Story #3 of our Holland trip

Dear Friends,

I am still alive with my happy feet even after 4daagse walk of Alkmaar.

Here I am again with my story about the 4daagse walk of Alkmaar. For the walk they had different categories for walk like 7.5 km, 15 km, 25 km, 35 km and 45 km. It is a kind of copy of Nijmegen (people say so) but it was fun walking in the different parts of Alkmaar. We only registered ourselves for 3 days because on Saturday, the fourth day, Ajay has info day for their forthcoming volunteers so that's why we only did 3 days walk instead of 4. So, as I said before, today, we completed our walk and it was fun walking and knowing new people. Everybody was looking at us and tries to talk in Dutch and then as you know Ajay understands Dutch language more than me, so he was trying to answer them in Dutch and then they were happy to hear Dutch from him and they were asking more questions in Dutch than in English. It was quiet fun watching and listening the conversation between them and Ajay. During the walk, Ajay was taking pictures and Ina and I were walking behind. Cool hai.

After finishing 4daagse walk of Alkmaar, Ajay had an Info Day with the prospective volunteers together with Ina and Henk (Ex-volunteer). So, me Ajay and Henk took the bicycle from his place and went to the meeting point where Ina arranged the Info Day. Cycling was good and adventurous because of the different kind of bike than Nepal. When Henk gave me the bike he asked us to check the breaks of the bike and to my surprise it do not had any breaks in the handle of the bike and I asked Henk where is the breaks and then Henk told me that the breaks works when you paddle back while cycling. So you can imagine that how difficult it was for me to ride that bicycle with the very high seat and then I was on the road with very confusing bike and then my adventure began and suddenly there was one car and I became nervous to see that car coming. Because of the nervousness I forgot to use the breaks of my bike and I turned my bike to another direction and that’s the way I saved myself. Henk was laughing and telling me Suman you are safe and fine but hey guys this is not the end of my story. Another adventure was also waiting for me after few minutes. After few nice cycling came another point where I was suppose to put the brakes but I bumped my cycle with Henk and then it stopped automatically. Hahahaha and finally we reached our destination. Info day was good and everybody liked the presentation and put the questions also. After finishing the Info Day, we planned to go back home again with the bicycle – and now I can understand what you are thinking because I also thought the same when they said let’s go home. But, this time I found a solution by changing my bike with Ajay’s bike and then I reached home without banging anyone from my bicycle. We reached home safely. Thank God!

22nd June was fixed for our Noordwijk trip because Yvette, was going to have exhibition of her photos which was about Nepal. Ajay really wanted to go to Noordwijk because there were other photos from the photographers. These photographers are the member of the photoblog on which Ajay post his pictures every day, so it was a good chance to see them personally. Ajay know the photographers by their photos but not by their face. So we, together with Rene went to see the exhibition at Noordwijk. It took us few minutes to find the exhibition place but it was good to see Yvette and other photo bloggers. And as Yvette didn’t knew that Rene was also coming with Sao, Chamila, Dennis and Arnoud from March 2005 group. It was good and then we came back to Heiloo with Rene for the Golf Party. It was cool party and we met Rene’s old friends and a very cool D.J. and a very expensive car I have ever seen. What a car it was! Then we had dinner and then we went to the train station of Heiloo to come back to North Alkmaar. Then we tried to buy a ticket but we were missing 20 euro cent to buy a ticket, so we asked one guy who was sitting there and waiting for his train. We asked him if he can change our 5 euro but unfortunately he also didn’t had change money for us so, he came with us and bought a ticket for us with his own card and then we gave him the changed money (with less 20 euro cent) which we had before, but it was so nice of him to help us. I think he was from Turkey because he didn’t look like Dutch but above all Thanks to him. And then we reached home and our day was over with nice memories.

From 23rd to 27th June was our surprise day according to Ina. We were going to the North part of Holland. So, we packed our bags for our one week trip and meet Ina in our meeting point near Henk’s place. It was a nice ride and then our first destination was Groningen. It’s a really nice city with lots of people compare to Alkmaar. In Groningen, we saw many different people from the different parts of the world, specially students and as Groningen is the city of students it was full with students which we liked a lot. We sat in one of the restaurants of the centre of the city we had our drinks and Ina was waiting for the person with whom we were going to stay for one night but as it was a surprise week, Ina didn’t told us the name of the person and you know Ajay he was really curious to know the name and then we were guessing the name and to our surprise we guessed the right name –Rixt. It was good to see her again after the Reunion party at Henk’s place. So, we went to another place with Rixt, Ina and had dinner with her. Then Marjo from 2005 May group also came to join us for a drink because she had a phone call with Ajay and he told her that we were in her city. It was a good dinner and then we said bye to Mario and went to Rixt place. She had a nice and cozy house and then after few hours we (except Ina because she wanted to sleep) went out to see the night life of Groningen. But to our surprise it was quiet everywhere, may be because of the last days of schools and exams. And then Rixt told us that tomorrow we are going for climbing and we said cool! And then we did a small walk around the main streets and came back to Rixt place and slept like a baby.

