donderdag 26 oktober 2017

Colombia, you pearl of South America!

Yes, yes, yes, it was time for Colombia. A country I heard so many stories about in the last few years. It would be busy, 7 flights in 12 days, but my travel buddy and I know how to get things done in a short time. Just before Colombia I had my annual exams to be legal to fly for another year, and I did, I passed them all. The flight was at 03.00 to Fort Lauderdale (Miami). Every year we have 1 annual leave ticket, which is a free ticket and the first 3 years the free ticket only brings you back to your home country, but, after 3 years you can change your destination, and the ticket is confirmed so no stressing with standby this time! Wouter and I both used this free ticket to fly to Miami (which normally costs about 1000 euros), the flights wasn't full at all so we both had our own row and slept on a 15 hour flight about 9 hours, wouter slept even 10 hours! To be fair, I am so glad he did, so I wouldn't feel bad for sleeping as well, haha! We arrived around 10.30 local time in Florida, our next flight to Medellin in Colombia was at 21.00, we decided to spend the day on the beach and start our tan! Well, we took that maybe a bit too literal, we got burnt big time, good start of our holidays! We also had the best ribs and chicken wings at this cute bar next to the beach, and spareribs for us means, pure happiness!! During the whole holiday I think we ate ribs about 5/6 times.
First cocktail of the holiday


The flight from Miami to Medellin was only 3.5 hours, but since we were already on the move for a long time, I slept from the moment we took of until we were landing. Once going through customs we got some cash and then this cute little colombian man asked us if we needed a taxi, sure, being too tired to even discuss a price or find another taxi. He dropped us of safe and sound at the hostel. We travelled about 30 hours until we got to our first final destination. People told us to go to this hostel called Happy Buddha. We arrived at 1am and the party was still going on, normally we don't mind a party or 2 but we were exhausted! We thought oh we won't hear the music in the room, wrong, the room was basically on top of the bar, but as well prepared travellers we put our earplugs in, eye mask on and ready for bed. We both slept like babies, charged our battery to go and explore Medellin city. Medellin city is based between the mountains in a valley, but a BIG valley, the population is about 4 million people. My friend told me to go to Santo Domingo station and from there you have a great view over Medellin, such a good tip, thank you Felice!! Medellin centre is full of small shops and markets, very cute, but you have to be vigilant because it's not the safest. The whole of Colombia is not the safest, but during the day it's fine, I mean, there are places in Amsterdam as well you don't wanna be found at night by yourself. Good thing I had my guy with me, hihi! While we were getting back to the hostel we found a guy who makes anklets so we got matching ones! How cute are we, haha, friendship goals right?! Then it was time for us to eat ribs for the second time that holiday, and they were good, they even gave us gloves!
Yep, those were the gloves and the ribs, no shame 

Back to the hostel because it was Wednesday, which means, PUB CRAWL DAY!! Oh what a night that was, so much fun, we met a few dutch guys and had such a good time doing shots, drink beer and people were even doing belly shots, and we laughed so much my cheeks were hurting.  A good first night, still gives me a smile on my face thinking about it.
Our dutchies

Just before the pub crawl we asked the staff how we could go to Guatape, where we wanted to hike up a rock and the view apparently would have been amazing. This guy then came up to us, Garrick from the states, offering us a free ride (never get in a car with a stranger 2.0), since he was going that way anyway. Wouter and I looked at each other, sure why not! He said okay I will be here about 9am tomorrow morning. Which we first thought was not that early, but if you're in bed at 4, it is a bit. With a little hangover at breakfast at 8.30. Some other guys at the breakfast table were talking to us and asking what our plan was, well, we were waiting for this guy called Garrick to give us a free 2 hour ride to Guatape, and you know what, they did not even believe us, they laughed  at us, and said, no way Garrick is gonna show up..... Wouter and I didn't even think about the fact he might not show up. So there he was, I said, hey Garrick, and the other guys were laughing and said no way that is Garrick, where Garrick says, yeah I'am Garrick... Merel and Wouter (and Garrick) 1 - hostel guys 0 !! See ya later guys, we are going with Garrick to Guatape! hehe.
GARRICK

