“YES YES YES, we’re really going to do this, I am so excited about it”
“NO NO NO! Why are we going to do this, it is all good here in the Netherlands, why do we want to leave this place? ”
“Why did I want this again, now I have to quit my job, while I enjoy it so much! I will never again find such a nice job! What will my manager say ?! ”– 3:00 am, the day before I quit my job.
“I really have the best manager ever, she was super enthusiastic about our plans!” – after I quit my job.
“Wow, we can go anywhere, the world is at our feet!”
“Hmm, South Africa is nice too, we are in the neighbourhood when we are in Madagascar”.
“Oeeeh vineyards in South Africa! We should definitly go to South Africa! ”
“Ries, how expensive is a plane ticket from Madagascar to South Africa? What!?? No, you must be wrong! 900 euros? That is impossible!!”
“Okay, we’re not going to South Africa.”
“Oh, but what if the economy collapses, we will return to the Netherlands and won’t find a job!” – When I read an article about the economic situation.
“Oh, but when the economy collapses, finally, house prices in Amsterdam will fall, maybe the economy will only collapse when we are back to work …”
“And we are not going to plan anything, everything is open!”
“But babe, won’t we just book all those nice hotels in advance? Then at least we know for sure that there is room? And then I can immediately arrange bus tickets and look at restaurants and find a guide and, and and … ”
“No, now I am engaged, but I will not be able to wear my engagement ring for a long time … now, I don’t feel like it anymore!” – shortly after we were engaged and I got the most beautiful ring ever from Ries.
“I’m going to read so many books! Maybe I even have time to learn a new language while travelling! “
“You only live once, so I’m going to get everything out of life, everything!”
“Why do we have this travel bug, something will certainly go wrong!” – During a melodramatic cry.
“I am completely done with the rain and cold days in the Netherlands if only I was already in Africa!”
“Yes, this may be the third to last time I see you, so I’ve already brought a bottle of bubbles with you!” – with each dinner months in advance.
“Do we also love to take our own needles with us? And I was thinking, if we do take that with us, we might as well take suture and syringes with us, just to be sure! ”– After my friend Iris told me that she brought her own needles on a trip.
“What if we are getting robbed … or get lost … or a blowout … or get sick?”
“No in Africa they don’t have tampons and that’s why I have to take tampons for four months!”
“This time we are really going to travel on a budget, cooking ourselves, sleeping in dorms, eating street food!” – While making our budget
“Yes, but sweetie, I am not going to sleep in that dirty hotel, I am sure there are bed bugs!” – While booking a cheap hotel.
“Okay, that hotel in Nairobi is definitely the VIEST hotel I will ever have slept on. I’m just not going to sleep, period! “– after booking that cheap hotel.
“Oh, I’m going to miss my family and friends!”
“Yes, I really need this dress, is going to be so nice on photo’s in a nature park or something. Is also very light and easy to take with you. Oh and that jumpsuit is nice too, it creases a bit but that will probably be better than expected. ”- a Telephone conversation with my mother about buying new clothes.
