In the dark

A market stand. In Bergen, Norway!

I was a bit nervous on Saturday morning while I was waiting for my colleague to pick me up. It was very early in the morning (and I mean very early) and it was still dark out. It would be my first day back at work and it would start and finish in the dark.

First of all we had to drive (I was in the driving seat) to where the coaches were: about an hour away, there we would pick up our coaches and a third (local) driver and start the job. By that time morning had broken and it became lighter and lighter outside. I got all my people on board and when the other two also had their people we left: three coaches in a row with me in the middle.

An old iron heater from Bergen.

We were going all the way to the north of France, to Lille to be precise, to drop the people off at a massive jumble, junk and antiques market. This market is an annual event and takes place all over Lille! I only saw two streets of the whole thing and was exhausted by the amount of junk people were trying to sell. There were a lot of little food stands as well, selling everything from chicken to sausages to corn on the cob to cakes. We didn't partake in any of that though, partly because it didn't all look that enticing, partly because we didn't always trust it (although I saw fridges at many stands, I guess the French don't want a massive salmonella outbreak either).

Trolls and vikings in Bergen

We left long before the market finished, but that was fairly easy: the market would go on through the night and then the Sunday as well! When we left however, dusk was starting to set in and while driving through Belgium, it became properly dark again.

My verdict of the day? Well, the people on the bus thought I was a good driver and felt I had done a pretty good job. Me? I thought it went really well, also thanks to my two colleagues. Tomorrow however I will have to do it on my own. Another dark start.

Guess what? Norway!

I am back at work!