The ride was absolutely beautiful! Garrick was a good guy (thank god) and the owner of this new hostel that was only open a few weeks. The location absolutely beautiful, surrounded by green hills and a view you can stare at for hours. That afternoon we took a local bus to El Penol, that rock you can climb and here's a photo so you know what view I am talking about. We have seen a lot of great views but this is definitely top 3!
The view !
The Rock / El Penol


On our way back we couldn't contact Garrick to pick us up, since the hostel was up hill with a service road, we thought, us trained hikers, we can walk up.... Not a good idea, we took a wrong turn, it was getting dark and no lights, at one point we just started running and then finally we reached to hostel, just 5 minutes before it got pitch black! Timing is everything haha. There were only 6 other people staying in the hostel and Garrick gave us a private room (fancy backpackers).
Hostel van Garrick

That night I was so tired, from the pub crawl and then not sleeping enough, I called it a night early and slept for about 12 hours, Wouter stayed up (shock) and had a chilled night with the girls and guys from the hostel. The next day we had to go back to the airport and fly to Santa Marta, Wouter messaged our first colombian friend (taxi driver) Luis if he wanted to pick us up in Guatape and drive us to the airport. I thought no way he's doing that, he lives in Medellin, has to drive 2 hours to pick us up and then drive again an hour to the airport, but Luis was happy to do it,  as he charged us double, oh well, money needs to roll and he wasn't a stranger anymore!
Guatape


Once arrived at the airport we got an email that our flight was cancelled and they gave us an option to fly the next day, but there's one thing we didn't have this holiday and that is time. But Colombia wouldn't be Colombia if they wouldn't have an airline called VivaColombia! Within an hour we booked another flight and we were finally on our way to Santa Marta. We stayed in the Dreamer Hostel, unfortunately it was beerpong night (such a bummer, NOT), we lost anyway. Again we met so many nice people and so many dutch people! As if everybody from the Netherlands just thought oh let's go to Colombia for a few months.So much fun!
The Dreamer Hostel

The next day we took the shuttle bus to the National Tayrona Park, getting up early again. It was busy with too many tourists, we hiked for about 2 hours until we reached Cabo San Juan, where you have a look out and the beaches are white, water is blue and the sun is burning, it was beautiful!
The walk to Cabo San Juan
The view from Cabo San Juan
Can't get enough of palmtrees 
Tayrona Park
Hammock chillings



Then back Santa Marta to catch the bus to Cartagena, a 4 hour bus ride with wifi they said, well that was a lie, the bus was freezing but we did manage to get some sleep. Once arrived in Cartagena at midnight our flight to San Andres island was at 8 in the morning, therefore we took a hotel to have a normal few hours sleep before heading to the island, which lays in front of Nicaragua. The island was stunning, not too big not too small. The hostel we stayed in offered us a tour to go to a smaller island where we could swim with mantra rays. But to be honest with you, it was too touristy and too much trash around, which is such a shame for such a nice destination. If ITMC (my bachelor degree) taught me one thing it is that sustainability (even though we hated that word at school) is the most important aspect of a tourism attraction and destination, god knows how this place will look in 5 years, or even 10?! We did our part for as much as we could.
Another day another flight, no work!
Islands in from of San Andres
When we had to walk through the sea to get to the other island
typical beach photo
I LOVE SAN ANDRES (didn't fit)
Our afternoon ritual


We passed out around 9pm and the next day we rented a golf buggy to drive around the island, and had lunch at Francesca's, a cute restaurant on the beach where we had lunch and some cocktails (again by recommendation by Felice), the beach was the whitest, the water the clearest and the sky the bluest, it was stunning. After all the island is definitely worth going, but I would not go back, been there done that haha! Pure because of all the tourists, sometimes you don't mind them but this was too much, I'm glad we went though, it was just nice to get away from the desert for longer then a few days, not that I have been home much, but still, the fact that you don't have to think about when you have to work next.
Especially as well with Wouter by my side. The whole time we had to tell people we were not a couple but sharing a twin bed together in our private hostel room, haha. It's just amazing to know you can count on each other no matter what, that's what our friendship stands for, together with ribs obviously. So here's a special thank you to Wouter, for always being there for me, not only on our holidays but also in times when I needed that belgium hug the most and those sweet words and those funny comments you can make, after 3 years you still surprise me sometimes. You're a true friend and I'm curious what the future holds for us!
isn't he a cutie !


