The End of the Story

We have made it to the cottage in Otterlo, Netherlands after many snafus. We flew from train to train, sometimes just making the connections. It helped (for a time) that each train was a couple of minutes late. This backfired when we reached Venlo, NL and we missed our connecting train. We could wait a half an hour and catch the next one but it was the last train of the night so we couldn’t get to our last stop where Len’s Dad was waiting in the train station to pick us up. We found a very helpful conductor who allowed us to use his cell phone to call the owners of the cottage we are renting to tell them we’d be late. That conductor also found another worker who checked the schedules for us and allowed us to use the company phone to call again and tell them that we’d take a taxi from Venlo to Arnhem and that Dad should just wait for us.

The cab ride cost us 65 Euro but it dropped us off at the curb (in a thunderstorm) right at the train station. We hauled all of our luggage out, took a few steps and saw Len’s Dad wandering around the waiting cabs. We have experienced the hand of God in these travels and he has placed many angels (kind strangers) in our paths!

We stuffed ourselves into the rental car and set off for the short drive from Arnhem to Otterlo. Unfortunately, we had trouble interpreting the highway signs and we ended up circling around and around in smaller and smaller circles. An hour and a half later, we finally reached Otterlo and the cottage. By now it was 2:30 in the morning and we had been up for 21 hours (and on our feet for most of it).

I aged a year on this leg of the trip and my body aged far more. By the time we arrived my (Ann’s) right ankle was swollen beyond recognition. It looks better today but hurts a little. I may have to wear my compression sock for a bit.

We dropped into bed and were blessed with a great sleep. It is now morning and the adults are up but the kids are still sleeping. We are enjoying coffee and bread together and going over the details of the trip. We’ll see what the day brings.