trouble makers going to football games pal thankfully the membership scheme makes it hard for these mindless idiots to come along

I have been to Israel 20 times during the last 15 years and experienced no trouble at all. My worst experience was when walking around the walls of the Old City in Jerusalem when a couple of Muslim children were trying to throw stones at the group I was with. The stones landed some 10 yards short of their intended targets.

Flights to Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv take approx four and a half hours. El Al are excellent though on my last visit in October I flew EasyJet from Luton for about £120 cheaper. Shared taxis from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem cost about US$20 per person for the 45 min trip.

Various currencies are used in Israel viz US $ and New Israeli Shekels. A word to the good ... whatever currency to pay in ask for change in that currency as NIS are weaker.

Israel, though the size of Wales has each of the world's seven climatic types. In March Tel Aviv, on the Mediterranean coast, could either be a little rainy or beginning to get a little warmer ... it depends where the winds are coming from.

Enjoy your trip. I wish I was coming with you. "Haifa works; Tel Aviv plays and Jerusalem prays."

StT.

Looking forward to this about 30 of us going from Bridgend/ Caerphilly

Each to their own, but I would never visit a country who causes terror, misery and deaths to the world, then cover it up with slanted media reporting. That's just me though and I hope everyone travelling to Israel enjoys the trip and comes back to Wales with 3 points.

You have been to most European cities?

Impressive.

Each to their own, but I would never visit a country who causes terror, misery and deaths to the world, then cover it up with slanted media reporting. That's just me though and I hope everyone travelling to Israel enjoys the trip and comes back to Wales with 3 points.

You mean like America or the UK?

Each to their own, but I would never visit a country who causes terror, misery and deaths to the world, then cover it up with slanted media reporting. That's just me though and I hope everyone travelling to Israel enjoys the trip and comes back to Wales with 3 points.

Each to their own but........

How to ruin a totally neutral thread in a few sentences.

hahahahahahaha

Each to their own, but I would never visit a country who causes terror, misery and deaths to the world, then cover it up with slanted media reporting. That's just me though and I hope everyone travelling to Israel enjoys the trip and comes back to Wales with 3 points.

Each to their own but........

How to ruin a totally neutral thread in a few sentences.

hahahahahahaha

he's anti Semitic, dont worry about him

Each to their own, but I would never visit a country who causes terror, misery and deaths to the world, then cover it up with slanted media reporting. That's just me though and I hope everyone travelling to Israel enjoys the trip and comes back to Wales with 3 points.

Each to their own but........

How to ruin a totally neutral thread in a few sentences.

hahahahahahaha

he's anti Semitic, dont worry about him

He is deluded...

"If Wales were to play a match in Palestine or any region that is against Israel we would happily go there and probably also meet Friendly and helpful people...Sport and politics/.religion do not mix or belong together in my opinion, but I respect your opinion mate."

Actually, much of Palestine is within Israel! I agree though; sport should transcend those issues and unite people for the right reasons...oh, I can but hope!

Also be aware that if you have an Israeli stamp in your passport then future travel to Arab countries and flights using Arab airlines maybe difficult. Also if you have a stamp from Arab countries in your passport I think this may cause issues getting into Israel. I would check out the situation regarding these issues if you think it may effect you.

Each to their own, but I would never visit a country who causes terror, misery and deaths to the world, then cover it up with slanted media reporting. That's just me though and I hope everyone travelling to Israel enjoys the trip and comes back to Wales with 3 points.

You live in one mate, wake up

Also be aware that if you have an Israeli stamp in your passport then future travel to Arab countries and flights using Arab airlines maybe difficult. Also if you have a stamp from Arab countries in your passport I think this may cause issues getting into Israel. I would check out the situation regarding these issues if you think it may effect you.

This ^
If you like to holiday on the Red Sea, Egypt, where it's pretty cheap, good for family holidays, guaranteed sun anytime of the year with great swimming & diving it would be pretty tricky getting through customs in the future.
Won't effect Tonteg though as obviously he wouldn't go there ...... Or anywhere else in the world.

No more passport stamps are issued...on entry you will receive an entry ticket the size of a credit card and when you leave they issue an exit ticket.

No more passport stamps are issued...on entry you will receive an entry ticket the size of a credit card and when you leave they issue an exit ticket.

As usual Corky has it sussed. Top Banana

Spent 10 days in Israel with work. Thought it was superb.. The beach resort of Eilat was outstanding...

Also be aware that if you have an Israeli stamp in your passport then future travel to Arab countries and flights using Arab airlines maybe difficult. Also if you have a stamp from Arab countries in your passport I think this may cause issues getting into Israel. I would check out the situation regarding these issues if you think it may effect you.

Correct information caymanbluebird - Crazy I know. Mind you it's not the worst, ever tried crossing the border between Thailand and Burma (Myanmar) - talk about mega hassle!! Although I think it has become easier of late with the thawing of relations between Thai's and Burmese.

Also, if you ever fly into Cuba, you pay £10 at the airport for a visa but it is only a stapled paper visa into your passport (no rubber stamp) and then taken out when you leave? I asked why they do that (as I like collecting visa stamps in my passport as memorabilia), they advised that If they put a Cuba stamp into my passport, I would not be allowed into half the countries in the world??? Crazy Ehhh ! - visited old Havana in 2010 - what a brill place but a big, big eyeopener. I have been to some strange places around the world but because of the strict communist regime, I found so many things contradictory to our way of life here in UK.

An example being that a taxi driver or a waiter earns more money (because of tourist tips) than a surgeon or a bank executive!! 100% true.

During my time in the navy, putting into various ports around the world, You get used to strange men on street corners asking if you want any hash, black, cocaine, etc, etc but Walking around Old Havana, You here "pssst, psst" - you wanna buy some meat, some fish, etc, etc - its weird but such an experience and I am glad that I experienced it then, as that culture is also changing with time I have been told.

Blooobirds forever !!!

Also be aware that if you have an Israeli stamp in your passport then future travel to Arab countries and flights using Arab airlines maybe difficult. Also if you have a stamp from Arab countries in your passport I think this may cause issues getting into Israel. I would check out the situation regarding these issues if you think it may effect you.

Who wants to travel to Arab countries anyhow ? I've been to a few Arab countries and they all have one thing in common... Complete s**t holes!

Palestine are terrorists full stop. Big up to those that go to Israel. Now tell me what other Middle Eastern Country would they feel safe travelling to ? Yeah none. Why because Israel is the safest country bar far in that region. But some would rather turn it into another dangerous Islamic state that is inhuman that is controlling that region. It's like all these Muslims flocking or fleeing here because of the inhuman way they are expected to live, and then wanting to change our Country into one that they have fled. Strange world ain't it ?

No more passport stamps are issued...on entry you will receive an entry ticket the size of a credit card and when you leave they issue an exit ticket.

Corky is it an issue if you have arab stamps on your passport? (Libya, Syria)
Appreciate all you do for the fans

What about running a air day trip from Cardiff, they are very popular with Premiership clubs when they travel to champions league games, it will cut the cost down too, I for one would go.

Corkey were thinking of going straight to Haifa what you think

Thanks Corky....didnt really fancy the trip but....

keep us up to date with the possible charter from Cardiff