Cathay Pacific Flight CX 272 - AMS - HKG
(1.5 hours into the flight)
Me: May I have another glass of champagne please? (staring at my third empty glass)
Flight atttendant: Certainly Miss Rani**...(pause) You are over 18 right?
Me: Errrr,Yes.
Flight attendant: Great, here's a top up.
What I really wanted to say was "Yes, I'm actually 27, I've just never been in Business Class before, so just keep the champagne flowing."
** After mulitple attempts at trying to say my last name, I told her to forget about it and just call me Rani.
Monday, December 28, 2009
Thursday, December 24, 2009
A letter to the Universe on a strange Christmas Eve
Dear Universe
I know I'm running late this morning, and I have a very important flight to catch.
I know I'm always running late to everything, no matter how significant the occasion.
I know I shouldn't be blogging but I thought there are some things you might want to know.
I woke up this morning to look outside my window and see light snowfall. Again, wow. Snowfall on Christmas Eve? Thanks. You really turned it on for me before I left Europe.
As I frantically pack a host of Summer clothes, I wonder if I am going to fit into many of them, seeing as I moved here with them, and I know that the dutch comfort food has slightly eroded my metabolism. (That, I ain't so thankful for.)
I'm off to the tropics, to the big bad city of Jakarta, and it's going to be quite the culture shock.
Before I leave, and spend 24 hours that I'm never going to get back experiencing the human equivalent of physical limbo in a tin can, just wanna say, thanks for everything so far.
I'll leave Amsterdam shortly, and when I get back it will be the very beginning of 2010.
What I've experienced in Amsterdam is always surprising, often overwhelming, and mostly a little random. But I'm always safe, and always have the basic necessities at hand, and moreso, I found one of the best friends I'm ever going to have in my life, to experience it with.
I could reel off a wishlist that I would like for the new year, but I think I will leave that for later and create my wishlist for the near future instead.
I hope all my family and friends have a fantastic and safe Christmas and New Years, and that they happen to find special moments throughout the whole period with their loved ones. I hope they know I'm thinking of them always, and hope to with them again soon one day.
Look after Amsterdam while I'm gone- perhaps you can allow someone else to tear the town to shreds in my absence.
Love,
Rani ( You know, the one that always talks to you when she's drunk in bar on Thursday nights, mostly screaming "Why?Why? WHY?!". Yeah, her. Sorry.)
I know I'm running late this morning, and I have a very important flight to catch.
I know I'm always running late to everything, no matter how significant the occasion.
I know I shouldn't be blogging but I thought there are some things you might want to know.
I woke up this morning to look outside my window and see light snowfall. Again, wow. Snowfall on Christmas Eve? Thanks. You really turned it on for me before I left Europe.
As I frantically pack a host of Summer clothes, I wonder if I am going to fit into many of them, seeing as I moved here with them, and I know that the dutch comfort food has slightly eroded my metabolism. (That, I ain't so thankful for.)
I'm off to the tropics, to the big bad city of Jakarta, and it's going to be quite the culture shock.
Before I leave, and spend 24 hours that I'm never going to get back experiencing the human equivalent of physical limbo in a tin can, just wanna say, thanks for everything so far.
I'll leave Amsterdam shortly, and when I get back it will be the very beginning of 2010.
What I've experienced in Amsterdam is always surprising, often overwhelming, and mostly a little random. But I'm always safe, and always have the basic necessities at hand, and moreso, I found one of the best friends I'm ever going to have in my life, to experience it with.
I could reel off a wishlist that I would like for the new year, but I think I will leave that for later and create my wishlist for the near future instead.
I hope all my family and friends have a fantastic and safe Christmas and New Years, and that they happen to find special moments throughout the whole period with their loved ones. I hope they know I'm thinking of them always, and hope to with them again soon one day.
Look after Amsterdam while I'm gone- perhaps you can allow someone else to tear the town to shreds in my absence.
Love,
Rani ( You know, the one that always talks to you when she's drunk in bar on Thursday nights, mostly screaming "Why?Why? WHY?!". Yeah, her. Sorry.)
Winter through the eyes of a Nokia
Karl, me and our tall white friend in Rembrandtsplein. I wish I could say we made him, but we didn't.
The view of the side of the canal from the houseboat. Snow, snow, snow!
Houseboat neighbours from the kitchen window.
While living on the houseboat, sometimes I get visitors at the Kitchen window. This was the little kitchen posse one Saturday morning.
From the tram stop near the houseboat, looking South at Heinekenplein.
De Waag - the old weighing house/building, in the centre of Nieuwmarkt. Offices on the 2nd and 3rd floors, and an overpriced cafe on the ground floor. Pretty none the less, at night, with snow in the forefront.
Nieuwmarkt is a little bar and cafe area on the border of the Red Light District. Looking particularly festive on a Friday night with a big Christmas tree, street lights and Christmas tree stall.Wednesday, December 23, 2009
Pause. Review. Reflect.
I am working from home today, and even though I have gone REALLY hard, and been super productive since I need to wrap up the year, I can't stop thinking about the following things:
-I am really looking forward to seeing my mum for a cuddle and some home cooked loving.
- Whether I am going to take the great Kaava pills my flatmate gave me ("It's a natural relaxant, you'll love them!") before I get on the aeroplane tomorrow or when I get on the plane; the jury is out.
- What am I really doing here in Amsterdam?
Now, this is a tough question, because if I review the benchmarks of what I set out to achieve by coming here, they were a little bit vague. In fact, a lot vague. This question can have many answers.
Typing on a new laptop owned by my office, on a houseboat in Amsterdam, surrounded by paperwork and listening to the Temptations and Aretha Franklin, blogging when I should be working, pausing my work momentarily to stare outside at the partly frozen canal, I start to think about surreal situations in life. But this doesn't seem surreal to me anymore.
This is what I do - work for a corporation that loan me expensive equipment to keep the money spinning going, live in Amsterdam (albeit not permanantly on a houseboat but it's not weird to be on one in this city), where canals are just part of the scenery, and Europe is covered in snow at the moment, and as for the Motown music...meh... not so surreal.
There is a school of thought that says "Who cares? Just enjoy the ride and see where it takes you." Sometimes this can be fun, but I know myself and drifting aimlessly can annoy the shit out of me. It's like travelling alone - sounds good in theory, you think that anything can happen to you and it's all an adventure, but sometimes waiting for things to happen to you is just downright boring. And then sometimes, nothing ever happens.
I want to make the most out of my time here, but I don't know how to do that. I only have one year. And I technically only have 8 months of that year left. Am I supposed to sit in Amsterdam and let life revolve around me and "just see what happens?"
