Dinner with the Deputy President of South Africa

After a very long train trip back to Holland, I made my way to Den Haag with Walindah (the only other South African who also stayed behind a little longer)

Wow we had such a wonderful evening. HE Phumzile Mlambo-Nguka was the guest of honour at this dinner hosted by the South African Embassy in Den Haag (The Hague).

We were fortunate to have wonderful company at the table with Cathal and Marjo of CMK1 and we all got a special introduction with the Deputy President. She was so excited to meet us and chat to us about the program we had completed and our thoughts about it, since she was the initiator of the program. It was a true honour to be counted among her good company for the evening.

p.s. I almost forgot to add, I met a couch surfing friend of Walindah's, his name is Martin and in all our delayedness.....he missed his train to Paris...well it was his fault kinda....hahaha but he landed up coming to Den Haag with us and then just hanging at the Central Station while we were at dinner.....til we got a ride back to Amsterdam in the Shaguar with Cathal and Marjo. He slept in the lounge on the floor without the heaters on!!!!! crazy!! it was freezing! but a fun, crazy, spontaneous Danish guy who sounds sooo Australian....see ya in September!! hahaha

and today it's off to Paris for me to visit Yumna...yayyyyyy

Au Revoir

Sweden....Scandanavian Fantasy

Sweden.....definitely on my list of places to do again. I loved Stockholm, so much character, so much to see, so much to experience. It was fantastic. I walked around Gamla Stan, which is the Old Town, the original beginnings of Stockholm, a beautiful town, quite touristy but still has wonderful alleyways and areas where you can just explore and feel like you're in your own world.

Since Stockholm is made up of islands all connected with wonderful bridges, the best ways of exploring the city is on foot or by bike. So you really get to explore the city properly. there's also one tram line that runs in the city and worth a ride.

If i didn't have to leave after just a day and a bit to go back to Den Haag for a gala dinner with the South African Embassy in the Netherlands, I would've stayed for a week.

There's a few wonderful museums, ooooohhh and the shopping.....hmmmmmmm they've got some fantastic handicrafts and i found a fabulous little shop with a wonderful lady who explained how a few crafters share a store to sell their wares and we had a long chat about Africa and travel and what she does.

And the hostel.....wow one of the best hostels I've been to so far. I definitely can recommend City Backpackers Hostel in Stockholm.

Anyway.....time for the long trip back to Holland....for dinner with the Deputy President of South Africa....woohoo!!!

I luurrrrvvvvvv Sweden.

What an experience

So yeah.....Berlin....so much to see soooooo little time but I tried to make the best of it. Loved the city and left more than enough for me to do when I make my way back there sometime.

I made it to the station to get my train to Stockholm with 10 minutes to spare and lo and behold....the carriage that my seat, i mean my bottom bunk bed, is supposed to be in, is not there. Now i am completely confused and a tad concerned. Go talk to the conductor in my very terrible Dutch/English/German medley of words and guess what.....they actually moving people around and i got upgraded...woohoo!!!
From a 6 bed, triple bunk couchette to a double bunk couchette all to myself with a vanity and a cupboard and free stuff....hehehehe I was so chuffed.

And i was chatting to the conductor and quite excited to hear that our train practically does two-thirds of the journey on a ferry. I mean the train just gets onto a ferry and across. I was soooo excited i told the conductor to wake me up when we get on the ferry, it was not easy waking up at 2am just to go and see the ferry that we got on but very interesting indeed.

The world and technology never cease to amaze and teach me new things.

Got to Malmo around 8am and then caught a train to Stockholm, reached Stockholm around 2pm.

I am so confused about which cities i love now coz i think i've fallen in love with Stockholm too.....do i have to choose just one great city to love?

Take my advice, try the train thing, it's an incredible experience and spend at the very least three days in Stockholm, i wish i had a week here, but unfortunately the adventure back to Amsterdam starts at noon tomorrow

the tummy twister.....

I got to the train station on time....got to my coach. Saw my lovely seat, oh so comfortable and even took some pictures....and then the train to Berlin just was not leaving....and I did not know why. So then the announcement comes that it wil be delayed because there was an accident on the tracks. So i think this is the perfect opportunity to run downstairs and get a munchie from the shop. I was gonna be back in 4 minutes flat.

Left my bags and my jacket and went to the store. I was done in three minutes and ran up the stairs to the platform. And that was when it happened.........that really REALLY sick feeling in the pit of your stomach that triggers every cell to freeye and you start shaking and you are about to cry. that platform was empty!!! EMPTY!!! The train had left without me....and with all my stuff.

I will NEVER EVER EVER EVER EVER do that ever again. I learnt my lesson.

After much hassle and running around, I managed to get them to leave my bags somewhere and had to go and get it and then catch a new train to Germany.....did i mention i will NEVER do such a silly thing again????

NEVER EVER!!

.....the adventure begins

Tommorrow i leave for Berlin.....for three days...and thereafter i go to Stockholm for a day before returning to Amsterdam for another dinner with the South African Embassy in the Hague.

I'm tingling.....a bit scared and alot excited....feels tingly.

Wish me luck.

Happy April 1st

Happy Birthday mummy......she turns 54 today...wow!

on April Fool's Day nogal.....hehehe and she's got the sense of humour to go with it.

To think....she's really lived her life, traveled, home'd, been a teacher, an architect, a gardener, a cleaner, a psychologist, a comforter and simply everything.....i aspire to be the mum that she has been to all of us....a housewife.....minus the over-conservatism....and a bit less nagging. hahahaha

Love ya mum....mwah

p.s. love ya too Dad.