My Laptop is in Jakarta
The Jakarta Airport lost property team has confirmed that I left my laptop there. While all my data is safely stored in the cloud, I’d really prefer to get the physical laptop back rather than buy a new one. They’ve told me that only I—or a relative or friend—can collect it. But who could collect it? I don’t know anyone in Jakarta. I’ve been given 30 days to pick it up, and when I go to Bangkok later this month, I could fly on to Jakarta, but what a hassle!
Thank You, Marion and Rene
Marion and Rene were so kind to let me stay overnight at their lovely house in the leafy Hillegersberg suburb of Rotterdam. It was nice to catch up with them. They’re about the same age as me, and their kids are heading off to university. As a blended family, they seem so comfortable together. Sometimes I miss that kind of “togetherness” in my own life.
I really needed the rest—12 hours of sleep to recover from the 7-hour jet lag. Now, as I board my flight to Alicante, I’m feeling much better.
Noise pollution from the stewardess
On the Transavia flight from Rotterdam to Alicante, a stewardess screamed into the microphone—first in Dutch, then in English—announcing the trolley service. I’m sure most of the elderly passengers on the flight are now deaf. It was especially bad when she screamed in English; I think she thought the volume needed to be cranked up for the international passengers.
The drive from Alicante to Lo Pagan was uneventful.
Cooking tonight
I’m cooking for myself tonight. I feel like having steak with a nice sauce. I’m planning to crash on the sofa afterwards with a good glass of red wine. I haven’t cooked for myself in over three months, so I’m looking forward to it.
Email to Rutger not sent
I’ve written an email to Rutger about my trip to Indonesia and the possibility of tracing his family roots. But I haven’t sent it yet. I’m unsure whether I should.
I’m not time-poor anymore
Now that I don’t work, I’ve realized that I don’t feel as precious about time as I used to. Whether it’s a delayed flight, sitting in traffic, or waiting in a long queue, I don’t get as frustrated as I once would have.
Stepping away from a job and working for someone else has made a huge difference to my mental health. I’m learning to let go of the pressure and just enjoy the present.
