"Arbeit Macht Frei."

"Work sets you free."

We arrived in Krakow last night and we got snow.
It's quite fitting, as today we went to Auschwitz and I think any movie I have ever seen about life in "the camp" has always been covered in snow.
I must admit I wasn't quite prepared for the effect today's visit was going to have on me. It actually made me feel physically sick. Of course reading history books and watching films on TV can have some emotional effect on you, but nothing like being exposed to the real thing. Obviously I didn't live through the 'real experience', but just being there and seeing the sheer scale on which such atrocities were carried out is very overwhelming. Couple this with endless haunting photographic displays, walls covered in 'mugshots' and floral tributes scattered about to visitor's dead family members and you have a recipe for being smacked in the face with a reality that is much easier to deal with when it's in a two dimensional form while quickly being flicked past in the pages of a high school history book.
What will forever be etched in my memory however are the displays which held belongings of the people who were taken taken to Auschwitz. It is impossible to describe, but walking in to a 20 meter long hall with 5 meter deep floor to ceiling glass cases either side of you filled with the shoes of those who lived and died there can really take your breath away. In another room, tooth brushes and hair brushes and razors. In another room - children's shoes and clothes. In another room suitcases and so it goes on. All belongings of people who were to face life in one of the worst death camps ever in existence.

Warsaw to Krakow

I am surviving the cold - amazingly!
After a couple of days looking around Warsaw, we have decide to move on to Krakow a little earlier than expected. There are two reasons for this. Firstly we want to visit Auschwitz before we go to Prague and secondly Warsaw is nice, but I guess it would be a whole lot better if you knew a 'local'.
Although I had thought Poland would appear more repressed and poor than it does, I must admit Warsaw is rather bleak looking. The city is very gray (the buildings that is) and coupled with the weather we are currently experiencing, I can see why the people in this city don't seem to smile a whole lot. That said I have found the people here to be very friendly and helpful. The hospitality in the hostel has been great. It really does feel like a home away from home. There are few hostels where the staff actually take the time to talk with you and when you do arrive back late after dinner; offer to make you a warm drink while you relax on the sofa. It didn't stop there however; despite that gruff Eastern European conversational approach the people we have met so far are generally warm and helpful despite the language barriers.
Over the last couple of days we have had a walk through the Old Town and the Old Warsaw Ghetto (pictured). This area obviously has turbulent past, which is now hidden by the large cobble stoned square which is surrounded by (surprisingly) colourful bars, cafes and restaurants. It's the part of town you would probably expect to be potentially the most depressive looking, however it's colourful exterior hides the torment of it's past.
The hostel we're staying in currently has another hostel in Krakow. They've organised a room for us and all that is left is to buy our tickets and take the train. Warsaw has been an interesting place to visit, although it hasn't left me wanting to race back here for another visit.

Perogie Galore!

We finally arrived in Warsaw last night. To put it quite simply it is freezing!
The Swiss Air flight was good, but we didn't have much time for our transfer in Zurich so we were rushed through another security check-in. Unfortunately Zoe and I set off the alarm - I'm still not sure how, but unlike other airports where you get a bit of a pat down we were ushered off in to a little metal frame with a curtain around it. I must admit at this time I was fearing what the next few minutes may have in store for me. I really wasn't looking forward to some "rubber glove" treatment, which fortunately did not eventuate. Although I must admit the security guy did a very THOROUGH investigation. Just what do they think you can keep in there?
After settling in to our hostel (Jump Inn Hostel) which I have to say is one of the best ones I have stayed in, we decided to take a look about. Obviously it was late so we weren't going to be able to see much, but after the near miss at the airport, I could sure do with a beer. We made our way to the Old Town. It looked nice all lit up, but it was too cold so we made our way to find a bar - surprise, surprise we came across an Irish Pub (funny how there is one of them in every tourist district). We went in thinking that it would help us acclimatise to our new environment, but all it did was see us spending 100zl for 5 drinks, a bottle of water and a packet of crisps - that was more than I'd be charged in Western Europe. Disgusted with the prices we decided to leave and went in search of some traditional late night cuisine and of course we found it hiding under some golden arches. I know - poor effort, but it was late!
I awoke this morning, jumped up, looked out the window and was hoping to see snow, but alas it was not to be. This time last year they were knee deep in snow. After breakfast we left in search of the Royal Palace. We did find it after an hour or so of walking. We spent some time in the gardens, looked about inside and then decided it was time to eat. There is one thing for sure - this weather gives you an almighty appetite. We tried out some real local cuisine this time - best choice goes to me for my order of "Bigos" or Traditional Hunters Stew (it tastes a lot better than it looks!). Anyway with a full belly we headed off back in to the cold and returned to the Old Town to look around the Warsaw Ghetto. It was pretty amazing to read about what had gone on here and then try and imagine how it could be possible when today it is a place a lot of tourists visit and has quite a vibe about it - a lot of shops, cafes and restaurants. Although the remaining wall around the area does give some idea of what may have gone on. It got cold and dark pretty quick, so we all decided it was beer time. Despite only being day 2 a little cabin fever had begun to set in, so it was thought best to clear the air and get on with an enjoyable holiday for all. Of course walking all the way back to the hostel in the cold made for a healthy appetite and we went to Chopskie Jadlo for dinner. It is a Traditional Polish Peasant Food Chain with tasty, large portions of food at a very reasonable price. Again I made a great choice, the spicy goulash on potato pancakes - I'm starting to think I could get used to this food!
After more food than required and a few large beers we decided it was time to head back to the hostel before chilling out and going to bed. Speaking of which, it is rather late so I must away. If I don't freeze during the night, I'll let you know how tomorrow goes.

