I came across a rather startling fact while back at Uni; I'm not actually studying in Holland after all - I'm a little bit too far east for that. So I'm really studying in the Netherlands after all. Unfortunately, quickly after realising this, I came across another startling fact; namely that after sleeping on Stuart's floor for two nights, Clare actually had a spare blow up mattress sitting unused. Although I am continually amazed how well I seem to sleep on the floor - so well in fact that on Thursday I managed to sleep right through the fire alarm, which doesn't bode well for next year.
I got some odd looks going to the EU lecture this morning, but it might have turned out to be a rather smart move. The topic was discrimination in the field of the free movement of persons between EU states and it got me thinking about the Dutch OV card. This is a card that gives Dutch students free rail and bus transport throughout the country, but isn't available to non-national students. Discrimination? The lecturer seemed to think so, and naturally, so do I. After my success in complaining to Marks and Spencer, Microsoft and First Great Western I feel the Dutch Education Ministry is the natural next step, so watch this space. I've even got my bank statements to claim back payments!
The journey back to Holla... rather, the Netherlands, was quite entertaining. Check-in opened at 17:45 and I checked in at 17:46, but mysteriously was still assigned to boarding group B. Perhaps I wasn't cheery enough. Security once again took ages as people tried to smuggle just about every size, shape and sort of liquid through despite the myriad of signs. Then of course I had to take my shoes off to be scanned. I knew as soon as I came around the corner that I'd been spotted and was going to be called over. Perhaps I really wasn't be cheery enough. Unfortunately things weren't much better once through and I discovered I possessed a grand total of 29p in English money. Now, it probably won't surprise you that 29p won't get you far at Stansted. In fact, sadly, the cheapest item I found was 49p, and then it took about ten minutes before I found a charity box to give it away. Of course, the flight back over had the obligatory hen party (or in actual fact, three), but it was actually quite good natured with a cabin announcement as to their presence which concluded by saying "Good luck. The first ten years are the worst". Cue much laughter and a slightly worried look from the bride-to-be. I then had the rather bemusing experience of having to tell a Dutch person where the capital of their country was. So yes, in a word, entertaining.
But now it's over and I'm back in Utrecht. I took a few pictures while I was back (and I know everyone likes pictures), so here's a pictorial review of the week:
These are both of Greenwich park. I've no idea who the people in the bottom photo are, and they've no idea who I was, but it just seemed a nice scene summing up what's so lovely about the place.
This is what should have given away the fact that something big was happening in China town, but to save face, I should point out that we only came upon this after consulting the police as to why there were so many people around.
And this is Will and I proving that two biologically unrelated people can indeed give off the impression that they might be brothers.
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