Funny

Flesland Airport, Bergen

It has been over three weeks since the 'thing' happened and I am coming to grips with it. Through the help of family, friends, colleagues and a social worker and of course through time. However, it wasn't all bad what happened that day and I want to tell you of a little thing.

The police station was old and dirty and these were the actual words of the front desk policeman! Well, he said them in French, but you know what I mean. Anyway, old and dirty and some things just weren't working any more. There were two toilets: a proper sit-down one and one that was just the old French favourite: a hole in the ground. One was out of order and fortunately it was the hole in the ground.

During that day I had to visit the toilet on several occasions, water and stress just have that result you know. And then on one of my visits I saw a sign on the door: 'As by order of the commanding officer (I guess), this toilet is reserved for Mrs J' (again in French of course). That was me! But, the other toilet was not working!

Schotstue, Bryggen, Bergen

When my boss and colleague arrived from the Netherlands, they needed to go too and they were then told: go outside! By the police!! They didn't really know where to look or what to think and actually thought the police were joking! Which they weren't, since I had the toilet all to myself! And my boss and colleague ànd the police themselves, needed to find an alternative place.

I would have liked a photo of that sign, since I do collect those, but in the end I decided I wouldn't. Not worth the hassle!

A solution (of sorts)

Last Thursday I had a little run-in with the police. Because I had to use the toilet. Now, before you start thinking I got a talking-to because I had been 'going in the wild', don't worry. I didn't! I used the toilet provided in the building. Well, I might have been better off going in the wild as it were, since within ten minutes two security guards had turned up. And not two minutes after that a police car with two police officers made an appearance as well. The reason for all these people showing up because I had to pee? I set off the burglar alarm! I knew I had set it off. We have been setting it off for three years now. We never had any police officers before though!

This morning I went to see my boss. Who happened to want to speak to me as well. About me setting off the alarm and me needing to use the toilet. The result of this conversation? I am not supposed to use the toilet after hours anymore. If I can, I have to use the toilet on one of the coaches. But, if I have my period, I don't want to be in a stupid little toilet area on a coach, I want a proper toilet, with proper room, proper lighting and a proper washing up facility. So, starting next month: when I have my period, I don't work after hours!

Mind you, all this beats getting fined by the police for endangering them to come answer a burglary call and finding some woman needing to pee!

*Sigh*

Wok restaurant on the Belgian Dutch border

Big sigh.

Because of the weather: hot, humid, windy, rain, thunderstorms, cooling. All in one day.

Because of work: driving into Germany, only finding out the roads your gps is sending you to are dead end roads. Or contain bridges that are too low for my coach.

Because of nights spent either sleepwalking or dreaming about my six-year old goddaughter and her four-year old brother (who are 15 and 13).

Because of the lost World Cup, although I must admit that it made it easier to sleep: no awful vuvuzelas!

Big sigh.

It's not easy being a woman

Disneyland Paris

Well actually, it is. Since I don't know how it is to be a man and I've always been of the female persuation, I just am. A woman that is. But sometimes it is made harder by the outside world to be a woman. And sometimes it's your own body doing that. And occasionally the two collide and make it extremely frustrating.

Take yesterday. A big festival in Scheveningen (near the Hague) and I had to drive as well. One of those articulated jobbies that won't go faster than 52 miles an hour and have no real comfort. They do however have masses of room and you can load one up with about 125 people. Making it the perfect festival bus.

However, only a couple of days ago my body decided to tell me it was still female. Which is a pain (figuratively and literally) in itself. Add to that the fact that I had to drive one of those bent bananas (otherwise known as articulated buses). On top of that there were no toilets/bathrooms/outhouses to be found anywhere near where the bus was parked or where I was supposed to pick the people up. So you can imagine how happy I was feeling!

But thanks to Esso (the petrol station) I soon felt a bit better again. And was able to do one more trip through the Hague before they told me I wasn't needed anymore and could go home!

The joys of being a woman...

Boring

I don't know, but those English toilet doors were decidedly boring. I did not see one single strange or weird or even funny one. This one was the most special I got accross during the whole of my stay in England last week!

I spotted this one at the Duxford Imperial War Museum and if you still have to ask whether this would be the Ladies room... Even the blind could see!

Another one

Taken in Hotel Goldflair in Korbach, Germany.

Ladies' Room

De Cantharel, Apeldoorn, the Netherlands

To go or not to go...

Spotted in Osterholz, Germany last week. I ran back to the table to get my camera, so I could show it to the world!

Day 2

Well, today went a lot better than yesterday. Up to a point of course. The new coach arrived bright and early and didn't overheat. Not once did he get over 92 degrees (which is good), so really good news. Even if a colleague had to drive all through the night to get the coach to me on time.

However, I was (and will be) in serious danger of overheating. According to the website I checked out before leaving, the temperatures in Venice and Rome would be about 30-32 degrees Celsius. Today we reached 36! Tomorrow is going to be more of the same. The passengers are okay, the airconditioning is still keeping up (although it will get harder as the week progresses). I am sitting under glass, facing the sun! I drank three half liters of water in half an hour. I usually forget to drink!!!

Anyway, I shouldn't be complaining: I've got a working coach, airconditioning in my room, the internet is working and the people are still great.

Tomorrow Venice...

PS: new theme: restroom, bathroom, toilet and wc signs during this trip. The one at the top was taken in our lunch-hotel. Isn't she just elegant?