In just over 12 hours...

The time has finally arrived. In just over 12hrs we'll be on our way to Poland. So the itinerary is currently Holland to Poland (Warsaw & Krakow), then to Czech Republic (Prague) for New Years followed by Slovakia (Bratislava) and then finishing up in Hungary (Budapest) before returning back to The Netherlands on 7th January. I'll try and keep my blog up to date as much as possible with all the travel stories - just in case you're interested...

This is why I love these guys so much...

Christmas is definitely a time when I miss the people from back home, or those who have made a big impact on me during my travels.
Just take a look at this photo I got sent by some of my colleagues from Scotland - how can I not love and miss them?!
Thanks guys! Wishing you a huge Merry Christmas and all the best for 2007! See ya soon(ish).

The people I love most...

There's so many people I have come across in my life who mean the world to me. People who I would do anything for, because I know they would do the same for me. People who I do not speak with, email or text every day, but people who know. People who are certain. People who are secure in the relationship I have with them and me secure in what I know belongs to us.
It's difficult though. Being so far away from some of these people. Especially when you know they are hurting. When you know that a simple hug can feel so safe and protecting. When laughter over a beer can wash the worries of the world away. When a shoulder to absorb their tears offers support for a heavy head. But it's not always possible to be by their side. It's not always possible to offer that security in a physical form. Am I failing these people who I love? Am I letting them down by not being there? Am I doing the best for them that I can? Do they know I love them? Do they know I need them? Do they know they are the laughter inside me? Do they know they are the colours that I see? Do they know they are the difference that excites me? Do they know they are my motivation to explore? Do they know they are my world? I just want to do what is right for those I love. You know that - don't you?

(There are so many more who have not made it to this picture, but who equally deserve a place in it.)

I love a sunburnt country...

A country scorched, burnt and dry.
It's hard to imagine that some 10,000 miles away that there is a developed country which has been gripped by drought for the past 7 years.
The past 6 years of my life have been spent living in the North West of Europe and the UK. Here rain is a common occurrence. Regularly daily activities are put on hold or plans changed while people wait out one downpour to the next. People arrive at work drenched, gardens are soaking wet and green. Rivers burst their banks, people's possessions are washed away and landslides flow down the mountains and hills because the ground is too wet.
In Australia however the story is very different. Currently 550,000 hectares have been burnt black in some of the worst bushfires the country has ever seen. Thousands of people are volunteering and risking their lives to save their lives and property of others. This summer is shaping up to be unforgivably hot and next year severe water restrictions will be imposed as many of the water reservoirs sit at less than 20% capacity. All of this in Victoria in Australia's South West - not even one of the driest parts of the company.

Getting in to the Christmas spirit...

Ever wanted to be an elf at Christmas?

I did!

CLICK HERE
to see.

Blogs live on forever...

I was just looking through the Couch Surfing website and the Hospitality Club website in preparation for my trip away at Christmas and New Years when I cam across a story about a young lady from Poland who travelled the world for 7 years. She had yearned always to go to Africa and unfortunately while she was there caught Cerebral Malaria and died.
However, she had kept an amazing blog of all her experiences of travelling with some very impressive photos. All from her perspective. As I read through it, I realised that maybe she is gone physically, but because of her blog and her 'free spirit' a part of her lives on for the rest of the world to share in. I wish technology like this had been around when my Nan was still alive - I'd love to be able to look back over her stories.

If you would like to read Kinga's blog or see some of the photos she took on her journey - CLICK HERE!

View from above...

The fires currently burning out of control in the North East of Victoria are producing so much smoke that it can be clearly seen by satellite. It's not surprising as the smoke has spread as far a field as Tasmania. Even parts of Melbourne are being covered by smoke and there have been delays at Tullamarine airport even though the fires are burning almost 300km away. Volunteers are still working around the clock to save houses and bushland.

(Photo from BBC Website - "Smoke blankets Australian state.")

Victoria Ablaze!