After San Andres we went back to Cartagena for the day, and what a cute little town is that. So colorful. And then it was time again to head back to the states for a day and then back to the desert. Colombia you have been very generous to us with your kind people, amazing food, and  astonishing nature, until next time, maybe after payday is better! Oh and before I forget, my backpack was only 7kg, Including pillow, obviously! :D  
Cartagena 

donderdag 28 september 2017

Busy 2 months, I need a holiday!

My second time to Dakar Senegal I did go on the tour, and I'm so glad I did. It was so interesting, so much has happend in Dakar, so much history. We went to Goree Island (coming from dutch Goedereede), which was used as a slavery trade island for about 300 years. Goree island is close to the coast of Dakar, 900 meters long and about 300 meter wide, all around the island there are slavery houses. Our guide took us to one of the houses and told us, it was the most organized house, and guess who owned it, yep, the Dutch. The dutch were on the island for years and years. In the house the rooms were organized; room for the men; room for the women, and even a room for the children and virgins. There was one way to avoid being sold to America or South America, and that was getting pregnant with one of the so called 'white' people who were in charge.

At the back of the house there was a door, the 'door of no return', the slaves knew that once they would pass through this door they would never ever see their family again and would never return to Africa.
Slavery house with the door of no return


How sad! In one room there was a scale, the men had to stand on it and if they were below 65 kilogram they were moved to another room to get 'heavier' and get fed, they would only be sold to America or South America if they would be over 70 kilogram. Sometimes the journey to the other side of the world would be 12 weeks. From the 20 million people that were 'sold' and 'transported' to the other side, only 14 million people actually survived. Around 500 slaves were on 1 boat with about 15 crew, the slaves had to lay down on the ground, in that way they could not take over the boat. One time the slaves took over, but when they reached shore in America and the people only saw the slaves, they knew they took over, and were punished for that.
It was so interesting to learn about the history of the slavery, and it's so sad that so many people got sold and transported, and that all at this small island. Once you own that island you own the slavery market in west Africa, in those days of course. The guide told us so much, and it was so interesting and sad at the same time. So glad I went, felt obligatory to learn about the history.

This heart was the first thing you saw when you arrived at the island. I guess they want to show by this, that despite everything that happend on the island, love will conquer it all. Maybe that's not the way, but it's my way... 


Lets talk about some fun stuff now !!

On the flight itself I sold a lot of duty free again, so happy days, happy days !!

In the last 5 weekends, I have been in the Netherlands for 4 of them. It all started with 4/5 days off that I decided to go home. One of my good friends was organizing a little reunion with my friends from university, even though I had to fly via London Heathrow and with KLM to get to Amsterdam, but oh well, things you do for friends. We had some drinks, dinner and good catch up conversations.
these people <3


The weekend was awesome, so good to see my friends. On sunday I was meeting one of my oldest friends (not old in age but old as we know each other our whole lives - literally ), to go to a festival in the Netherlands called Mysteryland.
Mysteryland


Same concept as Tomorrowland but way smaller, very good atmosphere though.
And guess who I ran into, my Dubai brothers Koen and Kristof.
Nonnie with my dubai brothers.


The weather was amazing, the people amazing and it was just such a good weekend, which ended on a monday on the beach in 's-Gravenzande with my mom. Back to the desert to do a Washington flight, didn't see Trump (so sad, haha not). After Washington it was top secret for me to head back to Amsterdam, it was time for Saskia's (sister in law) bachelorette party in Rotterdam. This time all the flights to Amsterdam from Dubai were again, full full full, so the de-tour went via Athens and then KLM to Amsterdam. Got on all my flights, and I can tell you this, it was running EVERYWHERE. Finally getting to the last step to get to Rotterdam by train, guess what, I see the train leaving in front me, being on the road for god knows how long, and then see the train going in front of you. I did swear a bit, but I'm sure everybody understands that.
Once I arrived in Rotterdam, Nienke (my other sister in law) told me that Saskia just went to the toilet, so there I went running again to the restaurant and just sit at the table, so that Saskia wouldn't notice once she would come back from the toilet. It worked, she had no clue I was there, maybe because of the 'few' drinks she had, at one point I stood up and said, I heard there is a party!! Her face was PRICELESS went she finally realized I was there too.
My sisters <3


Her reaction later was; I knew you were coming, there's no way Merel is gonna miss this. hahaha! And she was right, now way I would miss that party! We did a cocktail workshop and then danced the night away!

