It was the second day of the year, and I was fortunate enough to get a hairdresser’s appointment for that day. I went to get my New Year Hairdo at my usual place in the Hague. I was thankful for that.
There was nothing unusual about that, so what was new? Something(s) new happened to encourage me to keep on giving thanks.
I boarded the tram close to the place where I got my new hairdo. Fine. It was the first time I got on a tram that had standing room only. I looked down the aisles to the other compartments, and everything seemed jam packed. I don’t think it was New Year sales or anything like that, not unless cold doesn’t deter shoppers, as the cold dip had already announced its arrival.
Fortunately, travellers got off at the next two stops. Again, nothing unusual. I was able to sit comfortably, We continued along the journey. Just a few yards from the platform at Den Haag Centraal, the tram jolted to an abrupt stop. I was thankful that I had gotten a seat. Otherwise, I would have fallen, something I’m trying to avoid in these my senior years!
The conductor tried following all the instructions he received via telephone. I saw him go into one compartment after another, unlocking cabinets in the wall that I hadn’t noticed before, moving levers that seemed to have no effect. I was thankful for telephone technology, that the conductor could be guided towards a solution, even though none happened.
I was not the only one who didn’t waste time. I guess I was not the only one thankful for smart phone technology, including headphones that allow you ton work without disturbing others. I accomplished quite a bit of work while waiting for the repairs to happen so the tram could resume the journey.
Well, that was not to be. But again, not only were we in the heart of the city; but we were just a few yads from the platform at the central station. After what seemed fruitless efforts to get the tram moving, we were helped to exit onto tracks whence we walked to the passenger platform. Great! I was thankful that we were that close to the station. See, my photo was taken from the station [platform. We didn’t have to negotiate any treacherous steps.
I was thankful that I could have a hot drink while deciding on my next steps. After that, I went back upstairs to the platform to see if the tram had moved. It hadn’t. I figured that I needed to get home by some other means. I figured that a train trip would not be wise as I needed one of those trams to get home from the stations nearest to me- and those very trams I’d need, ran on the same tracks. Maybe by the time I got to Zoetermeer, tram traffic might just have halted.
I was thankful for the travel network in the Netherlands in general and in my neighbourhood in particular. I had promised to see my daughter and her family off. They had visited for the season. Now that seemed unlikely. I texted to say, that it would take me three different bs rides to get home if I were to avoid trans and trams. I was thankful that this new experience didn’t happen when I was a newcomer here Otherwise I wouldn’t have been able to make my way home so easily as I wouldn’t even know the bus routes.
I boarded a bus from Den Hagg Central to Leiden. It made a multitude of stops in Leidschendam. That was OK because I knew that we were headed in the right direction. I was thankful that I got to see nooks and crannies in Leidschendam that I hadn’t seen before. The same thing happened in Voorschoten. That’s a place I had visited only a couple times. So yes, I was thankful for a chance to see new places, as I had already informed by family members that the physical goodbye was most unlikely.
I debarked the bus at Leiden Lammenschans Station and there I boarded another headed to Zoetermeer Centrum. The wait was only 5 minutes. I was thankful for that. At Zoetermeer, I decided to check on the trams and they were indeed, in pause. So what? In another eight minutes I was n a bus to Noordhove, just across from my neighbourhood. Then I realised that the bus was not going the whole route that day. But that was Ok. I was thankful that I knew that neighbourhood well enough to exit somewhere whence I’d find my way home. And I did.
As I walked the last yards towards my residence, my daughter was locking the front door. She was startled by my “Hi!” Indeed, I made it home to hug each one of the four family members and send thm on their way. I was thankful for that.