True, it's a beautiful city, and it's all an adventure... but I often think I need to get centred, and figure out what it is I really want to be doing in my life and try and apply it here. But surely with 8 months left, that goal is like saying, "I'd love to make it to the peak of Mount Everest without a map, and preferrably do it in a week."
- How much do the people I have met in Amsterdam really mean to me? Am I using the filter of "they are a good person and we have a genuine connection" versus the "I am bored and it can be a little lonely over here and those two things are never a good combination, so I might as well be amused with someone's company, anyone's company" well enough?
(PS> If you are reading this, and you are mentioned in my blog, fear not, I don't mean you. You would have never made it in black and white on here if I didn't really like you! Highly unlikely that you are reading this because I rarely mention this blog to anyone over here.)
It also makes me question why certain people enter your life. If only every person came into your life and as soon as you met them, they gave you a fortune cookie before they spoke, you cracked open the cookie and it had a message akin to;
"We met because you don't know how to sew and that's an imperative life lesson, and I can teach you." and then you looked up and started to talk to them about sewing and arranged a time and place to conduct sewing lessons, and while you chit chatted about hemming and linings and zippers, you munched on the cookie and slipped the fortune into your back pocket.
One thing I really want to do next year is blog more about things that matter - whether in reality or in my head, and less chit chatty, postcardy, type things ("Hi everyone, Today I went for a walk in the snow and pranced down the street with joy..."). I don't mean that I want to pretend to offer educated opinions on things like why the Copenhagen agreement fell through (because I don't know why, seeing as I aim to expose myself to as little media as possible here... I have enough things in my mind, it's weird, I was such a good media consumer in Australia, but here, I really couldn't care less what's happening in the world. It's terrible.One thing that has crossed my mind is that in my office, nobody really talks watercooler talk, like what team won what sport, and what happened when the trains broke down etc...)
Ok, back to work. ONE more email that i have been avoiding for the past week, and then it's pretty much holiday time....
-I am really looking forward to seeing my mum for a cuddle and some home cooked loving.
- Whether I am going to take the great Kaava pills my flatmate gave me ("It's a natural relaxant, you'll love them!") before I get on the aeroplane tomorrow or when I get on the plane; the jury is out.
- What am I really doing here in Amsterdam?
Now, this is a tough question, because if I review the benchmarks of what I set out to achieve by coming here, they were a little bit vague. In fact, a lot vague. This question can have many answers.
Typing on a new laptop owned by my office, on a houseboat in Amsterdam, surrounded by paperwork and listening to the Temptations and Aretha Franklin, blogging when I should be working, pausing my work momentarily to stare outside at the partly frozen canal, I start to think about surreal situations in life. But this doesn't seem surreal to me anymore.
This is what I do - work for a corporation that loan me expensive equipment to keep the money spinning going, live in Amsterdam (albeit not permanantly on a houseboat but it's not weird to be on one in this city), where canals are just part of the scenery, and Europe is covered in snow at the moment, and as for the Motown music...meh... not so surreal.
There is a school of thought that says "Who cares? Just enjoy the ride and see where it takes you." Sometimes this can be fun, but I know myself and drifting aimlessly can annoy the shit out of me. It's like travelling alone - sounds good in theory, you think that anything can happen to you and it's all an adventure, but sometimes waiting for things to happen to you is just downright boring. And then sometimes, nothing ever happens.
I want to make the most out of my time here, but I don't know how to do that. I only have one year. And I technically only have 8 months of that year left. Am I supposed to sit in Amsterdam and let life revolve around me and "just see what happens?"
True, it's a beautiful city, and it's all an adventure... but I often think I need to get centred, and figure out what it is I really want to be doing in my life and try and apply it here. But surely with 8 months left, that goal is like saying, "I'd love to make it to the peak of Mount Everest without a map, and preferrably do it in a week."
- How much do the people I have met in Amsterdam really mean to me? Am I using the filter of "they are a good person and we have a genuine connection" versus the "I am bored and it can be a little lonely over here and those two things are never a good combination, so I might as well be amused with someone's company, anyone's company" well enough?
(PS> If you are reading this, and you are mentioned in my blog, fear not, I don't mean you. You would have never made it in black and white on here if I didn't really like you! Highly unlikely that you are reading this because I rarely mention this blog to anyone over here.)
It also makes me question why certain people enter your life. If only every person came into your life and as soon as you met them, they gave you a fortune cookie before they spoke, you cracked open the cookie and it had a message akin to;
"We met because you don't know how to sew and that's an imperative life lesson, and I can teach you." and then you looked up and started to talk to them about sewing and arranged a time and place to conduct sewing lessons, and while you chit chatted about hemming and linings and zippers, you munched on the cookie and slipped the fortune into your back pocket.
One thing I really want to do next year is blog more about things that matter - whether in reality or in my head, and less chit chatty, postcardy, type things ("Hi everyone, Today I went for a walk in the snow and pranced down the street with joy..."). I don't mean that I want to pretend to offer educated opinions on things like why the Copenhagen agreement fell through (because I don't know why, seeing as I aim to expose myself to as little media as possible here... I have enough things in my mind, it's weird, I was such a good media consumer in Australia, but here, I really couldn't care less what's happening in the world. It's terrible.One thing that has crossed my mind is that in my office, nobody really talks watercooler talk, like what team won what sport, and what happened when the trains broke down etc...)
Ok, back to work. ONE more email that i have been avoiding for the past week, and then it's pretty much holiday time....
Tuesday, December 22, 2009
"Don't work - it's snowing"
Official Dutch Rail website says:
Samenvatting
Door de weersomstandigheden is er maandag 21 december en dinsdag 22 december zeer beperkt tot geen treinverkeer mogelijk.
Advies: Maak, indien mogelijk, op deze dagen geen gebruik van de trein.
Excuses voor het ongemak."Translation?
"By the circumstances Monday 21 December and Tuesday 22 December have been very restricted to no train travel possible. Recommendation: Use, if possible, on these days none of the train. Excuses for the inconvenience."
SOUNDS GOOD TO ME!!!!! So, where was I.... aaaah yes.... Christmas Shopping, and maybe lunch and some photo taking around the city... kiddding....
;)
There's no difference to staggering home drunk, and walking in slushy snow
Because you always end up slipping, sliding, walking in an unpredictable path.
Keen observation for the night.
Another observation is that it's warmer when it's actually snowing, than when it's not snowing, and the skies are clear and the ice all around you, along with the wind, just makes it bitterly cold.
Like last FRIDAY AND SATURDAY night... man, IT WAS COLD.
Minus 15 degrees or something.. 'Twas not fun.
Ok, so a recap on the last week.
Let's start with Wednesday night:
Well, I had my department Christmas dinner at the Hermitage Amsterdam museum (which is a "satellite" branch of the Hermitage museum in St Petersburg - random concept - bringing Russian stuff to Amsterdam, but apparently there are some significant historical ties between St Petersburg and Amsterdam - like did you know the town planning of St Petersburg was loosely based on Amsterdam's town structure? Hah. Bet not... well either did I really.)
