I was by now a lot more fit, as in the beginning the road up to the farm from the small village called Hattem, which was quite steep for Holland had me push the bike half of the way, while ancient ladies in high heels, severe three piece suits, and neat hairdo's passed me, easily and comfortably pushing the pedals with their stockinged and nicely shod feet! Felt a bit silly, as some of them looked to be a hundred if a day! But as time went on, I managed to pedal further and further, until I could make it to the top.
I was also becoming quite blasè about cycling on the main roads, which usually had bicycle paths, and one day I decided to visit Gerda, the guy who fed the animals's wife, near the Ysel river. It was a beautiful day, and I was enjoying the peace and quiet of a sunday morning, when, around a bend in the road, a whole bally army of motorbikes suddenly roared into my view, and I had such a fright, as they were all over the road, and there was no bicycle path that I got flustered, lost my balance, and found myself and bicycle rolling down a steep slope. Most of the bikers stopped, and they were very sorry to have caused me to almost die, and they helped me back up the slope, and I felt like a bally salt pillar I was so embarrassed! After they had made sure that I was unharmed they went on their way, and I sat for a long time to make sure there was no more bikes coming from the harbour, and to lick my wounded pride into a semblance of assurance! I didn't know there was a boat going up and down the Ysel, but now that I do, I will be a lot more careful in future.
Gerda's house was just lovely, with a sunny deck, and a pond that ran almost right around the house, and she had green fingers, as everything grew beautifully, with kikkers [frogs] singing love songs to each other in shrill voices! It was a lovely visit, and all too soon I had to go back. What was so strange to me, is that in South Africa, the moment the sun sinks below the horison, it was dark, and here it stays light almost the whole night. The first night I was on the farm, I sat watching television, but later my eyes became sore, and I felt extremely tired, but would not go to bed when it was still almost daylight! When I eventually looked on the kitchen clock, it was almost four in the morning! I had a letter from Trienkie who was having too good a time in England, or so I thought! She was at the moment working in a pub, and knowing the youngsters who escaped their parents's eyes, and their doings from my time in Greece, I hope that she would be ok!