Clogs

So as I sit on the train on my last leg of an exciting if tiring couple of weeks I can reflect on a worthwhile trip, with some difficult moments but overall a wonderful experience.

It was topped off for me by my daughter and her partner M coming to meet me at the airport and ferrying me back to their flat for a lovely meal, a catch up and much needed bed. By the time I got up this morning H had gone to work so I had breakfast with M and chatted before getting ready for my journey.

I decided to take these clogs as a back up blip but they work so well I thought I'd use them. They are full size, probably a size 10/11 and are on the wall of their flat. They signify for Hannah a lifelong love of all things Dutch and I had fully expected her to be living there by now. She had always said that once she had finished travelling she would go and live in Holland but M proved an irresistable attraction and as a New Zealander that option is not open to him for the moment.

Why Holland? Well when my kids were quite young we went on the Hull- Rotterdam ferry and spent time in Holland, camping and exploring. She fell in love with it then. She had a boyfriend who was living in Holland and so spent a couple of summers there and also whilst studying photography at Falmouth she took the option of a two term exchange to The Hague. Holland has always kept reappearing in her life. She has friends there, has tried to learn Dutch and has always intended to live there. Not so sure she will now but I would not put it past her. So the clogs are not a casual purchase they signify her love for Holland and so I thought would make a good blip!

Thanks so much for everyone's concern about my well being. I do still think I can do more things in a day than is possible but I don't know how much longer I will be able to travel and so I do take the opportunities when they arise. If I travel for work, my university pays the insurance which otherwise is a bit prohibitive with my ailments, so its nice to go and see a bit of a place whilst working. I carried an extra interest this time with my new camera in hand and enjoyed trying to find a good enough blip. I haven't been able to keep up with all your blips but until I travel next (not long away!) I shall try and be more diligent.