My bosses had organised for a tour of the museum for an hour, and then dinner in the museum restaurant.
The tour was fascinating, with genuine restored Russian army uniforms and portraits and interiors like vases and arm chairs, but it was the gowns that were the most interesting part for me.... Gorgeous, delicate, intricate, over the top, emboridered, feathered, bustiered, non bustiered, flowing, sequined, gowns.... luscious to look at.
Just to put it into perspective, good meals in Amsterdam at a reasonable price are few and far between, and even if the restaurant is expensive, there are no guarantess that the food will be any decent, because of the whole "Tourist city" thing...but this restaurant was spectacular! I was feeling very lucky to be dining there with my workmates.
Me, Matthijs and Evelien a little bit tipsy after dinner
First course; pan seared scallops, with cauliflower foam, and then second course was roast partridge with lentils and a witlof something or rather, and then vanilla rice pudding with caramel sauce, topped off with french white and red and port at the end.... AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH. Bliss.
I topped off the night by "checking in" to Pia and Romain's houseboat, which I am housesitting for a week, before I head to Indonesia for Christmas, and then when I get back, I am living here for a month. It is Amazing.
The first night I was here, I dreamt that I was swaying and I couldn't figure out why, until I realised that "Duh, you're on a boat!"
This beautiful, old boat, sits on a canal, 2 minutes away from Heinekenplein, which is a really really central part of town. It's a 5 minute walk to Rokin which is an arterial street in the centre, and Rembrandstplein, which is a bar area. The canal street itself is cobblestoned, lined with trees, old Amsterdam townhouses, and lightposts.
The canal at the moment is nearly frozen, but not quite, with ducks, swans and storks just hanging out, by the kitchen window, waiting for scraps or just hanging out on the boat itself.
Pia's a stylist, so the boat is just beautifully cosy, and just such an intimate little space that is full of love. I am glad to be chilling out here, in this floating respite amongst the madness that Christmas time and the snow chaos can bring. I saw my first snowfall from the kitchen windows of this boat, and it was more perfect than words can describe.
I keep meaning to bring my camera everywhere, but I just haven't!! The city looks so pretty, but my battery camera is dead and I can't find the Australian adapter that goes with it to charge it.
Anyway, I digress. So, that was Wednesday night. Thursday morning, I woke up, almost in rage with the lack of light, because it felt like 4 am. I thought nothing of walking out the front door of the boat for work, and literally almost slipped into the canal, and then looked around and realised that everything was covered in snow! I was sooooo excited!!
I literally walked down the street, skipping (almost), down the dimly lit cobbled street, when I saw a guy letting his dog out. This little bull terrier came trotting over to me, sniffed my feet, and I sort of smiled, and the guy said something in dutch. Usually I would give a polite smile and keep walking, but I just sort of walked over and said "Sorry?" and he laughed and he switched to english and he said "Oh, I was just saying that it's the first time he's seen snow." and I grinned and I said "Me too!!" and then turned and kept skipping.
At the office, I watched the snow fall all day, and I didn't want to be indoors. I went out for a walk at lunch, and shuffled my feet in it, drew my name in it with my feet, and did lots of slipping and sliding.
On Thursday night, Laura and I got Italian takeaway from a great place near the boat, (Oven baked swordfish with tomatoes, and spinach; Spinach ravioli with eggplant...and 2 bottles of Chianti) and we had our last girls night for the year, before she went to Switzerland.
On Friday night, I cooked dinner for my friends Leon and Sam and we went to a birthday party in about 15 minutes cycle from the boat, on the west side, at a bar area/park called Westerpark. Cool bar where they play swing, zoot suit music mixed up with some other stuff. On arrival, I immediately felt the vast difference in temperature inside and outside. It had to be minus 5 outside and 35 degrees inside. I felt so overdressed in jeans and a thermal, thermal, thermal and a black long sleeved top and boots, all the dutch girls were swanning around in teeshirts, and nice tops, and skirts with stockings, and berets. I immediately went to the toilet and took off 3 layers, and my thermal stockings because I felt like a retard. Even minus the layers I still felt like a frigid nun.
The after party at 4 am was at a really seedy, small dutch brown bar where the leathery dutch bar maid was dressed in a backless top, frosted pink lipstick, and highly teased blonde hair, and she looked like she had been raised in the bar, probably had her first drink suckling from a bottle of Grolsch on the bar stool I was sitting on. The cycle home was ATROCIOUS, despite my many layers, if it had taken any longer I would have purposely just run into a car so an ambulance would have had to take me somewhere as opposed to cycling for any longer.
Leon and I stayed up until about 6 in the morning, drinking wine and talking crap. He crashed out on the boat, and I had the thermostat up quite high apprently (it's quite tempermental), and when I looked at the clock the next day, it was 3.40pm. I bolted upright and called over to Leon who was crashing on the day bed;
"Leon!! It's almost 4 o'clock!! I had to be at brunch at 1!!"
Shit. Who missed brunch from sleeping in ALL afternoon?! My day was just getting started at 4pm, which was quite the concern.
The day was so dark, it was so hot inside, it was like we had created a tropical island in the middle of the artic, and the warmth and cosiness had fooled us into believing it was mid morning still. We then spent the afternoon, eating omelette, drinking tea, and listening to music.
On Sunday, Karl came over to the boat, where we sank some red wine, and then dragged ourselves outside for Christmas shopping. But all the shops were closed ( we got carried away drinking red wine I guess) and so we went to another couple of bars and hung out.
The ground was in this weird "it hasn't snowed for an hour so the snow is kind of melting and people have been treading over it all day so now it's grey slush/puddles" phase, and I literally slipped every 30 seconds. Karl eventually insisted I hang on to his arm the entire evening if we were walking together somewhere because after the 3 time I fell over, he felt like he might need to help the retarded Australian girl that had never seen snow, or clearly, ever learnt how to walk in snow. Even after I clung to his arm, I managed to fall 3 times again, and take him down with me once.
Overall, such a lovely weekend on the boat. Perfect for friends and chit chats and watching the day pass and the snow fall!
I hear a rumour that it's supposed to snow another TWENTY centimetres of snow tomorrow! Hahha - awesome. If it only snowed 5cms today, and the train system was wrecked, perhaps I just couldn't possibly make it to work tomorrow - lucky I brought my laptop home then. Tee hee.
Keen observation for the night.
Another observation is that it's warmer when it's actually snowing, than when it's not snowing, and the skies are clear and the ice all around you, along with the wind, just makes it bitterly cold.
Like last FRIDAY AND SATURDAY night... man, IT WAS COLD.
