On the way back there was the obligatory stop at a souvenir shop where four large buses were already in situ and someone suggested we leave early to get to the border first. We all were in agreement and piled in and the race was on. We won!
Once there our passports were taken from us once more for the exit stamps and we were released into No-man’s-land. On the Israeli side there was a long queue to have our passports checked and our bags screened. We had met our rep who was to take us back to the airport and she arranged to meet us after the security checks. There were two lines and they went slowly mainly because they fed into one point where a single person was checking passports. In fairness she was taking people from alternate lines but at one point just as we got to the top someone from the other line tried to jump the queue and was immediately sent to the back of the line and we were called forward even though it strictly speaking it was not our turn. There were two baggage screening machines but inevitably I got behind an American who took forever emptying his pockets of sundry small coins. You would have thought that going through TSA would have taught him a thing or two, but no. 
Muttering rude things under my breath I eventually got through and headed off at a brisk trot to passport control. We discovered that most of the people were in the lines for Israeli citizens but three lines were open for foreign passports and we joined the shortest. All was going swimmingly then all of a sudden the two young men immediately in front of us attracted the attention of the authorities for whatever reason and the line ground to a halt. Another booth opened alongside ours and there was a stampede over to it but we stayed put, believing that whatever was holding up the young men would soon be resolved. Wrong! We waited and watched as the new line whizzed past. The next thing that happened was that another line seemed to be opening and so in desperation we dashed over there. Wrong again! The agent in the booth indicated she wasn’t opening and so we were moved to a third line. By this stage I started wittering on as only I can witter till Chris in exasperation told me I was turning into his mother! Fortunately the cavalry arrived in the form of the rep who was to take us to the airport. We had been at the front of the line when she last saw us and here we were at the end. She whisked us to the front to the fury of some people including the American gentleman who had held me up at the baggage screening. Once our passports were stamped she rushed us through the inspection point where our stamp was examined and into a taxi which brought us to the airport with plenty of time to spare. Just as well!As with Sde Dov that morning the first thing was baggage screening before heading off to the security check. It wasn’t well signed and in fact I lost Chris who had just gone straight to the check-in desk but was sent away to go to security and once again the fun began. Once more our passports were taken and Chris was whisked away to be questioned by someone else. The questions were broadly along the lines of the morning’s but in addition I was asked whether we were friends or “romantic friends”
(obviously her gaydar as far as Chris was concerned wasn’t working ), how old was Chris, the age difference, who paid for the flights, how could I afford them, had I children and why wasn’t my son travelling with me!! 
It was hard to remain calm under such intensive and intrusive questioning but I was also aware that I was being observed and any impatience would be noted and possibly acted upon. Finally I was released to check-in. Chris had gone through and had asked that I be seated beside him on the flight and so I was. After that it was all plain sailing, or should I say, plain flying. The flight left on time, was totally unremarkable and arrived early and soon we were back in our hotel after a most enjoyable day since the traumas of the airports were now well behind us
), how old was Chris, the age difference, who paid for the flights, how could I afford them, had I children and why wasn’t my son travelling with me!! 
