and so it ends

Well, my time in Amsterdam is coming to a close. I am sad to go, but also looking forward to sleeping in my 'own' bed again (I consider my Mum's guest room to be mine). Amsterdam is a noisy place and the countryside is very peaceful in comparison.

I've had such a fun week, and last night I was so exhausted, I was trying not to yawn all through the lovely dinner Emily and her lovely beau Willem had prepared for me. I am currently sitting in their little palace (it's not actually a palace, just a very beautiful home, with all comforts and lots of style) and using their laptop to update my blog. They are such hospitable friends and it's strange to be here without them.

I spent the night in their small guestroom, which also hold their photo albums, and I had a look through an album I made for Emily's 30th birthday, which I am very proud of, it is really fun. When I made it I added lots of comments and notes and photocopied letters and cards she sent me as a child, and reminders of hilarious stories that have become part of our history. She and I have been friends for about 24 years now and we have so much fun together. She really is my very best friend and I love her very much. I look forward to sharing the rest of our lives, and sitting in our rocking chairs as old ladies and giggling about all those stories.

Friends are just so amazing and I am so happy to have such lovely ones. I have seen so many this past week. I have really enjoyed getting to know my new/old friend Phiroze really well. The parallels in our lives are astounding, our birthdays are only 7 days apart, have an older sister, the same open and supportive upbringing, we both moved to Australia 11 years ago, we had the same childhood fears, are both incredibly sensible and quite sober, and share a passion for having our belongings neatly organised and nifty gadgets that keep our lives neatly organised. However, he can afford those gadgets (plus he likes ones that might not be really nessecary for day to day life, like a mini grappling hook...) and he has many more than I do. But though we are so similar, we lead completely, entirely different lives. I could not live the way he lives, and I marvel at how he can spend so much time in 'transit' as I call it, neither here nor there, with no time zone, with no friends to hug, just by himself in a plane/hotel full of strangers. When I am in that state traveling to or from Australia, I always feel very lost and wistful, though it often inspires great writing from me.

But our brains just work in exactly the same way. It's really amazing. That and we have a lot of rediculous banter when we get together. Of course, we are both total nerds, only I hide it much better. I have no need for a toolbelt with every item one could need to save the world, but then I do not lead a superhero life like he does. I do have a handbag that I hide that sort of stuff in and I have stylish clothes with built-in nerdness, that is much easier to hide. I always wear sensible clothes and shoes, though. I have high heels, I have pretty underwear, but I'm sneakers and Bonds undies all the way. He's just left for a three week trip and I already miss him.

My sister came home from her snowboarding trip yesterday, and we caught up, had cups of tea and a lovely conversation. She and I have not always been very close, but just the last year or so we've actually started really hanging out together when I'm here, and Facebooking when I'm not, and I'm really enjoying it. I guess it takes a few years out of being young adults (I don't think I can call myself that anymore) to start seeing your siblings as other adults, as people with jobs and responsiblities, who don't need to meet your expectations. I think it's because we now accept ourselves as proper adults, that we can accept each other more. I have always wanted her aproval, admired her, and loved her, and I feel she's been quite critical of me for most of my life. But now she's not anymore, she's open and caring and giving and I love it. It's so nice to have a sister!

Now, it's Monday morning, my friends are all at work, my sister too, and I have a slight feeling of loneliness and abandonment. It won't last long, don't worry. Soon, I will go out and get a coffee, and try and see if Carla is home, so I can drop of the fluffy kangaroo I got for Maxime and hand over a packet of Tim Tams.
And then Mum will pick me up after her meeting, we'll have a bite of lunch and head on back to Elsendorp.

Amsterdam's been awesome. I love my life. Thanks for reading about it.