I know I often complain about Australia being backward and I guess in some respects it really is. One thing I am proud of however is the amount of volunteer support that goes in to the emergency services each year and the way Australians always pull together whenever there a crisis to help each other out. Right now is one of those times. Currently there are 100 000 hectares of drought stricken North Eastern Victoria on fire. 40 firefighters have been recruited from New Zealand to assist the 2000 firefighters already fighting that battle and authorities are worried with an expected 40 degree temperature and a northerly wind this weekend, that things are only going to get worse. It's beginning to look like that these could be the worst bushfires the country has faced since 1939. Added to this is the fact that Australia has now officially been in the grip of a draught for the last 7 years and it's very conceivable that they may just not have enough water to be able to fight the fires which have already burnt many homes to the ground and have many more at risk. One of those houses belongs to my aunt. Already emergency services have advised her to pack as many belongings as she can and prepare to leave at any time. It must be hard for her as this is the house where she lived with my uncle, the house where my uncle died and where so many family gatherings have been held. I am insanely proud thought that three members of my family make up some of the many thousands of volunteers who each year give up their time to protect and preserve the lives of fellow Australians. My youngest brother aged 21yo has just returned from doing his part in helping to do just that. He spent many long days, up to 14 hours at a time trying to save homes and lives. Now it is my mother (aged 50yo) who leaves tomorrow to go and help fight these fires. She will be working with the New Zealand recruits and is rostered to work nights on 14 hour shifts. All of this completely as a volunteer and the for the satisfaction that she played a part in protecting people, homes and wildlife. I'm a little nervous about her going and in fact I sent her a text message tonight asking her to be careful and questioning why she didn't take up a more risk free hobby like glass painting. The fact remains that her and all the other strike teams out there fighting this fire are highly trained. They give up hours of their time each weekend to attend training, to run fire drills, to learn first aid and how to control hazardous materials in the event of a spill. These are the people who are the guardians of rural Australia. The ones who attend house fires, train de-railings, road accidents and of course bushfires. These are the people who do themselves and Australia proud.

(Photo from theage.com.au - "Towns on alert as fires rage in state's east.")

Stupid people do exist!

Here is a story to illustrate my claim.

Click Here!

Sinterklaasavond Ends in Tragedy!

***WARNING***

Chocolate letters can do more than just put a few extra inches on your waist.
Body heat can melt these delicious treats, resulting in immediate and untold levels of embarrassment and humiliation. Especially when in their melted form, they attach to the back of your jeans making you look like you have shit yourself.
All chocolate letters should be recalled from supermarket shelves immediately to avoid this happening to other unsuspecting consumers in the future.

Join the campaign at www.i_didnt_shit_myself.com

All good things must come to an end...

Well we're back in Holland and the first thing I've noticed is the drop in the temperature. I must admit it has been great being outside all weekend and enjoying some mighty fine weather - thanks for the show Barcelona.
Well After returning to Barcelona from Sitges last night, we ended up chilling out in our room for a bit. We were still really full for an amazing afternoon of good friends, good food and good wine. Once we recovered some energy we hit the shower to prepare for a night out. After trying out a couple of different bars, we decided to head to Arena. We had been there before and had a good time, so we thought it would be worth paying another visit. Well it was a long night of drinking and dancing which finished I think about 6am this morning.
Obviously I woke up this morning with a rather obvious little hangover and that overwhelming feeling of not enough sleep. I really just wanted to spend the day curled up in bed, but alas it was only 1hr 15mins til heck out time so I had to get moving. After a fairly long shower I managed to summon the energy to get dressed and pack my bag. My main motivation at this point was some greasy food and what better than a bocadillo con bacon y queso.
Anyway the weather was great so I decided to walk off the hangover. After more than an hour of wondering about, hangover still in force I decided the only option left was for a 'hair of the dog' and like any old faithful - mission accomplished.
Being such nice weather I took the opportunity to sit in the beer garden at Cafe Bar Acuma. After a short wait we were also joined by some old friends Naysa and Andreas. Naysa we met 3 years ago when we were first in Barcelona and doing our washing in a laundromat. Naysa is from Venezuela, but is setting up a life for herself in Spain. When we first met Naysa, she couldn't really speak any English, but she's got a lot better over the last few years. Needless to say though, the conversations till involves quite a bit of gesture. Sometime sit feels more like a game of Charades. Anyway it was great to see them again. It's been over a year.
Well as the title says - "All good things must come to an end..." At 4.28pm this afternoon, we took the train to the airport, checked in and started in motion the procedures to return back home to Rotterdam, but not before doing some "tax free" shopping. We we're hoping to go back in February for Carnival in Sitges. No doubt we'll be back soon enough. I love the place to much not to get back there as soon as I can!

Bocadillo tortilla por favor!

We finally made it to the airport after a rather late finish it work. We took the 21.25 flight from Schipol to Barcelona on Vuelling. We arrived there just before mid night as the flight was running a little late. Being Spain though everything was still happening and to my amazement the weather was a very reasonable 15 degrees. Only about 10 degrees warmer than what it was when we left Rotterdam. We made it to Pension (Hostel) Paris just off Las Ramblas and were able to secure a room for the next two nights. Because it is not so busy we were able to get a room on the first floor which is quite a change - normally we have to contend with quite a lot of stairs. None the less it was nice to be back. We decided to take a walk and ended up at the Travel Bar where we downed a few pints before going for another walk and finally getting to bed at about 4am this morning. One of the things I love about Spain is their passion for late night activities. After being harassed by a very attractive female prostitute for about 5 minutes, I hid in a shop, ate a samosa and then snuck out and walked very quickly back to the the hostel.
I awoke this morning to the sounds of people walking briskly past our balcony and got ready to enjoy a day out and about. Last night we had organised with our friends Paul and Josè to meet up with them in Sitges today, so we took the train and headed to the seaside. We have had an amazing day sitting by the marina eating some delicious Spanish food - paella, croquettas, black squid ink rissotto etc. and drinking some mighty fine red wine. We had a look at their new house which looks over the marina and then found another quiet spot to sit and enjoy some more red wine and a view of the sea. We´re back at their house just now enjoying a bit of time chilling out before we go back to Barcelona in a little while - I´m guessing we´ll probably end up having a night out on the town.

