DAY 18
WEDNESDAY MAY 18 2005
This morning I went to breakfast and was very happy to see corn flakes. Hey, its the small things that make me happy. What can I say.
All the girls in my dorm room were nice quiet, considerate girls who were quiet when they came in and out and did not wake me up. I am happy to report that I got a good nights sleep even if the bed was as hard as a rock. I had breakfast with one of my dorm mates, happy to connect with others, we enjoyed a nice breakfast together. She translated some of my upcoming route for me from German to English, then I took a nice, peaceful, relaxing walk around the grounds.
Hostel grounds.
I really enjoyed that walk. There wasn't a cloud in the sky, birds were chirping, all was peaceful. I soaked it up like a sponge. In retrospect, I am glad I did, little did I know what would come in the following hours.
My taxi came to take me to the train station, it was 9:45 am. I needed to train back to Hillegom to pick up the straps that Jeff so painstakingly mailed me. At the last moment I decided to leave my bike at the hostel. This was a decision I would come to be very grateful for later.
Now, the original plan was that I would train back to pick up the straps. This was before I realized that everything closed down for two days due to a holiday. By the time the hotel received the FedEx package it was Tuesday and I was all the way to Arnhem. Much further away than originally expected. Not to worry I will just buy a round trip ticket and get it done anyway. By 10 am I had my ticket in hand.
Here is where all goes awry.
I made sure to ask for a print out of my itinerary. The tickets do not have that info on them. I wanted to know exactly what platforms and cities I would be transferring trains in. I waited patiently at the platform for my train when I noticed everyone disembark and go to another platform. Damn. I heard several announcements concerning something. Long ass announcements with the city of my next stop mentioned in the middle. Damn, this is a time I really, really wish I knew this language. I went in search of a conductor, but he didn't speak English. He just said I needed to go to platform 4 and transfer at some station whose name I caught only the vowels on, the letter "O" to be exact. Do you know how many cities with the letter "O" are in it? To damn many! He said I had two minutes. I rushed over to the other platform in time to watch the train pull away. Damn. This is stressful.
Off to the ticket lines to get a new itinerary. Gosh, those lines are looooong. Guess everyone is thinking the same thing. Off to find a new conductor. I found one talking to a little red headed gal. I could tell she was going to the same city (or so I thought) as my destination kept popping up in the conversation and she seemed really upset and put out. As frustrated as I felt, I am sure. At least she could understand the language. The conductor grabbed my itinerary and sent me to the same platform as the red head. She explained to me that we had to transfer several different times. Shit, this is so stressful. I am going to shadow this woman like crazy.
Here comes the train and we hop on and I make sure I take a seat where I can see if she exits either doorway. I figure will get off and calmly walk together to what ever platform we need. Fool.
Next stop were off and she grabs her luggage sprinting away yelling to me to "come on we only have two minutes." Shit! The water buffalo and the gazelle all over again. We are running down the platform. She looks back and I jut tell her to "Go, go, go!" I will either keep her in sight or I won't, forget trying to keep up. Run, Dar, Run! Look out folks, charging elephant coming your way. I manage to keep those red locks in sight through the crowed platform and see which train she boards. She gets there first, even if she has luggage holding her down, but I get there too! I'm on! Whew. If I had had my bike with me I would have never made it. Period. We repeat this process so many times, I can't even keep track of the cities anymore. At one point she says to me that she doesn't know if we are headed to the right platform I told her not to worry we are moving and that is enough. She laughs but we are both stressed out and know it. What comes next is worse and resifts my world view.
The reason my original train, which was due in less than five minuets, never showed is because there was a jumper. They threw themselves in front of the train. Sad. You know, I may say how rough I am having it but ultimately I am on vacation and have plenty of options. If I cut out at any given time I know my trip is not over, just postponed, until I can better my budget or find a friend to cycle with, or fulfill what ever criteria may be needed. I always have a plan B, C, or D running threw my head for any given situation, but this jumper must have felt so trapped by their problems that the only way out they could see was to end it. Permanently. How sad. I wished I could have helped in some way.
Suddenly my day isn't so bad after all. I remember my walk in the woods this morning and how peaceful it was. I relive it and relax.
Sadly the red head, through all the commotion, has missed her flight to Barcelona and says to me at the next stop we part ways as she heads for a different city. Damn. She thinks the next train I need to get on is right across from the one we are getting off of. I wont hold my breath (sarcasm). The train stops and we prepare to sprint. She wishes me good luck. Sure enough the train I need is right there and I hop on. It takes off after 45 seconds. Cutting it close, man! Close! I am now, officially, half way to Hillegom. Jeeze.
After that I have a smooth train ride through farms, flower fields, and herds of sheep, horses, and cows. Even a swan or two. I finally reach Hillegom and walk 25 minutes to the hotel and pick up those damn straps. I think about taxing back but they can't pick me up for 45 minutes. I walk. Just as I get to the platform I read the sign and realize my train will get here in about a minute. Well, how perfect is that?
The train station at Hillegom. It may be a clear blue sky, but it is still quite nippy. I am very thankful for that coat I bought in Haarlem.
I hop on and realize that when the ticket lady printed out my itinerary she only printed out the "going there" portion. Not the return portion. (Sigh). Note to self: Remember to ask for all legs of the journey itinerary. I made educated guesses on where the platforms would be and got myself all the way to Utrecht. There I had to go to the big "time board" to find my train. It is at platform 4. Cool. Off I go. Uh oh, there is a platform 4a, and a platform 4b. (Sigh). Back to the time board. Platform 4b is the destination for today. Off I go. After eight in a half hours I am back where I started and I am totally wiped out. Were the straps worth it? No. Was the education through experience worth it? Yes, I learned quite a lot.
Least favorite moment of the Day: The whole train dilemma and the jumper. Also, to get those straps it ultimately cost $100 dollars what with the FedEx costs and train costs and taxi costs.
Favorite Moment of the Day: There seems to always be someone to give me a helping hand. Peace.
Moral of the Day: I am learning the art of perseverance. To flow, flex, and maneuver through the challenges and obstacles, the tough times and always moving towards the goal at hand and to fully soak up and appreciate the good times for what they are. I never know what the next hours will hold. It could be doves of peace or something unexpectedly stressful, but ultimately I have been getting through it all and that's enough. My cup is half full.