Minus 15 degrees or something.. 'Twas not fun.
Ok, so a recap on the last week.
Let's start with Wednesday night:
Well, I had my department Christmas dinner at the Hermitage Amsterdam museum (which is a "satellite" branch of the Hermitage museum in St Petersburg - random concept - bringing Russian stuff to Amsterdam, but apparently there are some significant historical ties between St Petersburg and Amsterdam - like did you know the town planning of St Petersburg was loosely based on Amsterdam's town structure? Hah. Bet not... well either did I really.)
My bosses had organised for a tour of the museum for an hour, and then dinner in the museum restaurant.
The tour was fascinating, with genuine restored Russian army uniforms and portraits and interiors like vases and arm chairs, but it was the gowns that were the most interesting part for me.... Gorgeous, delicate, intricate, over the top, emboridered, feathered, bustiered, non bustiered, flowing, sequined, gowns.... luscious to look at.
Just to put it into perspective, good meals in Amsterdam at a reasonable price are few and far between, and even if the restaurant is expensive, there are no guarantess that the food will be any decent, because of the whole "Tourist city" thing...but this restaurant was spectacular! I was feeling very lucky to be dining there with my workmates.
Me, Matthijs and Evelien a little bit tipsy after dinnerFirst course; pan seared scallops, with cauliflower foam, and then second course was roast partridge with lentils and a witlof something or rather, and then vanilla rice pudding with caramel sauce, topped off with french white and red and port at the end.... AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH. Bliss.
I topped off the night by "checking in" to Pia and Romain's houseboat, which I am housesitting for a week, before I head to Indonesia for Christmas, and then when I get back, I am living here for a month. It is Amazing.
The first night I was here, I dreamt that I was swaying and I couldn't figure out why, until I realised that "Duh, you're on a boat!"
This beautiful, old boat, sits on a canal, 2 minutes away from Heinekenplein, which is a really really central part of town. It's a 5 minute walk to Rokin which is an arterial street in the centre, and Rembrandstplein, which is a bar area. The canal street itself is cobblestoned, lined with trees, old Amsterdam townhouses, and lightposts.
The canal at the moment is nearly frozen, but not quite, with ducks, swans and storks just hanging out, by the kitchen window, waiting for scraps or just hanging out on the boat itself.
Pia's a stylist, so the boat is just beautifully cosy, and just such an intimate little space that is full of love. I am glad to be chilling out here, in this floating respite amongst the madness that Christmas time and the snow chaos can bring. I saw my first snowfall from the kitchen windows of this boat, and it was more perfect than words can describe.
I keep meaning to bring my camera everywhere, but I just haven't!! The city looks so pretty, but my battery camera is dead and I can't find the Australian adapter that goes with it to charge it.
Anyway, I digress. So, that was Wednesday night. Thursday morning, I woke up, almost in rage with the lack of light, because it felt like 4 am. I thought nothing of walking out the front door of the boat for work, and literally almost slipped into the canal, and then looked around and realised that everything was covered in snow! I was sooooo excited!!
I literally walked down the street, skipping (almost), down the dimly lit cobbled street, when I saw a guy letting his dog out. This little bull terrier came trotting over to me, sniffed my feet, and I sort of smiled, and the guy said something in dutch. Usually I would give a polite smile and keep walking, but I just sort of walked over and said "Sorry?" and he laughed and he switched to english and he said "Oh, I was just saying that it's the first time he's seen snow." and I grinned and I said "Me too!!" and then turned and kept skipping.
At the office, I watched the snow fall all day, and I didn't want to be indoors. I went out for a walk at lunch, and shuffled my feet in it, drew my name in it with my feet, and did lots of slipping and sliding.
On Thursday night, Laura and I got Italian takeaway from a great place near the boat, (Oven baked swordfish with tomatoes, and spinach; Spinach ravioli with eggplant...and 2 bottles of Chianti) and we had our last girls night for the year, before she went to Switzerland.
On Friday night, I cooked dinner for my friends Leon and Sam and we went to a birthday party in about 15 minutes cycle from the boat, on the west side, at a bar area/park called Westerpark. Cool bar where they play swing, zoot suit music mixed up with some other stuff. On arrival, I immediately felt the vast difference in temperature inside and outside. It had to be minus 5 outside and 35 degrees inside. I felt so overdressed in jeans and a thermal, thermal, thermal and a black long sleeved top and boots, all the dutch girls were swanning around in teeshirts, and nice tops, and skirts with stockings, and berets. I immediately went to the toilet and took off 3 layers, and my thermal stockings because I felt like a retard. Even minus the layers I still felt like a frigid nun.
The after party at 4 am was at a really seedy, small dutch brown bar where the leathery dutch bar maid was dressed in a backless top, frosted pink lipstick, and highly teased blonde hair, and she looked like she had been raised in the bar, probably had her first drink suckling from a bottle of Grolsch on the bar stool I was sitting on. The cycle home was ATROCIOUS, despite my many layers, if it had taken any longer I would have purposely just run into a car so an ambulance would have had to take me somewhere as opposed to cycling for any longer.
Leon and I stayed up until about 6 in the morning, drinking wine and talking crap. He crashed out on the boat, and I had the thermostat up quite high apprently (it's quite tempermental), and when I looked at the clock the next day, it was 3.40pm. I bolted upright and called over to Leon who was crashing on the day bed;
"Leon!! It's almost 4 o'clock!! I had to be at brunch at 1!!"
Shit. Who missed brunch from sleeping in ALL afternoon?! My day was just getting started at 4pm, which was quite the concern.
The day was so dark, it was so hot inside, it was like we had created a tropical island in the middle of the artic, and the warmth and cosiness had fooled us into believing it was mid morning still. We then spent the afternoon, eating omelette, drinking tea, and listening to music.
On Sunday, Karl came over to the boat, where we sank some red wine, and then dragged ourselves outside for Christmas shopping. But all the shops were closed ( we got carried away drinking red wine I guess) and so we went to another couple of bars and hung out.
The ground was in this weird "it hasn't snowed for an hour so the snow is kind of melting and people have been treading over it all day so now it's grey slush/puddles" phase, and I literally slipped every 30 seconds. Karl eventually insisted I hang on to his arm the entire evening if we were walking together somewhere because after the 3 time I fell over, he felt like he might need to help the retarded Australian girl that had never seen snow, or clearly, ever learnt how to walk in snow. Even after I clung to his arm, I managed to fall 3 times again, and take him down with me once.
Overall, such a lovely weekend on the boat. Perfect for friends and chit chats and watching the day pass and the snow fall!
I hear a rumour that it's supposed to snow another TWENTY centimetres of snow tomorrow! Hahha - awesome. If it only snowed 5cms today, and the train system was wrecked, perhaps I just couldn't possibly make it to work tomorrow - lucky I brought my laptop home then. Tee hee.