Hola y Ole!

Can you believe it? Greg just got tickets from work for free for us to go to Barcelona this weekend. I love it there and I can´t wait to get back... It´s been so long. Anyway I have to try and focus on work for the rest of the day before going home, getting packed and getting to the airport.

What's up with Hofplein?

Check out the live webcam 24hrs a day 7 days per week.
Click Here!

Morning Rush - Amsterdam.

Another early morning start in Amsterdam today. It was much harder to get up than usual as the "sun" is taking a lot longer to come up. Thank goodness the shortest day of the year is only 21 days away! This was the image that captured my attention today on the way to work.

Adeus Amiga!

Today a good friend of mine left work. We haven't spoken much lately. Not because we didn't want to. It's just I've been so busy. Busy with so many other things. It's not really a good excuse is it? We hugged today. I knew in that hug, that there was a genuine friendship. Our coming together on the verge of insanity while working in a boring, inane, dead end job ultimately probably kept us sane. She laughs about strange things. Things even I find amusing. That's great. It's nice to have a friend who makes you laugh. It's nice to have a friend you can make laugh. It's nice to have a friend to laugh with. Who will make me laugh tomorrow?

Read about Joana's departure from her point of view - CLICK HERE!

The jury is in...

Here is the comment that arrived in today's email about the test we did last night for Dutch class. "Jullie hebben de toets goed gemaakt. Dat betekent dat jullie hoofdstuk 9 goed beheersen. Ga zo door!" So it looks like it's good news after all. What was all that worrying for?!?

It's out of my control now.

Well I had my first Dutch test tonight for this course - Niveau 2. I'm not so confident that I have done so well, but only time will tell. Hopefully we should hear tomorrow how everything has gone. The biggest battle I'm finding with this course is that the whole lesson is in Dutch. Now you might think well you're trying to learn Dutch - isn't that a good thing? Not necessarily. Because of this I am also forced to learn grammatical rules in Dutch and I fear since my understanding is not 100% that I may be missing something important. Oh well - until tomorrow...

Up, up and away!

Well it's been quite some time since we've taken a trip away. An adventure to new lands. Today however the tide has changed. We have booked a trip away at Christmas which is now my new motivation to get through the crap past couple of weeks and cope with the shitty job I have to face every day. I probably can't afford such a holiday right now, but what are credit cards for... Mind, thanks to Swiss Airlines, the flights will be happening for a mere €175.
On Tuesday 26th December I will depart early afternoon on a flight to Warsaw in Poland. After a few days there, I'll be taking an overnight train to Prague to see in the new year. I hear the beer is very cheap there so I can't wait! After that it will be a few days in Bratislava before heading to Budapest in Hungary for another three days. That means no work for a little over two weeks and I can't wait! Well away I go to clean my backpack and make a hostel reservation or two.

(Photo courtesy of aviaphoto.ru)

Delivering bad news is never easy.

It's been difficult to get in contact with Andreas and Emmanuel while they have been travelling in Malaysia and to be perfectly honest, all week I've just had no idea how to tell them what happened. It's been a miserable week and the place still feels empty without Purnama. Anyway this morning I sent an email to Emmanuel and Andreas to let them know what's happened. Obviously it's not ideal to send an email, but I think they would want to know and well right now in this situation it's the easiest way to get in contact with them. There is no other way to describe sending that email than SHIT. It was quite hard doing that, so I have no idea how the police and doctors bring themselves to the point of informing families about the death of loved ones. I have a very healthy respect for their ability to be able to detach from the emotion of it. Now I'll wait to hear back from them - hopefully. I just hope they know we would never have intentionally hurt him.

It feels so empty in the house.

I came home from work tonight and I sat down on the sofa. The place where Purnama used to stay just looked so bare and empty. I know he'd only been here for one week, but he had so much personality. It feels so strange him not hopping around the house, jumping up on the sofa for some attention or laying on the rug to get an ear massage. I really can feel his absence.

When a nightmare becomes a reality.

