Overall map of where we went from 28 June to 20 July 2024
Click on the markers and you will see what we did

Friday 28 June
Normal emirates A380 flight out of Sydney departing 2110hrs
Was picked up by Hughes Hire at 1740 hrs so had time in lounge for nibbles.
Then a late meal at probably around midnight. However we had plenty of time since it is around a 14hr flight.
Excellent movie selection caught up with ‘A Man for All Seasons’ which I hadn’t seen for many years.
Then in the morning an excellent documentary’32 Sounds’ witch amongst other things demonstrated ‘binaural’ sound.
I used to do ‘sound’ when I was in amateur drama so appreciated it.
Two hour wait in Dubai before reboarding for the flight to Amsterdam about a seven hour flight.
Plane pulled away 45 mins late due to a delayed arrival. However didn’t see anyone come aboard where we were.
Our plane must have been jinxed since while we arrived on time into Amsterdam, could not get to our gate since the previous plane hadn’t left. We waited about 10 minutes which must have upset the pilot.
The car that took us to Alex n Willems place was an electric BMW. Very swish. While it was only a 45 minute journey the driver did ask whether he could stop for quick recharge (10 minutes?). As it turned out the charging bay was occupied so we weren’t delayed.
We did see the car drive off so let’s hope he found a charge point.

Later in the afternoon we went to see polsstokverspringen. Basically this pole vaulting across water. Click on link or see photos and videos.
As you can see it requires considerable skill to pick up enough momentum, as well as to climb up the pole to encourage it to move forwards to fall across to the other side of the water (which wasn't very deep - but cold)
This is very big in The Netherlands. There are several sites in this area.
They had two sessions each one with about 60 participants.

 Sunday
Alex took us to the Witches Museum Hekeswaag Oudewater
History of persecution of witches in Netherlands. apparently if you were not heavy enough you were a witch, there were of course other tests at the time.
Interesting AI video on women’s liberation upstairs as connected to witches. An animated figure asked you questions and then it replied with a reasonable answer to whatever I said.
It could understand my English very well. I guess it using ChatGPT.

Lunch at an adjoining cafe and then a forty minute boat ride on the canal in Oudewater.
There were the  three of us plus two other Dutch tourists. Limited English translation but Alex could fill in.

After we returned we had a pleasant walk along the road to a roadside cherry orchard where Willem could pick us up. Had a cherry ice cream which was nice but the pear ice cream was tastier.

When I say walk I have to admit I was in a wheelchair. Alex had previously asked whether it would be convenient if she organised one.
While I am pretty active with two sticks, I thought I would agree on this occasion.

Being Sunday we all went across to Bep & Hermen’s (Willem’s parents) home for afternoon tea.

Monday

Noah and Eric off to school 8:15am

Drizzle rain about 16C however by the time we got away it was just cloudy. A little windy but not too cold.

Willem drove us and Alex into Gouda.
We  ‘Walked’ about the Market Square with the lovely City Hall (where Alex n Willem got married).

Bought a new cover for the I Phone which looks much smarter.

Lunch in the Gouda library, a converted factory.

Came back by bus then a 10 minute ‘walk’ back home.

It was a lovely day and the road was only single lane with about a metre each side for bicycles and wheelchairs!

Not so active in the chair but being taken up/down into the bus in the chair was a-bit unnerving. Their bus had a ramp which folded down to the pavement which one had to push up. It was very level.

Played a couple of rounds of Chinese Checkers with the boys after dinner which was great fun since I hadn't played for awhile.

Next day we are to get the EuroStar from Rotterdam to St Pancras London via Brussels. 
more in the next blog