But it was a weekend full of surprises. One of the friends is pregnant and due in October, her friends organized a surprise babyshower and since I was already in the Netherlands anyway I could make it, hate to miss things as you might wonder haha! She cried when she saw all of us sitting in the park, and special thanks to her best friends who organized and decorated it, it looked stunning!

Jessica's surprise babyshower


Back to work to go to Seattle for the weekend, 2 day layover. My friend Cassidy that I met years and years ago in Spain (Salamanca). Sound so old now haha, but it's true. I met her in 2012, she's American, lived in LAX, met up with her there once and then she moved to Seattle and we met up there again. We went for dinner with her friends, where the next day we went kayaking and then ended up at the observatory to have another look over Seattle and watch the sunset.
Cassidy ! 
Casual sunday in Seattle kayaking


But let me tell you about the flight going there. It was packed and the passengers were very demanding, but there was one guy, blond hair blue eyes, that kinda style, my style. He got a free upgrade together with 15 others. While all the lights were out I was having a walk around and see if anybody wanted some drinks or food. The passenger next to 10E (that's how we identify the passengers, by seat number) was asleep but he had his handset next to him on his armrest with the light on. So me, trying to be nice, push the button on the handset so the light goes off, while I press the button the handset retracts and it just flies right in his face, and he wakes up, oops, my bad. 10E saw everything happening and we couldn't stop laughing. Later he came to the galley and we talked for an hour. Such a nice man, friendly, funny and just beautiful. But,  because in my life, there is ALWAYS a but, he's engaged. Bummer! Oh well, he did make this flight extremely pleasant. I have Seattle again this weekend, so there's hope again haha!

Weekend number 3 in the Netherlands was the wedding of my big brother and Saskia. Even though the weather wasn't as expected, the day itself, the church, reception, party were just AMAZING! So much love, and it's just such a special day to share it with your family. I arrived on wednesday morning, because Saskia asked me to pick up the dress so I could see it before the wedding day, felt very honored. She also asked me to be in charge of the dress during the photoshoot and the rest of the day, of course I was super flattered and excited, however, I had not seen the dress yet. She came out of the fitting room with a veil of 3 meters, it looked stunning, but it was gonna be a busy day for me trying to make sure the veil is just perfect, but challenge accepted! We also got the 4 musketiers back together again, after more then 2 years being separated, we all met each other separately but this time the gang was back!!!
4 musketiers back together at last! 

Thursday and Friday we spent decorating the house. All the day guests (family and close friends who you spent the whole day with) were coming over to our house for a lunch with the bride and groom. Head of decoration was Nienke Loomans, it looked like a fairytale, flowers everywhere, a family tree with wedding pictures of their (grand)parents, and it was just perfection!
aaaaaaah just so beautiful
The family tree


Saturday was the wedding itself, I went with them when they had their photoshoot, but the best part of the day was the moment Martijn saw Saskia for the first time, you could just tell there were so many emotions, both sides, and I knew he would cry a little bit!
After they threw the pigeons in the sky <3 btw look at that veil!!! 

In church it was first the civil wedding and then the church wedding, the vows and then the rings came along, by nobody else but my other brothers dog Gael (who is a Berner Senner aka pretty big), it was just hilarious him running all the way to the front to bring the rings. Nobody saw that one coming! Everybody just looked so beautiful, and who doesn't like a man in a suit.
My outfit, and yes those are the Louboutins!

We had dinner at a beach club, and as soon as it stopped raining we took photos on the beach, can't wait for the photos!! I only took party pictures, like always haha. It was an amazing day, and now I have 2 sisters, yeeey! So happy to have these amazing women joining our family and taking over the Loomans name.

Finally last weekend I was supposed to go to Dacca in Bangladesh, however, somebody wanted to swap the flight with me for an Amsterdam. So there I was again, last minute roster change, mum and dad thinking they wouldn't see me for about 2/3 months, but now here I was again. Met up with my friend Nikie in Amsterdam, where we sat at this super cute proper dutch bar/lounge next to the water.
Nikie :D 

It was a beautiful day and boats where going up and down while we were having a beer and wine, how much I love that city, maybe one day in the very near future I will be living there.... Then I took the train to meet up with my Salamanca girl Julie in Utrecht. And how beautiful is our country actually! On Sunday, mum, dad and Tim came over to have breakfast with me before heading back to the desert, probably have seen me enough to last a few months now!