I've sat here now for about 15 minutes just trying to think what I should write...
Last week we took on the responsibility babysitting the pet rabbit of some very good freinds of ours. Today that rabbit died. Right now I just feel at a loss about what to do. How do you tell someone that their beloved pethas died. Not to mention that Purnama was practically human. Rabbits don't usually craze such affection from people like this one did. He would follow you around the house, jump up and sit with you on the sofa and let you massage his ears for hours on end.
Yesterday was just like any other day Purnama was jumping around and being highly social and cheeky as always. Last night though he was a little on the quiet side. We also noticed that his pooh was a little more moist than usual. His owners had said before that he has had dihorrea if he ate too many vegetables. Yesterday he hadsome brocolli, so we thought it must have been that. This morning however Purnama was much more quiet than normal and he wasn't eating. He was still drinking however and od advice it appeared that although he may be feeling a little off, given a couple of days he would be good a new.
I asked Greg to go home and check on him at lunch time and if he wasn't looking better that we should take him to the vet. Greg did go home and check on him at lunchtime and decided there had been little change, so he made an appointment for 3pm today to see the vet. He went back to work for a couple of hours and then home again at 2.30pm - when he got there things had taken a turn for the worse and so he quickly rushed Purnama to the vet, but it was too late.
We've buried him in a nice spot - a place he would have liked.
Now however we're left with the guilt of feeling like we did something wrong, but I just can't think what. I've been around animals all my life and I've never had this happen. The worst thing is we'll just never know. Now we have the task of telling his owners what's happened. This is a task I can't even bare the thought of. All that is ringing through my head is Emmanuel saying "He's just like our child" - it's that thought that is making me feel sick. I just hope we don't lose our good friends over this and they know in their heart we would never have done anything to hurt their little boy.

An office with a view...

(Photo from Rijnmond.nl)

About 10am this morning their was a train accident here in Rotterdam, where a passenger train collided with a goods train. My office window over looks Rotterdam Central Station, so I was able to get a good view of the damage this had caused. As I wasn't feeling well, I came to work later today so I didn't see the actual accident happen, but I saw the chaos it had caused at central station. Fortunately it appears no one was badly hurt. To read more click here! It's in Dutch so maybe you'll need to translate it by typing the URL address on the following translation page - Free Translation.

The Netherlands to ban the burqa.

As read here - "Dutch Muslims condemn burqa ban" (BBC), it is clearly obvious that this is a rather contentious issue. On one side it is seen as a violation of human rights not to be allowed to observe ones own customs and beliefs, but is it not a violation of my human rights not to feel safe where I live and know who I am in contact with? Anyone who knows me would know that I am not racist nor do I not accept people just for being who they are. However I do feel on this issue that in a time where public safety is put at risk every day by terrorists and extremists, that maybe the Dutch government does have a point. As stated, the new law will also mean that people will not be able to wear helmets with visors or hats or veils where the face can not be clearly seen, in public. I remember once being asked to take off my Nike cap when I walked in to a store as security said it would obscure my face from security cameras - at the time I was rather annoyed, but that's because the hat was covering up my bad hair that day. However, just like the longer waits at airport security and increased security checks at night clubs etc. it might be annoying at the time, but I'm happy at the end of the day that my safety and the well being of others is still a priority. It's unfortunate that it has come to this, but that is the way it has to be - the safety of the majority is more important than the beliefs of the minorities.
I do look forward to a day when we can all live without fear and accept with enthusiasm individual difference. I just don't think it's going to be in my life time.

Want to have your say? Click Here.

Cyclone Purnama Strikes Again.

This time the sofa was in his pathway. Needless to say we won't be getting top price for it at the second hand store anymore.

10 things you might not have known last week...

What could they be? Click here to find out...

Warning: Religiously minded people should look away!

Watch the picture - It's true - Jesus can pop up anywhere.

(source: Calarts Edu)

Bunny devistation.

Purnama might be more social than any other bunny I've ever met, but everywhere he goes devastation follows. The devastation toll so far is, leaves nibbled and eaten of my large rubber plant, 1 hole bitten in the sofa, the internet cable is almost chewed through as is the telephone cord. Greg and I have both been poohed on, but lucky for me only Greg has been covered in pee (so far) - I'm sure it's only a matter of time.

(At least I know what the inside of an internet cable looks like now.)

Gym update...

Tonight I had my latest evaluation at the gym. It had been 8 weeks since my last. I must admit I was rather concerned that potentially the weight loss situation might not have gone to plan. I had been having a little too much fun the last few weekends and of course where there is fun there is beer. Knowing full well that one full pint of beer is about 15 minutes on the cross trainer, this meant that I would pretty much have to give up my job and starting going to the gym full time. Alas the outcome wasn't so bad. In the past 8 weeks I have lost 5 kilograms in weight and 5.1% of my body fat. Well the new program has been designed and I am eager to keep up the trend. That's a total of 8 kilograms now and about 7% of my body fat.
It appears the salads every night after the gym rather than some carb heavy pasta, more fruit, more (healthy) snacks during the day, a bigger breakfast and smaller meals is paying off.

Baby sitting...

While Emmanuel and Andreas are in Malaysia we're baby sitting Purnama (Pugi). He's very cute and well, very inquisitive. He doesn't really like to be picked up, but he likes to have a lot of human contact. He's taken to jumping up on the sofa and watching TV with us and it's only his first night. Can you imagine what he'll be like after living here for a month.
Anyway Emmanuel and Andreas - good luck with your quest... We really hope it works out for you and so does Pugi. See ya back soon.

Les 1.

Tonight I started Dutch lessons at the VolksUniversiteit. Classes run twice a week for 1.5hrs for the next 12 weeks. I'm feeling rather nervous though as the whole class was done in Dutch tonight. Oh well I guess it's sink or swim!
I even made it to the gym still before the class.