Monday, December 21, 2009
" Hi, it's Lady Grey, first time snow witness, long time dreamer of snow..."
I have so much to say, so much to say!!!
Many, many exciting things that have been happening but the most important thing...
SNOW SNOW SNOW!!!!!
This new white powdery substance (insert obvious Class A contraband illicit substance reference here) in my life deserves it's own post really, so here it is!
This stuff has changed my life... yes, a drastic statement I know.. but, I will list in order of importance why it's so important to me.
1. My dreams just keep getting fulfilled here, every single day.. I had NEVER seen snow before in my life, and now I am constantly surrounded in it. I used to have dreams about feeling snow, frolicking in snow, holding snow, crunching my feet through snow, and now fortunately, and unfortunately, I do it every day! It's just another way that this town keeps proving to me that you can seriously live in a dream like reality.
2.I haven't felt my feet through 2 layers of socks and a pair of boots, in about 3 days. This is the flipside of living ankle deep in snow.
3. The weather in this town constantly reminds me that no matter how many layers I put on, or however prepared Iconvince myself I am for the weather, I am actually never really prepared for the weather. The first morning of snow on Thursday, it fell so softly and romantically in delicate flakes, and I felt oh so chic in my winter coat, finally being able to justify why I look like an Icelandic sheep as Laura would say. Then last night, I went out with my friend Karl, and it was absolutely PELTING down, in what I can only imagine are blizzard like proportions, in heavy balls... My woolly winter coat was pretty much soaked in snow when I got home, and I realised that I don't have a single water proof item that would be remotely warm enough to wear outside.
4. This town is SO BEAUTIFUL under snow... I think I said this on my facebook status, but I LIVE IN A POSTCARD. I feel so lucky to have travelled a lot more recently, and to have seen different cities and be able to say this statement with some sort of reference in my head, because may i be so brash and bold to say ..." HELLO WORLD - I LIVE IN THE MOST BEAUTIFUL CITY ON THIS PLANET!!! "
And just to prove it, please see below:
Keizersgracht, one of the most beautiful and exclusive canals to live on in Amsterdam. It's been compared to the "Upper East Side" of Amsterdam - not that I really know what that truly means, having never been to NY, but I can imagine.
I want to do this one day with my 3 kids!! The thing at the front is called a Bakfiets, and that's how dutch mummies and daddys kart their kids around the city, no joke. It's so cute to see two kids sitting in a Bakfiets nattering away to each other. When it rains, parents put a plastic cover of the top of the kart and it looks like a capsule, and the kids just sit there talking to themselves while their mum or dad just cycles them around!!! Too cute!
Have yet to cycle in the snow - I think its ridiculous idea, when I have a public transport card. I value my bones in tact way too much.
Ok, so here is a ridiculous story about the trains and the trams and the snow. This morning when I went to go to work, I was waiting for a tram for 25 minutes in the snow. I am currently living on the houseboat ( yes, yes, yes! How exciting, I know, but more on that later!) and it's on a very central canal, and 3 minutes up the street, there is a tram stop, that takes me to Centraal station, and about 4 trams could take me there, to date I have never had to wait more than 2 minutes.
Last night, Karl said as we were waiting for my tram home in a blizzard, "You think it's bad now, wait til the trams don't even run because of some snow related delay." I freaked out, because I realised the look on his face wasn't one of jest. If there are no trams and you can't cycle ( because you are too chicken shit or too sensible) then you are walking everywhere.
Anyway, so I was freaking out a little bit, because my toes were numb and I thought about being late (again) for work, and then finally one came. It was soooo full.
Then I get to Centraal station, and I look at the train announcement board and realise that every 1 in 7 trains is actually running. And Centraal station is looking particularly sparse. But my train happens to be running. Damn.
Then I get to the office, and it is dead. You can hear a pin drop, as I step outside the elevator. And it's 9.15 am, when everyone is usually milling around getting coffee, talking about their weekends etc. I ask my dutch colleague Sarah what is happening and she said that the Dutch government told people to stay home today via the news, because they expected half the trains to be in gridlock or cancelled, and probably not running at all in the evening. Niiiiice. Only problem is I don't watch the dutch news, or listen to the radio, so a sucker like me couldn't have known.
"By government decree, I pronouce tomorrow SNOW DAY... stay home citizens of Amsterdam, and just hang out..."
How can a country in Europe be brought to it's knees because of snow? Because they're not used to it is how... this year will be the first White Christmas ( defined as snow on the 25th of December AND 26th of December) since 1981. This sort of snow fall doesn't happen usually until mid-late January.
One of my bosses didn't make it - working from home, she said.... nice for some - and half my floor wasn't in.
My flatmate's facebook status this morning was slightly hilarious. It was nice to know she thought the same things as me, albeit on the other side of town, however her morning sounded more shit than mine.
On another note, apparently 700 people were stranded overnight on makeshift beds at Schipol airport last night. So... I could e spending Christmas Eve/Day at Schipol if my flights are delayed. Fantastic. Sounds great. I think I know why the dutch government pumped so much money into that airport to make it so world class.... pick a bar, any bar... you're here for a long time, not a good time weary travellers....
Many, many exciting things that have been happening but the most important thing...
SNOW SNOW SNOW!!!!!
This new white powdery substance (insert obvious Class A contraband illicit substance reference here) in my life deserves it's own post really, so here it is!
This stuff has changed my life... yes, a drastic statement I know.. but, I will list in order of importance why it's so important to me.
1. My dreams just keep getting fulfilled here, every single day.. I had NEVER seen snow before in my life, and now I am constantly surrounded in it. I used to have dreams about feeling snow, frolicking in snow, holding snow, crunching my feet through snow, and now fortunately, and unfortunately, I do it every day! It's just another way that this town keeps proving to me that you can seriously live in a dream like reality.
2.I haven't felt my feet through 2 layers of socks and a pair of boots, in about 3 days. This is the flipside of living ankle deep in snow.
3. The weather in this town constantly reminds me that no matter how many layers I put on, or however prepared Iconvince myself I am for the weather, I am actually never really prepared for the weather. The first morning of snow on Thursday, it fell so softly and romantically in delicate flakes, and I felt oh so chic in my winter coat, finally being able to justify why I look like an Icelandic sheep as Laura would say. Then last night, I went out with my friend Karl, and it was absolutely PELTING down, in what I can only imagine are blizzard like proportions, in heavy balls... My woolly winter coat was pretty much soaked in snow when I got home, and I realised that I don't have a single water proof item that would be remotely warm enough to wear outside.
