Some (not so related) thoughts from the last couple of days:
- There
are a lot of people around with Toshiba laptops, particularly ones coming from North America. On my flight back home, I saw at least one lady use the same model of laptop I have. I thought that was funny and I wondered if everybody rushed out at Christmas to buy a new (Toshiba) laptop at Staples or Futureshop.
- On my flight to Europe, I was allowed to take my main suitcase as carry-on luggage into the plane because of concerns I might be missing my connecting flight from Heathrow to Amsterdam. As you may remember, right around that time, Heathrow was at a standstill because of fog problems.
- After landing at Heathrow airport, there was so much confusion about the connecting KLM flight that I (in a rush to get to the Netherlands) almost forgot to get clearance from British Customs. Hence the rush up and down the stairs.
- After landing at Amsterdam airport, I missed a train because I mistook a footnote for a platform number. Therefore I arrived one and half hour later than planned. I had not been able to contact my wife in Canada since leaving Halifax, which added concerns to my whereabouts in Europe.
- I was annoyed to find out that you pay ‘transaction costs’ when you buy a train ticket at the Dutch Railways counter.
- In the Netherlands, taxi drivers use GPS devices extensively.
- I’m not used to long walks. Maybe now I do, but I definitely didn’t before. I was used to walking when I lived in Europe, so maybe that’s telling.