Japanese wheelchair traveler / photo / Israel

alone / 2013

My immigration trouble. 3.5 hours to enter Israel between Aqaba - EIlat border. 1.5 hours to pass the security at Tel Aviv airport departure. Because many stamps on my passport. Many question, all baggage check, question again. Specially Iran and Mali stamps on my passport were their problem. I just like traveling and wish world peace. Anyway I could visit Israel finally.

Accessible large toilet in the Israel immigration. Good accessibility. I did toilet during their immigration check.

My Jordanian friend called his Israel friend to pick me up. He must wait many hours for me to pass the border. We had a good lunch. Israel living costs are almost same as western Europe.

He took me the bus terminal. I moved Jerusalem by long distance bus. There is a wheelchair toilet behind the ticket counter, but it was locked. Kiosk in front of the toilet has the key of accessible toilet.

Jerusalem, one of the most historical cities in the world. Light Rail Trum run in the center of city. It is very good transportation for wheelchair users. However Jerusalem city is quite hilly.

Damascus gate in old city. Many stairs but a ramp from car parking.

So many stairs and hills in old Jerusalem. There are some ramp for carriage. It is not easy to go around on wheelchair.

Pilgrim tourist city. Hotel price is so high in Jerusalem.

Some area no wheelchair access. Many stairs in Christian quarter.

To western wall, Jewish holly place by wheelchair. I went there from Arab quarter. Non step. Down hill road. When we pass the tunnel, we reach western wall.

Wheelchair accessible in western wall. Non step. Jewish come from southern gate. That is easy for wheelchair users because taxi and bus stop are located in front.

　
I have never seen local manual wheelchair people. I only saw local people on such an electric wheelchair scooter in Jerusalem. Huge and powerful. So hilly city.

1 night 2 days Palestine trip from Jerusalem. Arab bus have only stairs..

Hebron, the biggest city in Palestine. The access road to Ibrahim mosque was through the iron gate. I could not pass. Not wheelchair friendly.

Palestine - Israel border. No wheelchair passed. Not accessible ! Israeli soldier told me to go to the car gate. I wanted to use a normal route, so I sat down and walked by hands. We can request to open other gate, but it was not easy.

　
Nativity church in Bethlehem. I touched Jesus Christ birth place. 10 more narrow steps there, kind Palestine guards carried me down. Sorry I skipped the long queue. After that they asked me donation for the help. I paid 5 US$. Many helped me in Palestine, but they always wanted money.

Tel Aviv. Train is wheelchair accessible. Many stations have lifts or ramp. Some new trains are non-step, but many old trains have steps on the door like Europe. Kind train staff helped me to put a boarding ramp.