Next morning, we came to the centre and then we sat near Martini Tower for the drinks. And then Rixt told us that let’s go for climbing and we were confused and then Ina and Rixt told us that we are going to climb the Martini Tower which is 96m tall. So we pulled our socks and went for climbing. When I was climbing the tower I was thinking of the stairs of Monkey Temple. Funny. It was a nice day with clear weather and we can almost every part from the top of Martini Tower which was in the map given by the ticket counter. Then we came down and walked around and then went back to Rixt place because she has to go for her job at 12:30 and it was almost 12:00 p.m. Then we took our bags from her apartment and she dropped us near the car of Ina (because she parked her car near her friend’s house). Then from the parking place to the central station of Groningen we walk and there was another surprise Marjo (which Ajay already guessed) was waiting for us. Then we roamed around to the weekly market and bought few vegetables because we wanted to cook Dal-Bhat in Ralph and Janneke place (our next destination). Then we bought Potato Chips and sausage and we went to Marjo place for eating the stuff we bought. She really has a big and nice apartment, nicely decorated also. After dinner, she dropped us to the car of Ina and then we were set to our next destination – Zwolle. On the way to Zwolle, we passed the Staphorst. That area has a very nice house. Every house was picturesque and then we went to Ina’s parent’s home for a drink. Her parent has a very nice house full with flowers. They were quiet old around 76 – 79 of an age but still young with their hearts. They do not know English but Ajay had a great time with them talking and I was just joining him as a backup. Then, we went for our final destination for the day to Zwolle. It was nice to see Ralph and Janneke after such a long time. It’s a house of Ralph parents. What a big and nice house with a cool dog – Joe. Next day, we went out for boating with them. It was a nice decision with the private boat and when we were coming back from our boat ride to the final destination then we also faced Tsunami. It was few kids with their motor boats in that small canal and they bought Tsunami in that small canal. When we came back from our boat trip ajay and I were busy preparing for our Dal-Bhat. It was good to eat Dal-Bhat again for the second time in Holland and everybody liked it including us.  Then we went to the city market of Zwolle and walked around with Ina and then we went to the Irish Pub for a drink and then came back home together with Ralph and Janneke. Next day after late breakfast, we said goodbye to Ralph, Janneke and Joe we were heading to our next surprise and Ajay as usual was guessing the person to whom we were going to visit for dinner appointment. Then as usual Ajay guessed the name and we were very happy to see Marijke from October 2007. She is staying in the summer house of one of the farm of …………., very nice and cozy place for staying which is full of nature and the surroundings of her place reminds of Chitwan. She made Mexican food and it was very lekker and then after a dinner and lots of talking, we head to our next surprise destination. The destination was quiet near from Marijke home. Then Ina called our surprise because she got confused with the direction and then Ajay told me that he guessed the name and to my surprise he was again right. We were in the house of Mirjam and Ric and because Mirjam didn’t knew that we already guessed her name, she was staying in the house and Ric was outside welcoming us. Then we came in her house and called hey Mirjam now come out and then she came out with her own personal dialogue – Too much man! Then we laughed and talked about how Ajay knew that it was her place, because accidently Mirjam herself told Ajay that she is staying with Ric in Doetinchem and that’s why Ajay guessed her name. Cool! We talked till 2:00 and then went for a sleep. Next morning, after breakfast we went for our surprise trip with Ina and Mirjam. She took us to the Open Air Museum in Arnhem. Nice to see another museum after Enkhuizen Museum and then after museum, barbeque party at Mirjam and Ric home but because of my headache I went for a sleep. After 2 hours of sleep I was back again in action for a party and the day was finished for us and next day our surprise week was also going to finish. Next day, around 09:30 a.m. we said goodbye to Mirjam and Ric and head back to Alkmaar. We reached Alkmaar around 11:30 and then we saw Henk and Kim. After few minutes they went for shopping for their Nepal trip and Ina back to her place after leaving us to Henk’s place and we also took our luggage up in our room and Thanks to Ina for a lovely week which was full of surprises.

Today, right now I am at Ina’s place with Ajay and Wineke because of the Greet and Meet day of new volunteers for the month of July. Everybody came at 14:00 and it was good to see the new faces of our volunteers for Nepal. After they left, we had dinner at around 18:30 and now we are eating an ice-cream and that’s why I am finishing my story because ice-cream is calling me and I am also getting attracted to my ice-cream. So dear friends, thanks for reading my long story and tomorrow we are going to Amsterdam by train from North Alkmaar station and there we will meet Mijke, Saskia, Susanne and Arno and Rene. Bye!