Back to work you think? Maybe a little. Went horse back riding in Zimbabwe the other day, heading to Seattle this weekend and maybe have a little cheeky trip.
Seeing some zebra's chilling around.

Then I have my annual exams to be legal to fly for another year and then it's time for another Wouter and Merel holiday. Colombia here we come! Can't wait to spend 2 weeks with my best friend traveling all the way through Colombia.

Even reading through this blog makes me a bit tired but brings me the biggest smile on my face, how did I manage to get all these things done? Oh well, maybe it's better not to think about it and just go with the flow. What a summer it was, even though it took some time to get over somebody I couldn't have done it without all my friends and family. They will always be there for me, no matter what, and it makes me fortunate to have such amazing people around me. Each and everyone of you, you know I care and love you all <3




dinsdag 15 augustus 2017

From Tomorrowland to Guinea...

From the biggest festival in the world called Tomorrowland to one of the poorest countries in Africa. Going from one extreme to the other. Tomorrowland festival was one of the best things I did in my  life. The people, the music, the setting was just incredible. No words can't describe it, we laughed a lot and that's all that matters in the end. Amazing to see that the world came together for this festival, nobody fighting and everything was just well arranged. When I got home in the Netherlands my mom was already heating up the chicken soup for me, she figured I would need it, how cute! Slept that night for about 14 hours before heading to the airport to see if I would get on my overbooked by 40 flight, but I got on surprisingly! Back to the sandpit it was, straight back to work to go to lovely Mashad in Iran, and by lovely I mean it in a very sarcastic way. I was more excited for the flight after that, London. Normally I don't really get excited for a London flight, but this time it was different. It always has been a dream of me to own a pair of Christian Louboutins, the beautiful heel with the red sole. From my birthday money I was already halfway to buy these beauties. When I came back to Dubai I looked at my layover money from all over the world, when I exchanged it I had enough to buy the best shoes in the world! London here I come. I checked google maps to find the Louboutin store and unfortunately they didn't have the ones I want, so I had to go to Harrods, and I bought them there. Then went back to the Louboutin store and asked the lady who works there if she could take a photo for me, very dorky I know, but I am just proud to own a pair and it will always remind me of my 25th birthday. So here's a thank you to everyone who contributed :D



This month is was also time for 2 new destinations Conarky in Guinea and Dakar in Senegal! First stop was Conakry in Guinea. The flight itself wasn't too busy but I was the 'duty free operator', on every flight you can buy duty free and it all depends on the position you have. This time it was my turn, but it was my lucky day, because I sold 7500 dirham worth duty free products, and guess what, 10% is for me!!! Woehoeee! Which means that I got myself another ticket to Amsterdam!

Once we arrived at the airport of Conakry you could tell it's a very underdeveloped country and we even had to take the bus at the back of the airport, escorted by armed police officers. The drive to the hotel was a bit shocking, everywhere was trash and people selling the smallest of things in order to survive in houses that you cannot even call a house. This season is rain season in Guinea, unfortunately. Therefore we had some dinner with the crew next to the pool while it was pouring rain. The next day 8 of the crew and I were going on a tour to a waterfall, the drive was 1.5 hour through the poor streets of Conakry. What I said before, going from a festival like Tomorrowland where money doesn't pay a role to Guinea where people live with less then a dollar a day, being one of the poorest countries in Africa. On our way we stopped to get some cookies because before the waterfall we were going to a small village where there were some children, and men they knew we were coming and giving them cookies! They loved it, and they didn't know where to look since we were with a diverse set of people, a chinese, japanese, indian, romanian, french, australian, uk and me. A little bit further we finally got to the waterfall, as we arrived the rain stopped and the sun came out, perfect timing if you ask me. We took some photos, had some typical Guinea fish lunch and then back to the hotel.



I was so tired after the drive and the waterfall, and all the impressions during the day. People and especially children I saw on the streets are happy with the smallest things, where if I look back at the world we live in as europeans, if you don't have an iPad or iPhone in school you are not part of the cool people and the lifestyle people want you to live. These children in Africa literally have nothing but the things they find on the street, no special toys for them to play with, just an empty bottle some children were playing with. It's a fact that they don't know what there is out there, and maybe the not knowing makes them happier then some children who do have the luxurious lifestyle. It's a double feeling seeing all these people and then getting back to the beautiful Sheraton hotel. I'am sure there are some wealthy people but they probably live in a complete different area and high rise fences.



