Saturday Archive 7

Do you remember where you were when they landed on the moon? Or when all South Africans were allowed to vote for the very first time? Do you remember what you did on this day eighteen years ago? Or eleven years ago?

Well, when they landed on the moon, I wasn't even born yet, so that one's easy. The vote for all South Africans was during my life time and even though I do remember it, I do not remember where I was. I know I found it one of the most iconic moments I've ever seen though. And what I did on this day eighteen years ago? I lived in France (Tignes) and (I just looked it up) it was the week after the Olympics. And eleven years ago? Well...

Eleven years ago, my Mum and Dad arrived early at my place. My Dad was in a bit of a panic (he is a bit like that some times), because I didn't have a single cardboard box in the place, it was a mess and there would be no way on earth me, my friend and my parents would be able to pack everything in those non-existent boxes and into the van we had hired. Of course what he didn't know was that I had already asked for an extra pair of hands in the form of a neighbour/friend of my parents. My Mum and I then went to the local supermarkets to search for large cardboard boxes and we started packing.

Why were we packing? I was moving! After I had passed my driving test in January I wanted another job than the one I had (trolley dolly on the trains). So, I started applying and I finally got a job as a busdriver. I didn't own a car though and it was either buy a new one or move. I chose moving!

Wuppie staying at my parents' place

By the middle of the afternoon the five of us had packed everything into the van and we drove to my new abode! After which the unpacking started of course. By the evening everything was in my new home, waiting to be put in the right place and/or be unpacked. The new home seemed huge, especially since I came from a small flat and now had a whole three bedroomed house to roam in (it was filled in no time though). On Sunday my parents got Wuppie and Mathilda out to me and my new life could start!

So, that's where I was eleven years ago. Where were you?

Saturday Archive 6 (on Sunday)

I was 28 and had only started working for the company about four months before. I didn't have a steady contract yet, but I did have my scrunchies! My hair was quite long at that time and in my opinion there was only one way of keeping it in check: make a bun and use a lovely animal scrunchie to pretty it up!

Unfortunately the mechanic at work didn't think it was much good and he ritually burnt it (threw petrol on it and lit it) the Monday after this party. He did give me money to buy a new one though, as long as it wasn't another animal one!

I've since had my hair cut short (not a good idea) and had it grow long again. I have never tried animal scrunchies anymore though...

Saturday Archive (on Sunday)

My sister and I have been going on holiday together quite a few times. We went to Belgium and Luxembourg, we went to Ireland, we went to Wales, we went cycling in the Netherlands (never again). And for some reason people always want to take photos of us. 'Are you twins?' was a question that we were asked on more than one occasion and it p'd me off big time. Until I figured out they thought I was younger and from then on it was okay.

This photo was taken in a youth hostel in either Belgium or Luxembourg (I'm guessing the latter) and we both were in a funny mood. It's not taken by someone else: my sister had a self timer on her camera! We did have a great holiday though. I had ants in my pants (the result anyway: I got bitten on my behind while listening to the call of nature), we saw several movies which were doubly subtitled (Dutch and French), we got stuck in traffic in Luxembourg and we saw cartoon walls in Brussels. Good times...

Saturday Archive 4

At the beginning of my driving career, I wasn't much good. Yes, I had my driver's licence, but that didn't mean I could drive. For the first three months I felt the coach was lording it over me. But slowly, as time passed, I got used to driving such a large vehicle. And one day I realised I was in charge of the bus.

Being a busdriver is however completely different to being a coachdriver. The first is just driving people from A to B, the second is driving them from A to B, but A might be Amsterdam and B might be Rome (since that's where all roads lead to).

The first couple of months I worked for the company I was usually doing the public transport runs and the school runs. Then I got the chance to do a schooltrip. Not on my own yet, but still, it was a start. Then it was a schooltrip on my own. Then I was allowed to go a bit further afield. Still nothing abroad though and that was something I really wanted to do.

In January 2003 (nearly four years after I started), I got the chance to go on a study trip through Europe. On that trip we would learn how to deal with people, how to get to know your way and what paperwork to use. Our first stop was Paris (France), our second Trier (Germany), then on to Prague (Czech Republic) and finally Berlin/Potsdam (Germany). All this in only six days, so you can imagine it was a lot to take in. Every night after dinner we would have an evaluation of the day.

