More news...

So now it is 11:23 pm Thursday night, and I am sitting in the Artemis Hotel in Amsterdam watching BBC 1. It was raining the whole day, and with the grey skies I really felt like I was in England, not The Netherlands.

But the realisation of actually being here is slowly dawning on me. People ask me what I am doing here, and I do not believe myself when I say: "I just moved here to work permanently for IBM."

I vividly remember the days when I sent out 5-10 CVs per day to any overseas company. And receiving disappointing replies. Many. And now I have come such a long way. I am not sad, but there is a certain sense of loss.

Some practical information about my day so far... The flight was ok - I had a very good neighbour on the plane - he sat still with his headphones on - and didn't want to talk. I like those! The breakfast was actually quite good, and the arrival at Frankfurt painless. However, the airport is really really big and the distance from arrival to departure far! I made it in one piece to my next flight that was only 45 minutes to Amsterdam.

I stumbled outside Schiphol taking the first taxi to the fantastic Artemis hotel. Shortly after arriving (25 euros later!) a hotel shuttle stopped outside. I could have taken that for free!!! Anyway - so I will learn.

After checking to see if the internet works here (of course!) I took a lovely nap from about 2-8pm. Then, room service kindly brought me a very-needed club sandwich and Pepsi (ugggh!) But it went down well.

Then some chats to friends on Skype and MSN and now off to bed.

Tomorrow is my first day @ IBM starting with an induction session. The only problem is that I received two different emails with two different addresses for the session. I am going to follow the latest email's instructions - let's hope it is right! Fortunately the buildings are right next to each other - so it should be ok.

This is it now...

So the dirty deed is done!!!
I am in "Hamsterjam" and settling in...

The flight was ok - just really tired now, and should take a nap.

Here is a pic of the room I am staying in:

Some more info will follow....

Today's emotion pic

So I seem to achieve something in all this chaos...
Today I:

• paid the deposit for the going-away party (very important!)
• paid the clearance figures for my house and
• booked a one-way ticket to Amsterdam!

I also tried to obtain an electricity certificate for my flat, but I was not very successful.

This is how I feel...

Frustration 101

Today is not a good day - the waiting is getting to me.

I have not had a good night's rest in 5 days.

I see pictures of Euros, airtickets and rental contracts mocking me when I try to get some much-needed sleep.
Not soothing music, a warm bath, tea nor Jay Leno can ease me into the night.

So, putting on the friendliest voice I could bear, I called.
Nothing is ready yet. She will call back.

Grrrrrr.....

Lulu is going to Holland....First she will be staying with Michelle in Cape Town for a while, and hopefully December she will be ready with her European-kitty-passport to come to Utrecht.

The uncertainty

I still don't know when I'm going...
It sounds an little bit like the opening line from The House of Leaves:
"I still get nightmares"

It is almost the same.

I won't say that this experience is turning into a nightmare, but rather a logistical nightmare:
- when to move house
- when to tag/inject/ship the cat (dear Lulu)
- when to stop working
- and when will i have enough money...

scary scary scary.

but all in all it will hopefully be:
- happiness all around
- ok money-wise
- organised and
- all go according to some twisted (non-existing) plan