4. This town is SO BEAUTIFUL under snow... I think I said this on my facebook status, but I LIVE IN A POSTCARD. I feel so lucky to have travelled a lot more recently, and to have seen different cities and be able to say this statement with some sort of reference in my head, because may i be so brash and bold to say ..." HELLO WORLD - I LIVE IN THE MOST BEAUTIFUL CITY ON THIS PLANET!!! "
And just to prove it, please see below:
Keizersgracht, one of the most beautiful and exclusive canals to live on in Amsterdam. It's been compared to the "Upper East Side" of Amsterdam - not that I really know what that truly means, having never been to NY, but I can imagine.
I want to do this one day with my 3 kids!! The thing at the front is called a Bakfiets, and that's how dutch mummies and daddys kart their kids around the city, no joke. It's so cute to see two kids sitting in a Bakfiets nattering away to each other. When it rains, parents put a plastic cover of the top of the kart and it looks like a capsule, and the kids just sit there talking to themselves while their mum or dad just cycles them around!!! Too cute!
Photos courtesy of www.iamsterdam.com
Have yet to cycle in the snow - I think its ridiculous idea, when I have a public transport card. I value my bones in tact way too much.
Ok, so here is a ridiculous story about the trains and the trams and the snow. This morning when I went to go to work, I was waiting for a tram for 25 minutes in the snow. I am currently living on the houseboat ( yes, yes, yes! How exciting, I know, but more on that later!) and it's on a very central canal, and 3 minutes up the street, there is a tram stop, that takes me to Centraal station, and about 4 trams could take me there, to date I have never had to wait more than 2 minutes.
Last night, Karl said as we were waiting for my tram home in a blizzard, "You think it's bad now, wait til the trams don't even run because of some snow related delay." I freaked out, because I realised the look on his face wasn't one of jest. If there are no trams and you can't cycle ( because you are too chicken shit or too sensible) then you are walking everywhere.
Anyway, so I was freaking out a little bit, because my toes were numb and I thought about being late (again) for work, and then finally one came. It was soooo full.
Then I get to Centraal station, and I look at the train announcement board and realise that every 1 in 7 trains is actually running. And Centraal station is looking particularly sparse. But my train happens to be running. Damn.
Then I get to the office, and it is dead. You can hear a pin drop, as I step outside the elevator. And it's 9.15 am, when everyone is usually milling around getting coffee, talking about their weekends etc. I ask my dutch colleague Sarah what is happening and she said that the Dutch government told people to stay home today via the news, because they expected half the trains to be in gridlock or cancelled, and probably not running at all in the evening. Niiiiice. Only problem is I don't watch the dutch news, or listen to the radio, so a sucker like me couldn't have known.
"By government decree, I pronouce tomorrow SNOW DAY... stay home citizens of Amsterdam, and just hang out..."
How can a country in Europe be brought to it's knees because of snow? Because they're not used to it is how... this year will be the first White Christmas ( defined as snow on the 25th of December AND 26th of December) since 1981. This sort of snow fall doesn't happen usually until mid-late January.
One of my bosses didn't make it - working from home, she said.... nice for some - and half my floor wasn't in.
My flatmate's facebook status this morning was slightly hilarious. It was nice to know she thought the same things as me, albeit on the other side of town, however her morning sounded more shit than mine.
"Huh. A 1/2 hr walk to Central Station (no trams running) to discover there were no trains going to Utrecht. And then a 1/2 hour walk home again. I'd never imagined a country could get its public transportation so de-railed by 1.5 inches of snow."
Another one of my coworkers told me this morning that his train was running but it was late because they couldn't find an engineer to run the train. Hah hah hahahhaha. Trains and the Netherlands. Funny. In a country the size of Tasmania, where cities/towns are mere half hour train rides away (really just suburbs), intercity rail travel is definitely an interesting experience.On another note, apparently 700 people were stranded overnight on makeshift beds at Schipol airport last night. So... I could e spending Christmas Eve/Day at Schipol if my flights are delayed. Fantastic. Sounds great. I think I know why the dutch government pumped so much money into that airport to make it so world class.... pick a bar, any bar... you're here for a long time, not a good time weary travellers....
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
The joke is on me...
There's a mass exodus from Amsterdam as of ... tomorrow.
People are starting to take time off work to go away for the holidays.
Laura leaves Thursday.
Substantial quantities of dutch people around me seem to be either;
a) going back to their Villages for Christmas and back between boxing day ("second day of Christmas") and New Years Eve ("Oud en Nieuw") and then refusing to talk about January, like it's some traumatic experience they are bracing themselves for...
OR
b)fleeing between now and mid- late january next year for anywhere from a month to six months... basically until June... when summer starts again...
I couldn't feel my feet tonight, after 20 minutes chatting in the cold followed by 10 - 13 minutes of walking to Centraal Station.
So....
Do you think there might be a correlation with any of the above information?
Hah.
I have been told that if you combine the latest weather conditions, with rain,wind and sleet, you get the essence of Amsterdam in January.
Ah ha ha ha ha...er...ha...ha...ha?
People are starting to take time off work to go away for the holidays.
Laura leaves Thursday.
Substantial quantities of dutch people around me seem to be either;
a) going back to their Villages for Christmas and back between boxing day ("second day of Christmas") and New Years Eve ("Oud en Nieuw") and then refusing to talk about January, like it's some traumatic experience they are bracing themselves for...
OR
b)fleeing between now and mid- late january next year for anywhere from a month to six months... basically until June... when summer starts again...
I couldn't feel my feet tonight, after 20 minutes chatting in the cold followed by 10 - 13 minutes of walking to Centraal Station.
So....
Do you think there might be a correlation with any of the above information?
Hah.
I have been told that if you combine the latest weather conditions, with rain,wind and sleet, you get the essence of Amsterdam in January.
Ah ha ha ha ha...er...ha...ha...ha?
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
Snow on Thursday, Friday and Saturday!!!!
| Dag | di | wo | do | vr | za |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Weer |  | |  | | |
| Zonkans | 60 | 30 | 40 | 40 | 30 |
| Neerslagkans | 10 | 20 | 30 | 40 | 30 |
| Neerslag | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Minimumtemperatuur | -7 | -5 | -3 | -5 | -4 |
| Maximumtemperatuur | 0 | 1 | 0 | -1 | 1 |
| Wind | O 2 | Z 3 | NO 3 | O 3 | Z 3 |
On the right track? Wrong track? Frozen tracks? Making tracks!!
“Hi, Boss?Yeah, um, I’m going to be a bit late this morning – I’m on an express train to Enkhuizen and it won’t let me off until I get to Hoorn. Yes, I realise that this is the opposite direction to the office, but not sure how long I’ll be…..Oh. Really? An hour North from the office? Riiiight. Ok. See you before lunch.”