The next day we flew to Dakar in Senegal.

Dakar is a complete different world then Conakry, it sounds bad but you can just tell that Senegal is 'wealthier'. One of the crew told me that back in the day when the French came to Guinea that literally they took everything what they had from gold to other valuables. Instantly I felt more safe in Dakar then Conakry. A few of the crew been before so they knew a nice place for us to have dinner, instead of the hotel. We ended up at this restaurant next to the water and it was just the cutest place I have seen in a long time, it was fully covered by sea shelves. Even the food was extremely good and delicious.



After the restaurant we found on the internet that there is a bar at the Dakar lighthouse, so we went to have a look. And again, such a surprise, trees covered in lights to give this an extra magical feeling.



However, it wasn't the party place as we expected so we went to the club street in Dakar and went actual clubbing with the people of Senegal. I can tell you that it was a very interesting evening with a lot of big asses and big boobs and just very tall females, and there was me 1.64m shaking my white ass around, haha!



Got back to the hotel about 6am and the girls were doing a tour at 9am, as you can imagine I did not go. I just did not have the energy to sleep a few hours and then do a full day tour, not happening. Glad I didn't because there were some heavy thunderstorms as well, so I just did the typical gym and roomservice for a day, and I loved it. The last day it was finally sunny so I had a lovely breakfast by the pool next to the ocean and then chilled for a few hours by the pool getting my tan back.

After 48 hours in Conakry and 48 hours in Dakar it was time to get back to the sandpit. Re-thinking about what I have actually seen in the past few days and knowing my own childhood I must say it made me feel very fortunate to be from my small village in the Netherlands and having the childhood I had. Knowing I have a bright future ahead of me, able to go to school and travel the world as I do now, things some people don't even know it exists, when you think about it all it's a bit shocking. I have this trip again in about a week and I will take some of my old clothes with me to give to the poor and hopefully I will make it to the tour as well in Dakar.



So as I always like to end my blogs; be grateful for what you have because there are people in this world that have way less then you.

Yesterday's the past, Tomorrow's the future, today is a gift that's why it's called the present !

vrijdag 7 juli 2017

Can I turn 25 forever?

It's been a while since I last wrote a blog, and much happend since then. I had a lovely Barcelona flight, but the crew wasn't the best. You know sometimes you work with people and they have the same work vibe as you and sometimes you fly with people and they are the opposite. Oh well, you can't like everybody you work with right. Pretty hard to like 24.000 people!

The best thing about my job is that I can visit my friends all over the world. I met up with my old roommate Sarah in Hamburg. It is so nice to meet up with friends because then it doesn't feel like working sometimes, it feels like a little holiday, catching up with some good food and maybe even a cheeky glass of wine. After Hamburg I decided to go to the Netherlands for the weekend and spend it with my best friend Nikie in Groningen, which is a city in the north. However things didn't really turned out the way they were supposed to. After mom picked me up we went to the beach for a few hours and while I stood up I became dizzy and started shivering. We went home because I just didn't feel well enough to go for dinner with my parents and my brother and his fiancé. We had dinner at home and went to bed early. I hardly slept because I just wasn't feeling myself and couldn't fall asleep and when I did I was dreaming strangely. At 7am I went downstairs, covered in sweat and as white as a piece of paper, my mom checked my temperature and I had 39.6 degrees celsius, my normal temperature is 36.4, so you can imagine why I wasn't feeling well. Had to call Nikie that I couldn't go to Groningen, my whole body was in pain and I could hardly stand on my own two legs, let alone being in a train for 3 hours while it's 30 degrees outside. I was in pain, my stomach was hurting and my lower back. Saturday and Sunday I stayed in and mom gave me many tablets to decrease the high fever, however, it wasn't going down. First thing on Monday morning we did was going to the doctor, it took so much energy out of me to go in the car and sit at the doctors, all I did for the past days was lay down and try to sleep. Within 30 seconds the doctor told me I had a kidney infection and she prescribed me some strong antibiotics for 7 days. But I was supposed to go back to work the next day, but not a chance I could go on a flight, not even a chance they would accept me on the flight in the first place. The doctor wrote a sick note that I had to send to my manager and then I stayed for another 7 days at home. Because I had such high fever a few times a day I started shivering because my body barely could take it, it looked like I had an epileptic reaction each time. My mom used to work in the hospital so I was so happy to be home and that my parents could take care of me, and my mom just stayed calm. If I would be anywhere else I would have been in the hospital, a kidney infection is very dangerous. Because of the fever and pain as well I didn't want to eat, I was too sick, but I had to. In that week I lost 3/4 kg, and if you only weight 51 in the first place that's a lot. But it could have happend anywhere, I am so glad it happend while I was at home and my mom could take care of me, so grateful for that. She even said that if it happend in Dubai she would have flown to me, how sweet !!! When I feeling a bit better I went back home to recover then for another few days and see the doctor here. So many of my friends came by to cook for me, because I had to gain weight and get stronger to get better. In those times you realize who your real friends are, and men I ate a lot, so don't worry I'am back at my normal weight !!

