4^th May

Yes I am now in Monze!

The last stage of my journey – from Lusaka was the one I dreaded most, but it turned out to be the easiest of the lot!

Yesterday in Amsterdam – or perhaps the suburbs was a very life-giving time. By the time I was settled in the hotel and ready for sleep it was 1 am, The hotel was very acceptable and after breakfast yesterday I went for a stroll to see if there was anything worth investigating. It was reasonably interesting – and Dutch! - but it didn't seem to lead to anything promising. I wanted a pleasant walk and somewhere to pick up a snack for lunch.

I checked out of the hotel just before 12 noon and the receptionist was happy to look after my 11.5Kg cabin baggage which I didn't fancy walking around with. I asked if there was anywhere worth visiting within walking distance and she told me there was a shopping centre if I turned right at Macdonalds and walked straight for about ½ hour.

I thought it was worth a try. The hotel is sited in an industrial area without shops or cafes (other than Macdonalds). The road was a major one, but the Netherlands has a character of its own. Trains and trams are numerous, well used cycle paths line the roads and the bikes are unmistakably Dutch – unlike the racers and mountain bikes we use.

After about half an hour I hadn't found a shopping centre, but I did see a sign pointing the town centre. Not deviating from my path, I headed straight ahead until I could go no more and was drawn to a small lake in from of an office building. I sat briefly to admire the diver high on the top board – an interesting artwork! A heron landed on the opposite bank and coots swam to and fro. I continued on my path which swung around into another industrial estate. I was then attracted by a canal and decided a small detour was ok as long as I was sure to be able to retrace my steps. The canal footpath led past a park with goats and other attractions for children. Eventually directly in front of me was a parade of shops, again largely Dutch – though usually named and described in English – but not the standard big brands that adorn our High Streets. One shop called Athlete's Foot did stand out in my mind!!

I found a bank and a cafe to refresh myself after the walk. For the next hour or two I explored the wonderful park criss - crossed with canals and full of birdsong and walked along another canal enjoying the trees and flowers both on the banks and in the houses surrounding the canal. It struck me again how most things demonstrated a particular Dutch characteristic – very few standard boxes or items. I also wondered about Global Warming and the impact it will have on the Netherlands where so much of the land is below sea level.

A beer in the hotel was just the job before getting the shuttle back to the airport. Navigating security at Amsterdam Airport was not too bad – a doddle after Heathrow!! My plane to Nairobi was a little late taking off but made up time en-route with a tail wind most of the way. I was initially concerned, but hadn't read my boarding pass correctly and had more time in transit than I realised. Still all was irrelevant since the plane was held up waiting for another connecting flight for over an hour! We landed just before 11hrs at Lusaka Airport and was sorted and in the taxi by 12 noon.

I caught the 13 hr Mazandu bus which left soon afterwards and Diven joined me on the journey to Monze having made a fruitless trip to Lusaka to get Delia some medicine.

Fr. Clement picked me from Tooters Road House and brought me here to the presbytery at Our Lady of the Wayside where I will stay for a night or so before moving to the Curia Guest House. I might just watch the football – Liverpool v Newcastle before turning in!!