View Larger Map
Apparently every December 14th/15th, the train schedules get a complete overhaul. So when a train that looks like yours, leaves the same platform you usually get your train from every morning, at the same time as your usual train, you would think that it's YOUR train. But, it wasn't.
APPARENTLY it's something that every dutch person knows about, inherent information that just gets passed on through the generations, just like when the seasons start, or you know, how to ride a bike.
BUT I wasn't the only one at the office caught out... another girl I had never seen before in my life, hops on the train to Amsterdam, and I look at her and she looks at me, and I said " you thought you were going to Schipol too right?"
and she said "Yeah, what is WITH that? I have a 9 o'clock meeting at Hoofddorp and now I'm late!"
"Hoofddorp? Where do you work?"
"(insert name of my company here)."
"Me too! What area?"
"Finance."
"Building 2, level 2?!"
"Yeah! Funny, I've never seen you there before!"
Glad I wasn't the only one stuck in the same situation. She was nice, from New York, but she had been living in Australia for 6 years.
I arrived at work at 10.30 (when i left my house at 7.45), to see my boss and 2 colleagues, with highly amused faces, as I walked into the room.
All day long I was ridiculed with:
"Oh, that's a nice scarf you're wearing - did you pick it up while you were in Hoorn this morning?"
"I left a visitor's guide for Hoorn on your desk, just in case you are planning a repeat day trip tomorrow."
"What time are you leaving tonight? Need me to print out the train schedule for you, and highlight the most direct train routes for you, or are you planning an overnighter in Hoorn?"
Ha. Ha. Soooo funny. Forever will be known as the crazy Australian girl that went 1 hour in the wrong direction on a train to work. Or just, the crazy Australian girl.
Winter doesn't officially start here til 21st December but it just TURNED on Saturday morning. A beautiful sunny day when you look out the window and then BAM! - cold as ice! Then Saturday night, and Sunday...COLD COLD COLD. Like, my feet are cold in boots. Somebody pass me the gluhwein.
Lucky I got a special, awesome, fantastic survival package in the mail on Saturday consisting of Toobs, Vegemite,Burger rings, Haighs chocolates galore, a Violet Crumble Rasberry bullets, a wool hat, a wool scarf, and Merino wool gloves... SO SPECIAL!! Thanks Pam, Tom, and Andrei! xxxxx
Today??? Minus 2 degrees. All day. No wind, no rain ( Oh! A bonus!) but no snow either.
A great day to be standing at the train station of a F***ing Dutch Village, waiting for a train to take you back to the city... then getting on the UNHEATED train and it stops in the middle of the tracks for 20 minutes, waiting for the confusion to pass because apparently noone that drives a train in this country KNOWS WHAT THEY ARE DOING.
The other day I got on the my train and the driver took us down the wrong tracks, and had to reverse the train, to get on the right ones. 45 minutes later... I was back on track to get to work. Can you imagine?? The driver became absent minded for a minute and thought he was taking us to Belgium or something, instead of the little village/office park outside of Schipol.
Reee-dee-coo-lous. Freaking ridiculous.
So, the weekend that was;
Saturday night, I went to the markets in the Jordaan area with Laura, and we drank Gluwein, and ate ham and saurkraut rolls, and then went to Laura's house where she made more gluhwein, then to a party on my friend Pia's houseboat (which I move into on Wednesday for a week of housesitting!! Yipppeee!! Then back there for 3 weeks in January!), then out with Karl the Irish chef to see a funk/jazz band in Spui, a funky little street in the centre of the city where Laura and I danced the night away til 5 in the morning. Upon the cycle back to my place, I tried to jump the curb on my bike. It didn't work. Bike fall number# 3. I think i hurt my wrist internally.
All Laura could do when she saw me sprawled on the pavement was cover her mouth in shock. I laughed and picked myself up and dusted myself off and kept cycling again. She stood there for about 3 minutes staring after me, and then finally she just repeatedly said "are you ok? no seriously, are you ok? Rani, you know that was never going to work!" She just couldn't believe it didn't hurt that much because she said it looked terrible. I was surprised it didn't hurt as much.
Sunday, we woke up at 1pm, and made our way to some Christmas markets in Westerpark, where we drank more Gluhwein into the evening. Great weekend!
View Larger Map
Apparently every December 14th/15th, the train schedules get a complete overhaul. So when a train that looks like yours, leaves the same platform you usually get your train from every morning, at the same time as your usual train, you would think that it's YOUR train. But, it wasn't.
APPARENTLY it's something that every dutch person knows about, inherent information that just gets passed on through the generations, just like when the seasons start, or you know, how to ride a bike.
BUT I wasn't the only one at the office caught out... another girl I had never seen before in my life, hops on the train to Amsterdam, and I look at her and she looks at me, and I said " you thought you were going to Schipol too right?"
and she said "Yeah, what is WITH that? I have a 9 o'clock meeting at Hoofddorp and now I'm late!"
"Hoofddorp? Where do you work?"
"(insert name of my company here)."
"Me too! What area?"
"Finance."
"Building 2, level 2?!"
"Yeah! Funny, I've never seen you there before!"
Glad I wasn't the only one stuck in the same situation. She was nice, from New York, but she had been living in Australia for 6 years.
I arrived at work at 10.30 (when i left my house at 7.45), to see my boss and 2 colleagues, with highly amused faces, as I walked into the room.
All day long I was ridiculed with:
"Oh, that's a nice scarf you're wearing - did you pick it up while you were in Hoorn this morning?"
"I left a visitor's guide for Hoorn on your desk, just in case you are planning a repeat day trip tomorrow."
"What time are you leaving tonight? Need me to print out the train schedule for you, and highlight the most direct train routes for you, or are you planning an overnighter in Hoorn?"
Ha. Ha. Soooo funny. Forever will be known as the crazy Australian girl that went 1 hour in the wrong direction on a train to work. Or just, the crazy Australian girl.
Winter doesn't officially start here til 21st December but it just TURNED on Saturday morning. A beautiful sunny day when you look out the window and then BAM! - cold as ice! Then Saturday night, and Sunday...COLD COLD COLD. Like, my feet are cold in boots. Somebody pass me the gluhwein.
Lucky I got a special, awesome, fantastic survival package in the mail on Saturday consisting of Toobs, Vegemite,Burger rings, Haighs chocolates galore, a Violet Crumble Rasberry bullets, a wool hat, a wool scarf, and Merino wool gloves... SO SPECIAL!! Thanks Pam, Tom, and Andrei! xxxxx
Today??? Minus 2 degrees. All day. No wind, no rain ( Oh! A bonus!) but no snow either.
A great day to be standing at the train station of a F***ing Dutch Village, waiting for a train to take you back to the city... then getting on the UNHEATED train and it stops in the middle of the tracks for 20 minutes, waiting for the confusion to pass because apparently noone that drives a train in this country KNOWS WHAT THEY ARE DOING.