My first flight after my sickness was Amsterdam again as well. Think I have never been in the Netherlands so many times in one month. It felt good to work again and get in the flow of having energy, sleep normal and be able to do something again. When you normally have so much energy and then all of a sudden it's gone it's hard to adjust, you want so many things but you just can't, you have to listen to your body. This all happend in June, and June is also my birthday month !! I was turning 25 and that has to be celebrated big. I had the days off from work and I could be anywhere in the world to celebrate it but I decided, after everything that happend already this year I wanted to be with the people I love, so it was going to be a dutch birthday in the garden at my parents house! Mom and dad were already preparing for days before I came, all healthy and happy this time. The weather was absolutely amazing, it was 25/26 degrees and the party was as beautiful and amazing as the people who came to the party!!

Old neighbours came to the party, people who saw me growing up, my parents friends who are all family to me as well. About 40/45 people came to this dutch bbq party, because that's how we do it. Amazing food from the bbq, nice salads, and of course a good glass of beer or wine !! We even played some beerpong!

Boys against the girls !!!! 

What a beautiful day it was ! Even some of my friends I met in Dubai came to celebrate!!! <3 My friend Juul came with a piñata for me to hit at 11pm. All I could hear was my mom saying, do not let go of the hockeystick. It would be a typical Merel thing to let go and let the hockeystick go through the window.

It already feels good to be 25, can't wait for the exciting years to come, they say between 25 and 35 are your best years, and I am already having so much fun, so bring on the next 10 years !! After this incredible party it was time to go back to work... However I felt I needed to throw one last 25th birthday party in Dubai for my friends here. I had a Bangkok Sydney trip first with the best crew I had since 3.5 years flying all over the world ! In Bangkok we went to the Hangover bar, and wow that one is definitely worth going to one day !!

So much for a quiet night in Bangkok, why can that never happen?! I went out till 5 in the morning with the pilots in some Thai clubs with cute little Thai ladies who were very interested in the men I was with, it was hilarious !! After Bangkok it was time for Sydney where I was meeting my friend Cameron, who I met in Croatia during yacht week, lives in Hongkong, met up there twice, he came to Dubai once and he's originally from Sydney, where we were meeting this time, now that's what they call international friendship !! After this amazing trip I had 2 days to organize my house party! I decided to make it a themed party so everybody had to dress up in sports clothes !! I was cooking and preparing for 2 days as well, from homemade quiche, little sausage rolls, jelly shots, pineapple baileys ice cream and getting all the party props ready in the living room. I will tell one thing, NEVER AGAIN! Lost glasses, chocolate cake went in my face and then the cake went flying through the sky and landed on the wall, somebody decided to make a handstand in the middle of the room where a picture frame fell down, apparently somebody was walking naked through the staircase which they saw on the cameras, but it was definitely worth it, but never again haha!
At least even the security had a good time watching the cameras of sumo wrestlers walking in and out! Good thing I could relax in Mauritius after this party, and after I cleaned the whole house!! 

June 2017 is definitely a month to remember, from being very sick to celebrating my 25th birthday in the garden in the Netherlands, and having a rememberable house party, where we will talk about for a long time !!

Even writing this blogs and seeing those photos again give me a big smile on the my face, a big thanks to everyone who made my birthday so special, love you all to the moon and back <3 And a specials thanks to my amazing parents who made it possible for me to have my party in the garden!!