All for shits and giggles...

Well after a mad week at work, it was time to let off some steam (again) this weekend. This meant lot's of drinking and being out until 6ish each morning. I had only planned on doing this Friday night when we were saying farewell to two of our friends who are heading off to Malaysia for bit, but alas it was not to be.
Most scary moment: Getting my hair cut and while the hairdresser was moving my head about getting the urge to vomit quite badly (I had a bad hangover). The only saving grace was the fact that I was wearing a big black plastic apron.
Funniest photo: The best part was Marjolein asking Miranda about 80 times if she'd started yet while Miranda was having her arse kicked in their arm wrestle. I tell you that girl has some strength in that arm.

Reaching for Perfection,

If only it was so easy to make ourselves over just like this.

What a pain in the arse...

Well thankfully not! Although, there were a couple of walking wounded by the end of the day. That's right, today was Boys Day Out. Our good mate Pete will be heading back to the UK next week and well he thought it would be a good idea to have a final bonding session with all his pals here in Holland. After an early rise we took a 2 hr drive to Rheeze which is past Zwolle in the East of Holland. On arrival we suited up and for two and half hours we got to shoot at each other with with paint balls. It was great! I've never felt so powerful - then again, I've never held a gun of any type before - don't worry I'm not going to run wild with a real one. Despite having been preordained the underdog of the day, I actually proved that I could hold my own. I even won, one of the games and was always in the last two of the others. The most fun part of this game was when we got Pete dressed up in a bunny suit and we his friends were allowed to take target practice at the poor little bunny.
Once the shooting was over it was time to quad bike. We did this for another 1.5hrs. It was great, although I must admit after stepping off the bike I did feel like I had been riding a horse for 1.5 days. It's coming in to Winter so the sun is down fairly early these days and so 1730hrs brought with it the end of the day. Click here to see more Boys Day Out.
Just joking tonight is the infamous Baja Beach Club for some drinking and maybe even a bit of boogie!

(Injury Pics)

Can you tell the difference?

Man Boobs (Moobs)
or
The Real Deal (Boobs)
Click Here

Welcome To Detroit! Put Your Hands Up For Detroit!

Do you hate brussel sprouts?

Well now you can take revenge.
Click Here.
(Brussel Sprouts - Watch Out!)

My hangover...

won't go away. Therefore there is only one thing to do!
I'm off to the pub. Bottoms up!

Happy Halloween!

This year despite hating to dress up with a passion, I made some effort to make a costume for the Halloween party we attended last night. Well, I had to make some effort as it was being hosted by Americans and they love Halloween. Anyway I decided to go as one of the 'the others' from Lost, but by the end of the night when everyone was a bit more pissed that got a little too difficult to explain, so on advice from Greg I just said I was a castaway.

Anyway it really was a crap costume, but at least it was better than just going as me - which maybe I should have done, as I am pretty scary. Greg on the other hand looked quite cute in his 'Leeuwhosen' especially later in the night when he decided to wear a cowboy hat!

Well the party was a big hit and continued on until the wee small hours of the morning. It was also the end of day light savings, so we got an extra hour of partying. Finally we got home this morning at about 5.30am. Needless to say we woke late feeling a little sorry for ourselves... As my mother would say though - "I've got no sympathy for you..." It was fun though - for more pics, you can check out the gallery on our website - click here.

Celebrating Dad's Birthday.

Well today is my Dad's birthday. Days like this really remind me of how much I miss being at home. Even worse I know that on Sunday everyone is getting together to have lunch and celebrate. I don't feel like I'm missing out, except on Mum's cooking, but I do miss being with them. Anyway tonight my aunty and I decided to celebrate in our own way! After a long, long week at work it was nice to chill out with her and have a chat over a few (too many) drinks. Anyway Dad - Gefeliciteerd!

How well do you know your geography?

Click here to find out...
(I only scored 6/10 - and people leave me in charge of thier children.)

Sunday Roast.

After last nights China Boat cruise and despite being out until the early hours of the morning, Debby was still up early to prepare a Sunday roast. For some it was a good hangover cure, for the rest it was enjoyable to spend a Sunday afternoon eating more good food and enjoying each others conversation.

That's an interesting way to serve the wine.

The food is prepared.

The table is laid.

The food is ready to eat.

Eet Smakelijk!
Everyone enjoys their meal.

China Boat Birthday.

Tonight we went out to celebrate Debbies birthday which was on Wednesday just gone. 12 of us set sail on the China Boat for a three hour cruise along the river Muse and a chinese buffet. It was a very enjoyable evening. It really is quite relaxing just watching the world (or ports of Rotterdam) pass you by. I think it would have been just what the doctor would have for a chilled evening out. Added to that Debbie also had a great night out. She and a few others went on to party away the wee hours of the morning at O'Sheas, but I thought it best to go home to bed - it's going to be another long week.

Misery!

I really don't want to end up old and lonely, but I think if I keep complaining as much as I do at the moment it will be inevitable... So here is a little bit of misery from me to you...

