Profile
Blog
Photos
Videos
It is well into spring here and it is still colder than Auckland is mid winter! Snow and bundling up in jackets, scarves and hats was fun for a week but I'm ready for sun again now.
It's my last night in the Netherlands before 6 weeks of country hopping. Departing early with a convoy of Topdeck coaches full of chefs ready to cook, drivers ready to drive and leaders ready to lead and spiel about Europe, it's culture and history. Not to mention the trainers ready to crack their whip on the budding new Topdeck members.
It's 2am and though I have so much to do and sleep to be had, it's amazing the freedom I find that comes from writing. It makes things clear and exciting. I feel perspective falls into its sweet place and that I sure need right now.
We have such a fantastic mix of people on this training, everyone with different strengths and weaknesses but with a common goal. Amazing how in one week you can go from being strangers to being like a family.
We had more classroom sessions this week on how to be the best trip leader and my all time favourite - accounts! (Super fun when your dealing with a few currencies too). We had a public speaking exercise - pulling a Europe topic out of a bag and having to spiel on it! Wow scary. We then had over night to prep a spiel on the same topic and do it again to show the difference preparation makes. I love seeing people improve. So satisfying. A hard thing to see in your own self though.
Today we had a 3.5 hour class whilst driving a loop around part of Zeeland on the topic of coach entertainment. How do you make these super long drive days super fun? You'll just have to book yourself on one of my tours to find out ;)
We had a day trip to Amsterdam yesterday and it was so much fun exploring and walking the route we'd drawn on the map earlier in the week and standing beside the buildings and sites I have spent hours researching, another very satisfying feeling. Despite the fun it was FREEZING. It was snowing for parts of our walking tour and I must say I really did not pack for winter and don't really want to buy warm heavy clothes when summer is around the bend and my bag is already bursting at the seams :) the cold was just so cold, I hope with all my fingers and toes Paris is warmer and not snowing as we are going to be in tents.... I'm not even going to talk about the temperatures in Switzerland later in the week... I might actually cry ;) google Lauterbrunnen weather if you want to check it out, feel sorry for me and send me warm fuzzy thoughts!
I saw tulips, clogs, cheese shops, windmills, bikes, bikes and more bikes! I enjoyed a delicious warm crepe filled with my favourite thing ever - chocolate! Speaking of chocolate I decided I could live for ever on 4 C's: Cheese, crackers, carbonara and chocolate! I think I would be a very content person if this was not hazardous to my health. Sauvignon Blanc to wash it all down please :)
This brings me to my new favourite questions to ask people! 1. What 4 specific types of food would you choose if you could only have 4 for the rest of you life? And 2. If you had a super power, what would it be? And why? -feel free to message me your answer, it genuinely intrigues me.
So yay we made it to Amsterdam and back safe and sound, the trainee drivers are off to a good start. Arriving back to the upsetting news the clocks were going forward an hour tonight. Eek! Losing an hour sleep on training trip is like a baby losing its dummy! Ah well fun times, clearly I don't sleep much anyway. Sleeps overrated, who needs it :p
Zzzzzzzzzzzzz
Au revoir Netherlands et Bonjour France!
Correction from previous blog: I said historic day, 4 countries in one day for the first time ever! That was a lie. 20th June last year I was in 4 countries in the one day - same 4, Netherlands, Belgium, France and the UK
Over and out!
- comments
Bob Barnes Wow Min your blog writing's getting better! Glad writing them helps - I understand that! Great to see the photo. Will just have to guess your inboard entertainment techniques 'cos I don't fit the age profile for your tours! Love. Dad