getting lost

okay, I promised Rachel I would say something about my adventures lately. Not quite as interesting as hers, but definitely along the same theme of traveling!

So Monday I had to take a guy to the airport in Brussels. No problem, I've driven there quite often and it's right off the highway. After I dropped him off I had to go to IKEA to buy some tables and chairs for work. So I did that, after getting help from two nice ladies to load five big, heavy packages in the car, I bought an ice cream and came home. I was slightly concerned that I was lost, but it turned out I wasn't, so that was fine.

Tuesday: had to drive to Utrecht, about an hour and a half away, for meeting. Surprisingly I drove straight there and back and didn't get lost at all! Although again, I thought for a moment that I was lost, but just before i was about to turn off the highway and turn around I saw that I was going the right direction. Saved by the bell!

Wednesday: I had to go to Brussels for a presentation about research in voluntary service. (by the way, it was hosted by the European Parliament, so that was lots of fun! It was quite cool to be inside Parliament and sit in one of the rooms. There were translators all around and you had cool headsets so when someone spoke in French or Germany, I listened to the English translators.) anyway, driving to Brussels was no problem. I asked one of the interns if she wanted to go along to help find the way. But I took an exit too early and then the handy internet directions I had printed out where useless. The map of Brussels we had was about 15 years old and absolutely useless. So anyway, we found which part of the city we were supposed to be in and after driving around somewhat aimlessly for 10 minutes, finally found the street. I thought I was a bit late, but it turned out they had decided to start half an hour later so it worked out fine.

Now, after the meeting, Elodie (intern) and I decided to go somewhere to eat. Well, we where driving along and suddenly were on the highway going out of the city in the wrong direction! So I quickly got of the highway in some suburb of Brussels, we drove around (again somewhat aimlessly) looking for a restaurant. We finally just stopped, parked and walked and had a nice dinner. Then thanks to Elodie's great help, we started back in the right direction, found the highway and got home.

You know, I think it's because I'm not supposed to get a big head about finding my way and not getting lost two days in a row. I should have just stopped at two and not pushed the third expereince. But there is hope: I'm getting lost less than I used to! (although of course in new situations, like Brussels, I'm still guaranteed to get lost. so perhaps the ratio is still the same: new place = lost, familiar place = perhaps not lost, but with moments of panic thinking I am lost)

gotta love transportation. I'm going away for the weekend and taking the train, but now I'm worried with my track record for the week and hearing horror stories of some train travel from last week. (friends of mine where supposed to be in the train for 2 1/2 hrs and ending up spending five fun-filled hours getting from one place to the other!) look for transportation saga #2 after the weekend.......