| Datum: | 11-04-2017 Week to the Netherlands | | | | Just take a shower, have breakfast, put the last things in the suitcase and I'm ready for departure. Fred takes me to the taxi. A last kiss, a wave and I'm on my way to the airport. With a strange feeling I am in the taxi, it has been a long time since Fred and I have been without each other. I am well on time and go straight to the Customs. It does not go that smoothly, I have forgotten that all electronics have to be placed separately in a separate box, sigh! Again through the scanner! Moreover, the gate went 3 times squeak, I also have to be searched and it appears that the squeaking is caused by my bra, sigh! If I want to go through afterwards, I am stopped and I also have to be tested on drugs. They take a strip along my hands, backpack and suitcase, after checking I can finally go through. Good start! Then I put everything I need along the way in my backpack and lock the suitcase with the number code. I have to wait another hour for the gate to be known and buy a sandwich and a bottle of water. At that moment I want to put something in my suitcase and the lock cannot be opened. It could not be the code, which I had really good. I try the most obvious combinations of numbers in the neighbourhood, but none of them seems to work. The cold perspiration already comes out. I sit here on a bench, with a bright red head, trying to open a suitcase. Soon people will think that I have stolen it and now try to get it open. Will you just see that I am being picked up in Amsterdam for control and then I cannot even prove that this suitcase is mine! I explain to a lady at a desk what happened and ask if this could be a problem. According to her, not. In retrospect, it appears that every airport can always have this type of suitcase open, without having to make it in pieces! I have booked an XL chair at the emergency exit of the wing. It appears that I have 3 chairs for me alone. The steward allows me to put my suitcase next to me to try to open the lock. The flight takes more than 4 hours, so I will not get bored! After a hopeless number of attempts the combination lock pops open. That gives me AIR! I will never lock the case again! The rest of the flight is passes quietly. Do not let this be a harbinger for the rest of the week! Later it appears that due to a movement of the suitcase (turning the wheels) the combination lock is probably set differently. We land half an hour earlier than planned, which immediately comes out nicely. I want to switch on my mobile again and I have forgotten my new PIN code for the Spanish SIM card. Fool that I am! After 3 attempts, it is blocked and I need the Puk code and of course I do not have it with me! Then I want to take my Spanish SIM card out of my mobile, but I cannot get it opened. I ask a strange man if he wants to help me, yes he does. I can now at least call with my Dutch SIM card again.
Both my children live in Amsterdam and when I walk through the exit, Steven (my eldest son), Mylene (daughter-in-law) and my granddaughter Bobby are waiting for me. Bobby has a real Dutch balloon with a welcome in her hands. What is that cute and it feels so good to be able to hold them tight again! Tonight I see my youngest son Vincent with his girlfriend Qin. I am going to fully enjoy these days.
During my tour around the Netherlands I try to see as many family and friends as possible. Of course I cannot go to everyone, because the time is too short for that. Maybe next time!
It strikes me immediately, how busy it is in Amsterdam, but maybe I'm a little bit out of a habit. Good that I have put on a pair of jeans and warm sweater, because it is really cold in the Netherlands. According to the news, it is even colder than it was at Christmas! It will be a busy week where I will make frequent use of taxis and public transport. Fortunately, I still have the OV chip card and I only have to charge it. My round in 7 days: Amsterdam - Leiden - The Hague - Leiden - Zaandam - Hoorn - Amsterdam - Arrecife. Not everyone is aware of my arrival in the Netherlands and therefore I can surprise some of my best friends. Only their mutual spouses are aware. Nothing nicer than seeing a bunch of surprised heads when you suddenly get in front of them.
How did this week pass?
Warmly welcomes, cuddled, talked, laughed, cried, relaxed in front of the fireplace and a nice movie, a lot of talking, to the playground with my granddaughter Bobby, English liquorice for Fred, cheese and clothes bought. Enjoyed tasty meals and delicious Easter breakfasts. I spoiled myself with sandwiches with fruit sprinkles, a TomPoes (Dutch pastry) and all kinds of other tasty things. As a result, I put on weight a few kilos, but it was worth it. It's almost a year since we left the Netherlands, but when I'm sitting on the couch with family and friends, it looks like I've just been there. Everything feels familiar. On the other hand, I look at the flat, green landscape when I'm on the train and almost feel like a tourist in "my own" country. What always remains is this, it is not an easy thing to say goodbye to family and friends every time! That is the other side of our way of life.
Then the time has come to go "home". The taxi will take me to Schiphol early in the morning at 5:00 a.m. This time everything goes smoothly and not much later I am in almost the same place on the plane back to Arrecife (Lanzarote). As soon as we have landed I send Fred a message that I am arrived and at the Marina he is already waiting for me. We are so happy to see each other again! For me it was less difficult, I was a bit lived, but for Fred it was strange to be a week without me. Tired of this quite intense week, I return very satisfied on the boat.
How it went with Fred, you can read in a next blog.
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| | | 4-05-2017, reactie van Ludmilla | ik heb waarschijnlijk zelden zó verbouswereerd (en ontroerd) gekeken als toen jij ineens voor de deur stond! Sneaky geregeld met Ronald, boefje! Het was heerlijk om je weer te zien.
kusje
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