This photo shows me together with our then highest boss (on the right) and a colleague. He had a soft spot for the tours part of the company and I was sad to see him go several years later, as were many of my colleagues.

The result of this week of training (fun mostly) was that I should start off easy: short trips in the local area or as third driver on a long distance trip. That last option was unfeasible, but the first was a bit easier. Ever since the summer of 2003 I have been driving my way through Europe. The trips are longer and further now, but the fun is still there (mostly anyway). All thanks to that very first study trip!

Saturday Archive 3

I haven't been on many sun-holidays where I've just lounged all day by the sea or swimming pool. Not because I don't like them (I quite do actually), but because for the last few years I've spent my money elsewhere. But about ten years ago I went to Malta with three friends.

We spent most days by the swimming pool on the roof, but we wanted to do one excursion. We decided to go to Gozo, a small island just off the coast of Malta. I don't really recall what we did in the morning but during the afternoon we had a jeep drive and we went snorkeling.

I am not the best swimmer and when I first put the snorkel equipment on I thought I was going to drown! However, after first testing it in the dry (ie above water) and finding out I wasn't going to drown just yet if I went below the water, I went down and looked at amazing colourful fish. It was brilliant! I spent about half an hour just below the surface just enjoying all the life in the water, before we had to come out again and we continued our trip. Definitely not long enough!

Saturday Archive 2

The very first home I lived in on my own, paid for by myself and had to take care of myself was a small two bedroom place. Now, I say two bedrooms, but one bedroom had to hold the fridge and had a door to the garden and the bikeshed. So, not much of a bedroom.

After I had lived there for several months, one night I got the scare of my life, when I saw someone standing in front of the window. I was scared stiff and didn't move until the legs had moved again. I phoned the police, who came out, and told them what I had seen (two legs). Of course they couldn't do much with that information, but they did tell me two things: a. if something were to happen that night, my information might help and b. I had to get better security, since the back of my place was quite open.

A few weeks later, I got working on my backyard and my sister came to help. The first thing we had to do was get rid of the few awful looking hedge. Then we had to build a fence. So, we got to work. We nailed and screwed some planks to the existing concrete poles and then we nailed more planks to the first planks. And after all that, we had to stain it (for which my dad also helped). It looked quite horrible, but it was sturdy and my sister and I could both climb it without it falling apart.

The photo shows us both after finishing the job. Take note of my outfit: thick home-knitted socks and lovely Dutch clogs!

Saturday Archive 1

Well, with all those photos being scanned and cropped and named and things, I have so many photos now. And it would be a shame not to share them with you. Of course I can't show all of them: some are just showing me in a not so decent light, others have other people in it. But there are still plenty that I can show.

Now, I don't want to show you those photos every single day, that would become boring pretty quickly I think, so once a week I will show you a photo from my past with a little story attached.

The first photo of my new weekly thingy is quite a mundane photo. From 1992 until 1994 I lived in England. First in a room at the back of the kitchens of the hotel I worked in and later in a room in a house on top of the hill. The first was good because it had a private bathroom, the second was good because it had a kitchen and a washing machine in the house. This is a view of my second room.

It was on the ground floor of the house (called Serendipity) and was located between front door and garage. It was only a small room and L-shaped, but I liked it. So, let's go through what you can see: On the far right you can see a little doll hanging on the wall. I knitted it myself and represented the uniform worn by my male colleagues in the restaurant. I also had a little female doll. As window covering I occasionally used black tights. Not the most fashionable, but living with four men, they weren't too impressed if they would be drying all over the house. So, curtain rail it was.

My bedside table wasn't too big and completely covered. The alarm clock was a working one, although I do think my boss must have thought otherwise. At one point I was actually on time and all the gardeners thought they had come in for morning coffee early! But, I have also slept through four alarm clocks in one day! You can't see the other three, but they were scattered about the room to make me get up and get them to be quiet. It didn't always work though...

One other thing that is quite Dutch is plants. I always had them and you can see two in the photo. When I returned home in November 1994, I stuffed all of them in my car and drove them home. They survived for quite a few years after.

Apart from the white folding chair, all the furniture you can see was provided by the hotel. The bedding as well was provided, but I didn't really like it, so I bought my own duvet and covers and asked my parents to send me my blanket. It's hardly visible, but it peeps out from under the yellow bedcover.

Memories, memories...