(no subject)
Yesterday got pretty awful at the end, but we made it to our beautiful new home. Spain and France were such a dream to drive through, it was a shock arriving in Belgium (although I had been warned by Barry). The road quality dropped, the signs (and our directions) became unintelligible and roadside services absolutely ceased to be. We made it as far as Antwerp and got lost downtown. Fortunately, we stopped in an Egyptian restaurant to eat and the owner lived 30 years in Holland so knew how we could get out. (I have no idea how Belgians go so long with out eating or bathrooming, they simply didn't exist anywhere, even in big shopping areas we drove through. Odd.)
We made it to Rotterdam and got lost again, me low on gas. Finally worked our way out of that and got gas, and got to Zoetermeer where we spent the next 3 hours trying to find our house. It was dark and confusing and at the end Barry and I got totally separated and had to make our own ways. There were roads that went on and on in the dark with no exits or signs, and traffic circles with complex (or at least it seemed to me, the newbie) methods and the only way to end up at the exit you wanted was to know how the system works, which I didn't, leading me to yet another long, dark road to nowhere near where I wanted. Ugh. Couldn't call anyone because of the international phone situation, but Barry could call me at least.
I managed to make it back to Zoetermeer and tried to find the train station (Barry and I had agreed to meet there if we could), and promptly got lost in a residential area. Barry called and we had both had the same idea: find a hotel and a friendly cab driver to lead us to our house, for his fee, of course. As I searched for a hotel, I realized I was on one of the streets listed in our Google directions as being on the way to the house! I navigated the streets, and knew I must be very close indeed, when again I found myself on a long dark street not looking at all like it would contain our house. I backed up a few directions and asked at the local shops, and found our street. Still couldn't find the house, but apparently Barry had found a kind soul to lead him to the house and called me. Laurel realized how close I was and came to meet me and led me home.
The house is stunning, and all creatures and people in it are safe and sound. Today has been spent unpacking and exploring. We have no internet for a few weeks so are limited to cafes for now.
Just glad I'm here.
We made it to Rotterdam and got lost again, me low on gas. Finally worked our way out of that and got gas, and got to Zoetermeer where we spent the next 3 hours trying to find our house. It was dark and confusing and at the end Barry and I got totally separated and had to make our own ways. There were roads that went on and on in the dark with no exits or signs, and traffic circles with complex (or at least it seemed to me, the newbie) methods and the only way to end up at the exit you wanted was to know how the system works, which I didn't, leading me to yet another long, dark road to nowhere near where I wanted. Ugh. Couldn't call anyone because of the international phone situation, but Barry could call me at least.
I managed to make it back to Zoetermeer and tried to find the train station (Barry and I had agreed to meet there if we could), and promptly got lost in a residential area. Barry called and we had both had the same idea: find a hotel and a friendly cab driver to lead us to our house, for his fee, of course. As I searched for a hotel, I realized I was on one of the streets listed in our Google directions as being on the way to the house! I navigated the streets, and knew I must be very close indeed, when again I found myself on a long dark street not looking at all like it would contain our house. I backed up a few directions and asked at the local shops, and found our street. Still couldn't find the house, but apparently Barry had found a kind soul to lead him to the house and called me. Laurel realized how close I was and came to meet me and led me home.
The house is stunning, and all creatures and people in it are safe and sound. Today has been spent unpacking and exploring. We have no internet for a few weeks so are limited to cafes for now.
Just glad I'm here.