Appartementen-Hotel Geuldal Epen

... wasn't my favourite day of the trip so far would not be an exaggeration. My host family, especially Goele, were fantastic though, and really supported me throughout. Another host family, the Bijnens family, have also been great, visiting and organising things, and I also had a visit today from my first host-mother, Nicole.<br><br>I spent the night in hospital, with some blessed IV painkillers, and they also started some IV antibiotics. On Wednesday morning I was still in pain, so ...

... from them over the years. Although they don't speak english and we are equally proficient at dutch, we were able to enjoy each others company and acknowledge our family connection. After heading home, we stayed up watching english movies!! with dutch subtitles of course.<br>After having a fantastic sleep, we had breakfast and went for a bike ride. Feeling quite dutch, we rode around the quiet streets of Boukoul and into neighbouring towns where we saw Grandma ...

During our stay in Spa we had the most scary, horrible, unpleasant experience ever in a restaurant.<br><br>The restaurant to avoid is "Le Bouchon Gourmand", the owner does not hesitate to insult customers, lock them into the restaurant if there is a dispute on the bill, and claim more money than is due. <br><br>See more on www.bouchon-gourmand.blogspot.com

... and she clicked a couple things on the computer. (That's how it has been the whole time here, I go places and people just click things on computers: at the realtor, electric company, and opening my damage deposit account. At least when I opened my bank account the guy turned the screen towards me so I could see what he was clicking.) The lady also made a copy of my lease. When I was waiting I got a cup of water from a dispenser in the lobby ...

... ideas about what to change about the world as a class. Tomorrow we will work individually and the students will begin writing their chapters.<br><br>I actually wasn't nervous today, even though it was my first time teaching alone here. I think my experience with student teaching really helps this. I can't imagine having no teaching experience and getting up there by myself. I would be like a deer in headlights!<br><br>Was busy this ...

After popping into and out of Germany, we were now back in Belgium. It was beginning to get a bit dark, and we still had at least 200 miles left to drive.<br><br>Gaz's motor was struggling, and threatening to overheat, so we stopped to let it cool down.<br><br>With the vehicles all decorated with stickers, we attracted a bit of attention, and a Belgian couple took our ...

Once in Elsloo, we stopped to find postcards (having completely missed the observations again), only to find that the only card shop was closed that afternoon.<br><br>Up the road a bit, and Kieran was dropping a card into the door of a Landy enthusiast they had met on the recce. The guy turned up at that moment, and so we were invited in for a refreshing cold drink. The Landyprikkers overtook us at that point, and went on their way. We then ...

... so there were a lot of people out. There were a bunch of hobos and street preformers and we had a good time during the day. after we ate some brauts, most of our group caught a bus back early and Merdith and i decided to stay a few more hours. We went to a buddha bar for a mojito and by the time we found the bus stop, we missed the last bus to maastricht, then we missed the last bus to the train station so we walked to the train station and missed the ...

... euros. Some people, no doubt hoolagans, smoke the marijuana on a comfortable couch while listening to chill music. The hooligans, in their drug induced state might speak nonsensically of a variety of topics and laugh at their own foolishness. However Robin and I are much too enlightened to engage in such behaviour and we enjoyed ourselves immensely while partaking in other activities. Of note, we were woken up on Saturday morning by a handsome Parisien boy. He informed us ...

... small cursory road sign confirmed we had crossed into Belgium. It was an absolute pleasure to ride along the flat bike lanes attached to each and every road, a far cry from the stress and angst of riding alongside vehicle traffic in Australia, and we kept going for a good 25km or so to the town of Genk. <br><br>Genk itself was a fairly non-descript place, but when in a local supermarket we were each able to ...