Arriving in Europe

18 June 2011

We landed in Amsterdam. Browsed around the shops and unfortunately have to say that we had McDonalds for lunch… safest if you don’t know where to go. We did have our first croissants later.

the bags give it away… these kids are from South Africa…

its been a long day…

After four hours in Amsterdam, we left with Air France to Paris. Coming from winter in South Africa we were looking forward to summer in Europe. But we landed in Paris in the rain and the pilot’s remark was: “its 16 degrees in Paris which is not enough.”

Then the part started which we’ve been planning for a while. Danie and Mandi took the rented car with all the luggage… six people with luggage don’t really fit in one car. The four of us took the RER to Sartrouville. That went ok, accept that when we arrived we needed tickets (which we had, but did not work…) to get out of the station. Later Pieter asked a non-english-understanding frenchman for help and he jumped over a gate and opened another gate for us. Don’t think that was a legal move.

As we suspected, Danie and Mandi got lost a bit… driving only with a map, no GPS. But they arrived eventually at the station, two hours after we got there. At that stage we had no cellphones that work in France… That was a long wait.

At last at Atravi Residence Hotel at 10pm, but still light in this European summer. And again, because of extreme hunger amongst some of us… we drove to the McDonalds we passed on the way for a very late supper. 

And we left

17 June 2011 was a full day of last things to organize, last milkshakes with friends for the kids and off to the airport at 8pm.

A whole lot of friends and family came to see us off.

the Linkway farewell committee… : )

how about a last Wimpy meal… and coffee…

Some last goodbyes and off we went with KLM… Big excitement. For the girls it was their first time flying and the boys have only been on a plane once when they were two years old.

and of course Betty went with…

Still feeling good that we could understand the air hostesses speaking dutch…

Saying goodbye

How can you go without saying goodbye… Or as I tell my children, you sometimes have to leave something to experience something new.

We said goodbye to family and friends, but thanks to all the technology we are in contact all the time… and there will be visits.

the Manley side of the family…

the Algera side of the family…

our Linkgroup family at Linkway…

Lydia’s lovely card…

Packing up

On Monday morning 6 June 2011 the moving company arrived to pack all our stuff. I can’t complain, I did not have to pack one box. But still to have five people in your house for five days can get busy…  ’deurmekaar’ is the word.

And each day you have less things you can use. But all went well. On  Friday at 10am the truck with the container arrived. The biggest container you can get. Last packing to be done and then loading it all.

And off went almost everything we own. Ready to be loaded on a ship and sail to France...