Some more truths I've learned in the last month (tomorrow marks month 1 done...not sure if I'm happy or sad about that).
1. Perfecting the "I meant to do that face" is so important. I can't tell you the number of times I got on the wrong bus or tram, only to jump off 2 stops later to correct the error. The best example was on the way to watch NFL 2 Sundays ago, I went to the bus platform to catch bus 22. The platform is huge with probably 20 different stops and signs on it. I just started at the end looking for 22. I found 22 and it was there! I jump on it, thinking, man, am I lucky. No waiting 15 minutes in the rain for this bus. The bus takes off and I knew I had 5 stops before I needed to jump off, because I had checked it on the internet before I left. No way I can screw this up. So I closed my eyes for a bit through the first 2 stops. Then I looked up and we were headed in what was very clearly the wrong direction and had been for some time. On a Sunday night, the bus only hits the stops once every 15 minutes if you are lucky. So I debated - do I stay on the bus all the way around the route which was about 8 more stops and then ride it back around to the central bus platform where I started? Or do I get out now like I know what I'm doing and just cross the street and wait for the same bus to make it back to the same stop. Rain trumped my pride and I rode it all the way around. When I was the only one left at the last stop, the bus driver looked at me like I was crazy. I told him I wanted to see more of the Hague and this was a great way to do it and gave him my best "I meant to do this face". He didn't buy it, so it still needs work. My mistake at the bus platform was that the next island over from the 22 I took is another 22, headed in the opposite direction. Lesson learned, always check for your stop on the sign before jumping on a random bus. Even if it's the right number.
2. I've also learned to perfect the "I know this announcement in Dutch does not affect me" face. Again, I hear Dutch announcements constantly on trains and trams. There is no English translation, so I've perfected the art of ignoring it and remaining confident in my travel plans. So far I haven't been burned by it, but when I end up in Rotterdam instead of Amsterdam because of some strange diversion of the train, it will be because the announcement really did affect me.
3. I'm really enjoying walking to the grocery store. It's been fun to only buy what you can carry and I'm finding I waste a lot less when I know that I spent effort to go get it.
4. On that note, my pants are starting to not fit. This is good in that I need to be at a healthier weight. This is bad because there is no way I'm shopping here for clothes. Bringing empty suitcases back to Houston!
Other happenings:
1. I signed on my apartment on Monday. A friend from Rotterdam helped me with the walkthrough to make sure I caught everything. I'm not entirely sure I can work the washer/dryer combo they put in the apartment. I'm also not entirely sure I can work the microwave, oven, or heating system. But the walkthrough went well and I have keys in hand.
2. Last night I moved almost all of my stuff to the new place, excepting clothes and refrigerated stuff. I'm delaying moving over there because all I have is an airmattress in the apartment. I thought I could eek a few more days out of the temporary apartment, but I found out today that I have to be out by tomorrow at 8AM. So tonight I packed up the remaining stuff and I'll put it in the car in the morning to move the last parts of it. This is when we will find out how well I really packed. I am sort of cheating though because the same friend in Rotterdam brought by a bag of blankets and a pillow and some very handy kitchen stuff that I couldn't have packed in. So I should be set for a while.
3. I did find out that my shipment of furniture, etc arrived in port in Rotterdam early last week. I sent in my customs paperwork on Monday, so (fingers crossed) I should have my furniture in 2-3 weeks, depending on how long the paperwork takes. And assuming it's the right ship on the tracking device. This only is relevant to you because you can now start planning your trip to visit for anything after the timing of my shipment. Start planning!
4. I'm mostly excited about my bed and quilts coming, but a close second is the Rick Steve's books I have for other countries that didn't make it into the packing. I'm thinking about my next weekend trip already....it'll probably be November because of work during October, but super excited about the prospect of planning now. I'm thinking about flying south because of the weather and finding somewhere a bit warmer than the Hague for a weekend (does that make me a snowbird? there's a term for that). I looked at Dubrovnik Croatia today a bit, read a good review for November time frame. The problem is that book is in the shipment. Same with Spain...Madrid or Barcelona would be cool, but no book right now. I have the Italy, Ireland, Scandanvia, Germany, and Amsterdam book. Why didn't I bring more warmer countries? Blast. I could go buy the book somewhere here, but that would defeat the purpose of getting them cheaper in the states. So I think it will be somewhere in Italy. That's where I'm leaning....Rome, Florence, Venice....one of those for the weekend.
5. I won't have internet for a while, so I'll probably be doing blog posts via word and using a jump drive to get them on here from a different computer. How do people live without the internet? I'm about to find out for 5-7 days.
6. I have a renter on my house in Houston! Move in this weekend.
7. No movement on the car...sad day.
8. I've also increased my 40 yard dash speed. I run to almost every tram, bus and train. I'll be ready for the combine for sure next year.
That's about it for the last few days. No plans for the weekend, other than a trip to Blokker to get appliances (vacuum cleaner, kitchen appliances, etc) and maybe to Ikea in Delft to get bookshelves and maybe a free standing clothes rack to dry clothes on given the issues I'm expecting to have with the dryer. I say maybe because I don't want to commit to adding too much to the apartment before my stuff gets here from the states.
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