The other day I got on the my train and the driver took us down the wrong tracks, and had to reverse the train, to get on the right ones. 45 minutes later... I was back on track to get to work. Can you imagine?? The driver became absent minded for a minute and thought he was taking us to Belgium or something, instead of the little village/office park outside of Schipol.
Reee-dee-coo-lous. Freaking ridiculous.
So, the weekend that was;
Saturday night, I went to the markets in the Jordaan area with Laura, and we drank Gluwein, and ate ham and saurkraut rolls, and then went to Laura's house where she made more gluhwein, then to a party on my friend Pia's houseboat (which I move into on Wednesday for a week of housesitting!! Yipppeee!! Then back there for 3 weeks in January!), then out with Karl the Irish chef to see a funk/jazz band in Spui, a funky little street in the centre of the city where Laura and I danced the night away til 5 in the morning. Upon the cycle back to my place, I tried to jump the curb on my bike. It didn't work. Bike fall number# 3. I think i hurt my wrist internally.
All Laura could do when she saw me sprawled on the pavement was cover her mouth in shock. I laughed and picked myself up and dusted myself off and kept cycling again. She stood there for about 3 minutes staring after me, and then finally she just repeatedly said "are you ok? no seriously, are you ok? Rani, you know that was never going to work!" She just couldn't believe it didn't hurt that much because she said it looked terrible. I was surprised it didn't hurt as much.
Sunday, we woke up at 1pm, and made our way to some Christmas markets in Westerpark, where we drank more Gluhwein into the evening. Great weekend!
Wednesday, December 9, 2009
Actually, I changed my mind, I have something important to say
I was supposed to go home today.
Well, I was supposed to board a flight from Helsinki to Tokyo, and arrive home on the 14th of December. But I was supposed to leave Europe today.
Today was the day I had my flights booked from my original itinerary, because it would have been symbolic of 4 months in Amsterdam, and I figured that I was either going to be lying in a gutter, begging for food, talking in tongues to the junkies in the red light district, or I was going to be ... somewhere else. And if, per se, I was in the former situation, then, better to just go home, or at least live in the knowledge that I know that I have a ticket to go home if I wanted to go home.
Well, I am somewhere else, and ain't that grand, because I am sure that junkies here would much rather be spending their precious time flogging off bikes than trying to interpret my inane banter.
6 months ago, I left my hometown to jump over the edge of a cliff I called "anticipation", and into a dark dark abyss that I call "uncertainty".
I am pleased to say that I am still alive, and my god, am I ALIVE.
I can't get my head around the last 6 months, it feels like yesterday I had to make some of the most gutwrenching "goodbyes" I have ever made in my life, and I still tear up about those memories. And now, I type from my (messy) bedroom, contemplating my day at the office tomorrow, having just got home from a bike ride in the misty, foggy atmosphere, from Nieuwmarkt, along the canals, and the houseboats and the Christmas lights, in the city I live in. And inbetween the date of June 8th, 2009, and right this second, I am sure I have felt every emotion that a human being can feel when faced with an unmapped, and unplanned future.
I just can not believe that it is December. And I live in Amsterdam. And if the last 6 months have just flown, that means the next 9 months of my visa will absolutely fly.
Laura showed me a poem that she studied in highschool, and I loved every word of it after I read it. It has become my mantra for my time here, I carry a copy of it with me every where I go.
More to write tomorrow or the next day I am sure, and I promise December will have more posts and 2010, even more so.
Miss you all.
Invictus
How charged with punishments the scroll
I am the master of my fate:
I am the captain of my soul.
-William E. Henley
Well, I was supposed to board a flight from Helsinki to Tokyo, and arrive home on the 14th of December. But I was supposed to leave Europe today.
Today was the day I had my flights booked from my original itinerary, because it would have been symbolic of 4 months in Amsterdam, and I figured that I was either going to be lying in a gutter, begging for food, talking in tongues to the junkies in the red light district, or I was going to be ... somewhere else. And if, per se, I was in the former situation, then, better to just go home, or at least live in the knowledge that I know that I have a ticket to go home if I wanted to go home.
Well, I am somewhere else, and ain't that grand, because I am sure that junkies here would much rather be spending their precious time flogging off bikes than trying to interpret my inane banter.
6 months ago, I left my hometown to jump over the edge of a cliff I called "anticipation", and into a dark dark abyss that I call "uncertainty".
I am pleased to say that I am still alive, and my god, am I ALIVE.
I can't get my head around the last 6 months, it feels like yesterday I had to make some of the most gutwrenching "goodbyes" I have ever made in my life, and I still tear up about those memories. And now, I type from my (messy) bedroom, contemplating my day at the office tomorrow, having just got home from a bike ride in the misty, foggy atmosphere, from Nieuwmarkt, along the canals, and the houseboats and the Christmas lights, in the city I live in. And inbetween the date of June 8th, 2009, and right this second, I am sure I have felt every emotion that a human being can feel when faced with an unmapped, and unplanned future.
I just can not believe that it is December. And I live in Amsterdam. And if the last 6 months have just flown, that means the next 9 months of my visa will absolutely fly.
Laura showed me a poem that she studied in highschool, and I loved every word of it after I read it. It has become my mantra for my time here, I carry a copy of it with me every where I go.
More to write tomorrow or the next day I am sure, and I promise December will have more posts and 2010, even more so.
Miss you all.
Invictus
Out of the night that covers me,
Black as the Pit from pole to pole,
I thank whatever gods may be
For my unconquerable soul.
In the fell clutch of circumstance
I have not winced nor cried aloud.
Under the bludgeonings of chance
My head is bloody, but unbowed.
Beyond this place of wrath and tears
Looms but the Horror of the shade,
And yet the menace of the years
Finds and shall find me unafraid.
How charged with punishments the scroll
I am the master of my fate:
I am the captain of my soul.
-William E. Henley
I'm alive
Just contemplating things at the moment. Trying to figure out how to make my
"blogging comeback" and craft the words I want to put down, to retell my tales of late.....
Need time, but have a Christmas party tomorrow night ( open bar - gulp! Add work colleagues... - hmmmm....) and then a busy weekend with Laura seeing as it is our last weekend together for the year.
Sheesh, I can't believe I even just said that.
So many thoughts, want to recap on the year, and travels and thoughts etc, so majorly big post coming up soon! xxx
"blogging comeback" and craft the words I want to put down, to retell my tales of late.....
Need time, but have a Christmas party tomorrow night ( open bar - gulp! Add work colleagues... - hmmmm....) and then a busy weekend with Laura seeing as it is our last weekend together for the year.
Sheesh, I can't believe I even just said that.
So many thoughts, want to recap on the year, and travels and thoughts etc, so majorly big post coming up soon! xxx
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