The universe is teaching me a lesson it seems
To be honest, Im am not really a universe person as in: That it sends signals or takes care of me
What also could be an option is that I dont pick them up (this is more likely)
But now twice in two days I am being taught a lesson by the universe it seems. Or these are just random situations where I am coincidentally falling in and I am seeing connections
Karin, you are rambling. What happened?
Wel, let me start with this. I just reached back from the Caribbean and I am really trying hard to keep my Caribbean vibes going here in Europe. One of these things that I am trying is for instance not scheduling too much. Dutchies have a wicked habit of planning EVERYTHING.
Sending out dates for parties for next September so everybody can be there. Thats a mess, I dont know which country I will be in in September, I dont know if I will be sick in September, I dont know if I will be dead in September. Its just too far away! Chillax and we will all see and then it will also be fine!
My initial reaction to this is to be super stubborn
And plan nothing. Screw this, Im only planning for the day.
I am also on the road a lot at this moment. Actually: using public transport to be more specific. But here in I am trying to use the same sort of stubbornness in my travels.
The Universe is showing me that this doesnt work: Situation 1
I took a nightbus from Berlin back to Holland. Super easy and cheap as crap! I step in late in the evening and several hours and 29 Euros later you have reached your destination. Good deal!
But then you have to reach from the bus station to home. A bus goes to home. But apparentely not on Saturday mornings at 6 AM. I could have known this. I had some warnings from family members:
'are you sure you dont need a ride, I dont think the busses are going that early'
'nehhhhhh, I will be fine, dont worry'
So stubborn Karin reaches the busstation and sees she has to wait almost 3 hours for that bus. And lazy as I am (but mostly sleepy) I just wanted to go home. I took a cab. 31 Euros for a 10 minute drive.
So this 10 minute taxi ride was MORE expensive than 9 hours of busride. HMMMMM
Nice bus issue. Time for a train issue: Situation 2
I travelled to friends yesterday in the north of the country. I was smart on getting some discount deal on train cards earlier in the week. I was proud of that!
After having a awesome day of sipping some beers in the dunes and talking about some Sint Martin after the hurricane (These were like my best friends in Sint Martin, also they decided to leave for good), it was time to catch the train to the south again.
You can schedule your whole trip with a nice app. Even delays are put in and you can download the app for free.
I have this app. So once I started my trip down south I started checking where I would have to transfer and so on. The trains from Amsterdam more down south were not going, I would have to take a metro and then transfer twice.
Transferring to the metro will take about 5 minutes. The app TOLD me I have 1 minute. I missed the train. I could not get home anymore. This is around 120 kilometers from home. FAWK
I started looking for a place to stay on a booking website. I found a hostel 300 meters from the trainstation where I could stay for 25 Euros. Best deal ever. No drama. And I had to buy a fresh trainticket home the morning, because my train deal for the day was not valid anymore.
You see, it all worked out fine!
Very true, but all of these things together cost me 31+25+20=86 Euros on stuff that was not needed AT ALL!
And all because I am to stubborn/lazy/ too relaxed to get look a liiiiittle bit more into this trip.
I have to realize that it is not the Caribbean here. And I know that!
So act like it woman!
What have I learned
Is that it does not hurt to check a tiny bit more on my travels. And also I have learned: that if I screw up, everything is fixable ;)
And I got the chance to take this nice Amsterdam-by-morning shot
Thanks for that universe!
Proud member of the SMG. Do you want to apply as well? Give it a shot on Discord
This was fun to read! And so relatable. Even after some weeks of traveling I’ll be like ‘I’ll keep this custom even when at home!’, but nope, home asks for something different and can be quite pushy ;-)
Hope you’ll find your middle ground! Some Carribean chilling combined with some practical Dutchness?
thats what I am trying, not to be Dutchy-stricht, but also not being too mellow on it all!
Finding the balance again, I really want to keep in some caribbean vibes on theses behalf!
Lol, I was master planner with these things in Holland! Then we went to Turkey but extended our stay for 1,5 weeks, so my pre-booked train tickets were invalid lol...
Here you don't have to plan, except for finding the bus/tram/metro stop/station because they go every few minutes.. But control freak as I am I will use the app anyways.. But this is way more relaxed than in Holland.. Love that..
But when it doesn't go as planned, it will be fine anyway, that view wasn't that bad right :D
No exactly, that view is really making life a lot simpler all in all.
I love just stepping the outside and using the transport that you desire without looking. Big cities have that and that super convenient!
No planning is like an adventure.... planning is boring but nesseccary
Yeah exactly. I was really trying to keep the amound of planning at a minimum but it not entirely possible. (even though I have wanted that really bad hahaha)
Now trying to find the modus in all of this
After twenty years away from the rat race, I don't think I could do it anymore. That much need for planning would drive me crazy. I have lived too long where things happen on the spur of the moment. Like yesterday. I got a call at 9:30 am for a wedding at 5:00 pm! And I was to be the matron of honour!
:D
Okay this would even be late for my island standards ceci :D
But its true, the hassle in this ratrace is really something to get used to again, Im accepting with my own touch of ignoring haha
:D
Okay this would even be late for my island standards ceci :D
But its true, the hassle in this ratrace is really something to get used to again, Im accepting with my own touch of ignoring haha
I mostly let hubby do the arranging because if I don’t he’ll go stress bonkers and I end up wanting to strangle him...😂 Did I mention I love the Caribbean?
Hahaha sounds like a wise choice then! Stress does strange stuff to a lot of people so I really tend to stay out of it as much as possible hahaha.
Yeah I love the caribbean as well, that why I lived there for 3.5 years ;))
Where are you from?
Nederland 😉
Moeder van manlief is opgegroeid op Curacao dus we gaan vaak richting Caribbean.
Wow - I definitely know about those “lessons from the Universe”. Like you, some turn out great and you learn something new, and some not so great ones show you how to NEVER let that happen again!! 😉
Loving your lessons here.
Im trying my best in it. I can be stubborn and ignore them (and believe me I really want to!) Or I can try to take learning out of it. Living in two totally different cultures is not all that easy every now and then
I hate plans! But they are necessary
Yeah and really nabi, Dutchies live on making plans, especially for the upcoming 5 years or so ;)
Im not that good in it hahaha
"If I screw up, everything is fixable." HOLD THAT THOUGHT & your spontaneity. Enjoying reading about your re-entry to Europe.
Its like following a process right ;)
Im trying to find a modus in all of these news things, while staying with my own principles!
Haha nice one, here we plan not to plan and enjoy our life as it unfolds.. thankfully we don't have to be anywhere at any time either lol.
Oh the joys of balancing on the edge of in and out the system eh? I like that you share contrasting perspectives of life back in the so called "real world". It reminds me why I left haha!
One point though, surely a 10min cab ride is a nice fresh 30-40min stroll? Surely random hostels and excitement of the unknown has a value too? Perhaps comparable to the extra few bucks?
Lol like a real life amusement park yes?
Thanks for the window in your life 😄
Ow I am walker and biker number 1! But with bags and after a shitty ride with no sleep then 8 kms is just a bridge too far to walk hahahaha.
Yeah exactly now its all okay because there are no appointments (because that is what holland does, we run on appointments)
Yeah Im giving like a sneak peak into this european life hehe ;)