Socks are Optional

Hold on to your hat, because next week you will hear about gas stations and cous cous, but this post about Israel is light and airy - like the clothes you need to pack when you come and visit.

Israel summers are HOT. I mean multi-showers a day, hot. Wipe sweat from your forehead continually, hot. Apply sunscreen and watch it run down your arms, hot. Wear waterproof mascara, hot. You get the picture. It is hot. It is hard to believe but the heat kicks in before the sun comes up and stays strong long after bedtime. When I was younger, and before I came to Israel, I heard about "cold desert nights". Now I believe that someone told me a small, hot, white lie to convince me to visit in the summer.

Last year, when we arrived in Israel, I packed two pair of sneakers, sandals and a couple of light summer jackets. I didn’t realize that my idea of a “light summer jacket'' really equated to a “(freezing) cold fall jacket" in Israel. Looking back, I now know that I could have donated most of my clothes with long sleeves and still remained comfortable all year long. And forget those socks and sneakers I meticulously packed - I could never bear to put them on. And you know why - it is way too hot.

So if you are visiting during the summer months (which I am certain starts in March and ends in October), check out the heat index before you come. Don’t forget that Israel operates in celsius so 35 degrees is not an indicator for a down jacket. And bring lots of sunblock and a hat. And forget the socks.

#IsraelInsight #Wishlist #HelloErinRobbins