Mike Strachan’s e-mail journal — Entry #31, from Netherlands
Received 22 May 2008

Travels for May 21 and 22/08 — Arnhem

May 21 —This is a day off from the military trail — almost.

I'm up at 7:30 AM, and by 8:45 AM I'm back at the Hertz office to retrieve a book I left in the rental car. Then at 9:30 I drop off some unused brochures at the VVV office, and walk a block to a hairdresser shop where they also cut men’s hair. The young woman in the shop and I strike up a conversation while she is cutting my hair. It turns out she is 21, and she can't believe my wife hasn't seen me for five weeks. I said “Wait 50 years.”

Back at the barge, I shower all the itchy, loose hair off, do my tai chi exercises — a full set — then sit in the sun on deck and watching the river traffic from 10:30 AM until 1:30 PM when it gets cloudy. Now is a good time to go to the library to send some e-mails, then at 3:15 PM go to the laundry and back to the barge. After a cup of tea I'm on my way to get a photo of the John Frost bridge, of A Bridge Too Far fame.

It's a short easy walk along the north bank promenade to get the photos, then another short walk to the Eusebius Tower where there are panoramic views of the city. I get two more good shots of the bridge. From here it's only three blocks to the library to knock off a couple more e-mails before the library closes at 6PM. Now I'm only behind three days of journal e-mails.

A fine dinner at MacDonalds, then back to the barge. I have decided to extend my rest here by one more day, and it's OK with my hosts. A duck and ducklings are in the water next to the barge, and a beautiful Mandarin drake — more photos.

My evening is spent reading, drinking tea, and watching traffic.

May 22

This is absolutely a day off, spent relaxing, shopping for socks, and sending e-mails. I am finally caught up on journal e-mails.

Tomorrow — to Deventer.

Cheers,

Mike