One might think that sleeping away one's vacation is perhaps a big waste of time. However, last night's eleven hour slumber was a much needed recovery from an acute case of jetlag. The time difference between here and Gouda is nine-hours plus the one hour fall back into winter time.
My mother and I did our best staying awake to watch that video documentary we rented, but by nine we were both snoring loudly and in unison in our comfortable chairs. Michael Moore's (somewhat) whiney voice is what woke me up right in time to hear the tradgedy of 9/11 in pure blackness. Sweet dreams (hopefully) and time to go to bed.
Now that I am fully recovered with an overdose of sleep, it's time to experience the vacation pleasures in top form. Though it is not so much a vacation as it is a subtle reliving of things past.
The weather is amazingly sunny and warm for the first day of November, compared to my Dutch hometown of Gouda where it is getting pretty dang cold. I was sweating when I entered the car and had to flip on the air-conditioning in order to drive.
Shopping, shopping, shopping. Well not that much done nor actually purchased, but we ran around a few stores anyway and got an idea or two or three. There's enough time to think about the ideal vacation souvenirs for the kids without getting all stressed out (like my Mom almost gets).
By the by, computers and other electronic gadgets are much more expensive here. If you want DSL, be prepared to fork out alot of money -- if it just happens to be available in your area, not. Mobile phones (for some reason) feel like thick bricks when compared to the European equivalents, maybe because in the States everything has to be big and heavy as proof of quality and worth.
The cap sizes have been converted from centimeters to inches, the sweatshirts are out there somewhere, but I didn't come here to spend all my fun and relaxation hours buying presents ad infinitum. My family will hopefully be happy with their limited number of gifts.
However, there is a ton of candies (alot of discounted leftovers from Halloween) for the kids. I will have to get an extra suitcase I can fill up with all the unhealthy junk. Fill it up, please.
In half an hour its off to the dog show, I mean dog training course. It should be quite interesting, although I will feel uneasy being surrounded by all those unpredictable canine critters.
Two days down and twelve to go.