Waking up in Amsterdam.

It was an early start today.
Wake up - 0545hrs
Leave house - 0630hrs
Catch train - 0702hrs
Arrive Amsterdam - 0810hrs
Training all day...
Arrive Rotterdam - 1910hrs
Home again - 1930hrs
Vegging out on sofa all night.

It is as bad as it looks...

Well I don't think such an ugly picture has ever been taken of me. At the time it was a little posed - what you think I'm that ugly naturally? Funnily enough though, it quite sums up how I am feeling today. Again, another round of questioning and complaining from the boss. I was hoping after our last chat we might have found our place in the pecking order - maybe there would even be some healthy respect. I guess not. I'm plankton and he's a whale - this I know.
I would just love a fairy godmother to step in and make all of this ok. How else do you survive when your best just isn't good enough? How do you get everything done, when there just isn't enough time in the day? How do you show that you're giving 150% and that if it isn't good enough, you don't know what else to do? How do you avoid taking pictures this horrible again in the future?

Party at the Palace.

Emmanuel turns 30, so that's reason enough to celebrate! I guess that's also the reason behind my head being a little sore this morning, but it was worth it for a fun night out. We went on a bit of a pub crawl, which did include The Palace nightclub. We hadn't been there before and I was quite shocked at how large it was. I've not really been to a large club in Holland and well mostly the bars are quite "cosy". The other surprise of the evening was that despite Emmanuel not having drunk for 9mths and deciding to celebrate his birthday, it was Andreas who brought the evening to a close when he got a little sleepy after one too many, and there was me thinking it would be Emmanuel.

When good times go bad!

If you play with guns, somebody is bound to end up getting hurt: Read more...

Bowling, Beer & BBQ.

Yesterday was Paulo's birthday, so tonight we went out to celebrate.

First there was bowling.

Next there was beer.

Then there was the BBQ.

(Well there was a lot of food, which was cooked by us at the on table BBQ, but it all got eaten.)

Oh and finally there was birthday cake.

I couldn't do it anymore...

I feel that the cost of a hairdresser in Holland is highly overpriced. For the past 6mths or so, I've been a proper tight arse and always had my hair cut at the kappersacademie. For €8.90 you can't complain or can you? The kappersacademie is the school for people who are training to be hairdressers and I have to say, I think my hair has been proof of that. Anyone who knows me, knows how precious I am about my hair and well I couldn't take it anymore. Sure I may have been saving more than €10-€15 per hair cut, but is it worth it for all the stress? Unfortunately not! Anyway I have done my civil duty. I'm sure there are a few future hairdressers who will be much richer in experience for cutting my hair, but my hair is going gray enough - I don't need another reason for it to get any worse. Now it's back to the professionals and I think the results speak for themselves!

Little White Duck.

Last week,
a little white duck,
a duck I had never seen before,
appeared new.
New, on the canal I pass each day.
Today I saw her lying dead.
Away from her flock.
Alone.
Cold and on the road.
It must have been a car,
or a tram that brought such a tragic end.
I guess this little white duck,
is a duck that I will see no more.

I am not a door mat!!

I thought today was going to be difficult even before it started. Yesterday I was training at the new call centre in Amsterdam. During the day I received a number of calls from people in our team saying that my manager was again going crazy at us. He was shouting and generally treating people like shite again. They said I was lucky to be away, but to expect that he would target me upon my return.
went to sleep last night and I woke up today thinking about nothing other than how the conversation would run. I played it out over and over in my head. It was driving me crazy. I had checked my email last night from home and saw an email from him with all his complaints, along with a meeting schedule for 9.30am this morning.
My walk to work was filled with anticipation. Would he shout at me so much again that his face would be the colour of blood and saliva would spray from his mouth? I had no doubt that unless he had been sedated with valium over night this would be the case.
When I arrived at work I printed out the email he had sent me and I sat there for half an hour writing my rebuttal to his arguments - most of which I have to say were just a load of rubbish. Normally he speaks to me in such a way that I am totally confused and I never say half the things I meant to. Today however, I was going to be prepared. If he started speaking to me like a filthy door mat one more time I was going to walk out of the office and not speak with him until he could do it in a civil manner.
9.30 arrived and I entered his room. My breath was shallow and I had a knot in my stomach. The last time anyone had ever spoken to me with such rage as he did, was when my father used to shout at me for some reason or another and that was usually right before I had my hair grabbed and was lead to my room like a badly behaved dog. I sat down and it wouldn't have been more than 30 seconds before he started making crazy remarks and allegations about my performance in my role.
It was totally clear at this point that the control freak actually had no idea what he was talking about. That in fact, he has paid so little interest in me that he doesn't really know what I am doing. He never admits to the fact however that I do it all on my own, with no support from management. That I actually do some things really well and never receive a pat on the back. I only ever hear when they are dissatisfied with something and generally that is most of the time - so why not do it your fucking self if you can do it so much better!
His faced reddened and I could feel what was coming. I sat there and I began to listen, I started to recoil into my submissive position and then as if I were a spring shooting from a box, the minute he took a breath I launched in with my rebuttals to his comments, but it didn't stop there. I put forward my argument for every comment one after another that he had made in his email. I never gave him a chance to speak. I had to take some control of the situation.
Now it was my face that was going red. Not red from anger, but red because I felt so nervous about what I was doing, but I couldn't stop. My face went so hot. Beginning in my neck and working it's way up. Eventually my face was so flushed and hot that my eyes went a little watery, but I went on. I explained why I thought his arguments were unfair. I said my piece and I made my story very clear. I've been working crazy hours for this man with not one bit of thanks so I was not going to be spoken to like shite again.
The conversation ended some time after with him confessing to have "maybe" not communicated as effectively as he could. He then tried to make some lame jokes to lighten the mood before he told me it had never been his intention to "bollock" me - yeah right!
For one little moment I had a victory. For one little moment I was king. I had obviously used being well versed in the English language to my advantage and I walked out of there with a smile on my face. A smile which represented that I felt a little pride in myself for once, because I knew I was right. Needless to say I have no doubt he will be up to his old tricks again some time soon, but today was my day...

