Unintentional trip

Today was my first therapy session since the beginning of February - through my therapists vacations and my own trip to Leicetser last week.

I had to remember to leave on time today as i needed to recharge my chip card; bank cards over here have a chip that you can move money to (rather than having cash) and the parking meeters in Amsterdam only accept that form of payment.

I should have done it this morning on the way to work, but with the ice this morning it completely slipped my mind.  So I managed to leave on time, stopped at the shops and found the machine out of order.  It would tell me how much I still had on my card (about a euro less than I needed) but would not allow me to recharge it. A quick trip into a shop to ask where there was another charge point and I found it it was too far away to do before I got ready.

And that it was in a busy shopping street.  Gulp, had to happen at some point.  So get ready (hair went wildly wrong, and only after a lot of work could I bring it back to eighties pop video - not great, but doable) and I was off. 

Well nearly...  When leaving my friends house and locking up his door I heard one of his neighbours coming in, that threw me a little.  Nothing to do but just get on with it, so I locked up and left.  Got the the final flight of strairs saw his neighbour, said hello.  And nearly went flying as I missed a step with my heel.  But he was a nice and checked that I was OK (I was, don't worry, I only slipped - I didn't actually fall).  I made a joke and was on my way.

Got to the street, and...  Nothing.  It was a complete non event.  I parked, changed out of my driving shoes, walked to the machine, waited to use it and went back.  No second looks, no sniggering and no comments.  :)  Just the type of sudden outing that was great to build some more confidence.

Stace