Organiser

Physical Energy in Hyde Park

I like to organise. In the past I've organised a fashion show (for my grandparent's 45th wedding anniversary, I was 15), a sing-along (same anniversary) and several staff outings. But I've never organised a trip. Until this year that is. Because this year I decided it might be a great idea to organise a trip to London for my family. Parents, siblings, uncles, aunts, cousins etc...

My parents thought it was a fantastic idea and signed up almost immediately. My sister loved it as well and decided to come along, even though she would only join us in London, since she doesn't live in the Netherlands, but Northern Ireland. And then there was silence. Deafening silence. None of the other relatives wanted to come. My whole trip: ruined! Only three people coming.

Fortunately my parents have quite a social life and they started asking everyone they knew. And before long, the coach started filling up. In the end 35 people would come on the coach, with my sister joining us in London. And then I got a cancellation. One man had been unemployed, but had now found a job. However, he had to work weekends as well, so the trip was cancelled. My heart sank. As I was trying to juggle the rooms, his sister asked whether her new boyfriend could come along! Of course! Problem solved...

And then last week. Another cancellation. This time by people I know personally. He wasn't allowed to go on this trip: forbidden by his cardiologist! So, they cancelled. But this past week is a week of holidays and days off and the like in the Netherlands. Queen's Day is a national bank holiday. Liberation Day is a voluntary day off. But even so, it was hard to reach the proper people to get the cancellation through. And when I finally had that done, I had some troubles with my e-mail and the confirming e-mail never came through. In the end I used a different address and everything was okay again!

By the time you lot read this, I will be in London. Hopefully enjoying beautiful dry and sunny weather, while showing my parents and friends the sights. Enjoying a nice time in one of my favourite cities. Enjoying the fruits of my labour.

Will I ever do all that labour again? I don't know. I will have to evaluate this trip first, but I've had a wish to see Bruges (Belgium) for a long time now...