The Struggle...

I'm feeling really low at the moment. I know it is work that is causing it, I'm working fucking 12 hour days again and they really take their toll on me. I'm also making sure that even when I leave work at 8pm at night I'm still going to the gym. I have to keep up keep going or I will lose momentum and I won't make the change that I am so desperate to make. I really made a promise to myself last time I got in this situation with work that I wouldn't do it again, but I don't know how to make a difference. Greg said to me "... just don't work the hours your doing, what can they do about it? You're only contracted for 40 hours per week..." It's so much easier said than done though. When there is only you to do it all, who do you have to fall back on, who do you have to take some of the pressure off of you? If it's not done today then it's just waiting for you again tomorrow and so is your boss - ready to scream at you like you're a fucking mangy dog. I'm not sure how someone with such appalling management skills can be running such a successful company, but I guess it's because people like me - make it right. We fill his pockets with all that money that allows him to drive a BMW and take 3 week long vacations in posh villas in France. Ok he might work long hours also, but he really benefits from it. It does frustrate me that in business, the workers, the ones who make most of the money see so little of it. At the end of the day would more money make this better anyway? I guess a little.. However when you're tired, when they days are getting shorter and the rain sets in, you're bound to feel a little blue. Right now I just feel like going home and getting a big hug from my Mum, getting drunk with my brother, arguing with my sister, hanging out with my other brother while not drinking or smoking and getting some solid advice from my Dad - even if I don' always act on it straight away...
Here is my misery song of the moment... "Fix You" by ColdPlay.


When you try your best but you don't succeed
When you get what you want but not what you need
When you feel so tired but you can't sleep
Stuck in reverse

And the tears come streaming down your face
When you lose something you can't replace
When you love someone but it goes to waste
Could it be worse?

Lights will guide you home
And ignite your bones
And I will try to fix you

And high up above or down below
When you're too in love to let it go
But if you never try you'll never know
Just what you're worth

Lights will guide you home
And ignite your bones
And I will try to fix you

Tears stream down your face
when you lose something you cannot replace
Tears stream down your face
And I

Tears stream down your face
I promise you I will learn from my mistakes
Tears stream down your face
And I

Lights will guide you home
And ignite your bones
And I will try to fix you

Too Freaky!

I didn't think the "Dancing Baby" was real...

Gefeliciteerd Joana!

For as long as I have known her Joana has been working in a rather manic and if not sometimes self destructive fashion to complete her thesis for her literature diploma. A few weeks ago this all came to an end as she handed in her final piece of work and defended her theories with great success. Last night we celebrated at Dizzy as yesterday she was awarded her diploma. Congrats Joana!! Unfortunately the risotto was not as successful as Joana's defense for her thesis. Despite this, the partying went on to the wee small hours of the morning and I blame her for having to work this morning with an awful headache and all I want to do is go back to my bed. (Photo by C@B)

Verjaardig van Greg

28 Today!

It didn't start so nice - waking up and going to work in weather like this... Winter is definitely on the way.

But after work things got a whole lot better with an invite to dinner at our favourite Greek restaurant.

Afterwards Greg enjoyed a delicious coffee from his new Sensao coffee maker before retiring to bed. More festivities to be held later...

What a great IKEA!

A week ago the decision was made to go shopping at IKEA. We needed a dining table and a coffee table for the living room at the new house and my aunty needed a new desk (het bureau) for her fancy new flat screen monitor. It was about 10.30am when we arrived. Greg and I had breakfast while my aunty enjoyed a nice cup of coffee. I think she enjoyed it most because it took about 15 minutes to get to the front of the queue. Despite the slow start, we had a great time buying everything, but what we had gone there for. Unfortunately the coffee table and dining table we wanted were out of stock. We did manage to get the desk and a table for the tv to sit on. We had coffee, we talked, we walked, we laughed and we cried - it was a proper family day out...

Until it all went bad and shopping rage took over!!!

Fortunately nobody was seriously injured and the new table survived. It wasn't long before relationships were repaired, wounds were healed and everybody enjoyed the afternoon arranging their new purchases.

Thank you IKEA!