Qui audet adipiscitur (She who dares, wins): Lazy Days

Saturday March 5 - Tuesday March 8

I haven't really been up to much. In fact on Saturday I couldn't really tell you what I did. I am pretty sure I went down to the city centre to do some errands, I think I finalized opening my bank account, and generally had a quiet day.

Sunday was also pretty quiet. I caught up with a bunch of the family over skype, and then spent a long time trying to figure out how to afford all my travels. After talking it over with a few people it became clear that a Eurail pass might be my best option. I was planning on getting a rail pass for when I have my two week break in April, but each trip I try to plan seems to show me just how expensive the transit part of traveling is. So I sucked it up and spent the near $1400 for 3 months of unlimited train transit in 22 countries. I think this will be so liberating when I get the card.

I know the amount seems shocking at first - it definetly set me off getting one at first - but when you look at how much you'd be spending for each train ride it is really smart to pick one up. And by getting the unlimited one I don't have to worry about how many days I'm on the train, or when I should go, etc. (some of the other passes only give you a certain number of travel days in a month or two). It took me a while to actually push the 'purchase' button on the website, but I did it.

The card is supposed to arrive early next week, which, if all goes according to plan, will lead me to Normandy and some WWII history on the 19th through to the 22nd. Its an area I really want to go to, and one that I don't think the weather will really affect. Right now I'm having a hard time traveling around the Netherlands because so much of what you want to see (tulips) and generally beautifulness doesn't show up until the end of this month and April.

I'm hoping to get down to the mid-Netherlands for some touring around on the 26th - 29th because the tulip fields start to open up around then! I can't wait. It is going to be so beautiful.

I did a lot of homework on Sunday as well, it was a little catch up and a little to get ahead. By reading ahead I don't have to worry so much about going away, or at the end - right before exams - I hopefully won't be stuck with a bunch of readings and reviews that I haven't gone through. This way I'll be totally prepared, and I had the time. The unfortunate thing about my Friday class is that because all the papers are group papers it makes it more difficult for me to take off all the time. I need to go to group meetings and collaborate and its already week 4 of classes so I can't switch - too bad the class started two weeks later and I'm stuck in it. Hopefully the papers are actually really easy to write so I won't be in group meetings all the time. And at least with group papers most stuff is just document sharing and one final document as opposed to working in the same room all the time.

Monday was pretty chill. I was tentatively thinking about heading to Rotterdam for the day, for something to do, and because I found out Taylor Swift was playing in concert there and there were still tickets. When I got up in the morning my motivation was minimal - as no one else could go with me. Instead I hung around until 12:30 then tried to be productive.

Monday night I made dinner with another girl here. We made steak stir fry. It was quite delicious. It is so much better cooking with someone else because it is 1) cheaper, 2) more fun, and 3) you generally get better meals without being wasteful. And she really likes veggies too so our meals are mad healthy.

Today I signed up for an ESN excursion day at the end of the month, they bus us to two different little towns, one has a fish market and the people still wear really traditional clothes, you get to get dressed up and be a real tourist. The other has a cheese factory. I am looking forward to this, it'll be fun to be a dorky tourist with other people. ha. I know some people said the trip looked too dorky, but that's what I'm all about.

Sorry this post is kind of all over the place but I haven't done much in the last 4 days. I'm thinking I might go down to Rotterdam or Maastricht this weekend though - to do something for a few days. I have too much time off to not be traveling.

Here are some pictures from my day today :)