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Windmills, Tulips & Glaciers

April 2018 - May 2024
Family, new languages, sights, sounds and culture - we embark on this trip with the goal of opening our children's eyes to international travel, the love and loyalty of extended family and adventure. Join us for the ride! Read more
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  • Windmills, Tulips & Glaciers
    Day 1

    Pregame Jitters

    April 25, 2018 in Canada ⋅ 🌧 10 °C

    Currently, I’m taking a cheeky moment to rest before the busy stressful travel night begins. I’m curled up on my bed with my furry sleepy Halle cat asleep at my feet, nursing a bit of a headache and scratchy throat. Par for the coarse perhaps? Isn’t it always the way, to be fighting a bit of a bug on the lead up to something long awaited? The journey before the journey is noteworthy in and of itself, don’t ya think? Planning, packing, excitement, prepping the kids, explaining, stress, phone calls to the airline to sort out seating arrangements, bookings, directions...the list is certainly long.

    Traveling alone or with Trevor is one level of preparedness but traveling as telnas is quite a few notches up the ladder. I feel prepared now. Our luggage is packed and waiting to be hauled to the car. Months of chats, research, connecting with Trevor’s relatives and excitement is now to be realized. I feel ready.

    Our goals for this trip - well, we hope to adventure with our four kiddos together abroad. Show them a little slice of this enormous planet we live on and give them a taste of what international travel feels like. Manage jet lag. Manage tiredness and hunger and new surroundings and new languages and meeting extended family all at once. Grow and expand our minds and hearts. Possibly even get bitten by the travel bug. I can’t wait to watch and witness and steward our crew through the coming few weeks.

    Maybe our kids will get answers to questions they didn’t even know they wanted to ask as well. What does it feel like to touch the ice and snow of a glacier in Iceland? How do you feel standing in a sea of tulips in the Netherlands? Will we be able to sleep sitting up as the plane rumbles through the sky towards Keflavik? Let’s be honest, Trevor and I are asking this last question to ourselves too. Fingers crossed we all get a bit of sleep tonight.

    I’d say we’re ready. Ready logistically and ready to realize these goals we’ve set out for ourselves. Ready to feel and grow and learn and share laughs (and possibly the odd tired tear too). Together.

    Telnas 2018 trip has begun!    Read more

  • Windmills, Tulips & Glaciers
    11
    Day 2

    25 Hours

    April 26, 2018 in the Netherlands ⋅ ⛅ 9 °C

    We made it! We are in the Netherlands and settled into our Airbnb and guys, let me tell you, we are darn proud of ourselves. I feel a bit silly writing this in black and white but it’s the truth and it must be shouted from the canals and tulip fields. Planning this trip meant contingency planning and lots of plan b’s. We worried about travel hiccups, meltdowns, kiddos struggling, no sleep woes and our own inability to keep it all together should we have to recalibrate our expectations and move to plan b. We worried about customs issues, managing security checks and all airport logistics and so much more.

    Our thoughtfulness helped but it doesn’t necessarily ready you for the weird unexpected things that happen. Things like waltzing through customs without a stamp, question or second look. All that paperwork we had ready but nope, they just let us come into the country for fun! OK then, we’ll take it. Or, clearly booking a minivan for all 6 of us and our luggage only to find out that actually meant a small suv. We are very thankful for Caroline, who graciously offered to transport a few of our crew and some bags as well.

    We’re 25 hours into our trip and I can truthfully say I’m too tired to finish this post properly. That’s what a 1/2 hr of sleep plus a cold will do to ya. More updates soon on how the rest of our first day went and where we’re headed next!

    Time for bed. Off to eat one last stroop waffle and maybe some paprika chips then straight to bed. ;)    Read more

  • Windmills, Tulips & Glaciers
    12
    Day 3

    8 Hours...

    April 27, 2018 in the Netherlands ⋅ ⛅ 7 °C

    Of sleep! In a row! The sun is up, the neighbourhood is quiet and peaceful and all of the kiddos are still snoozing. Trevor’s gone for a run and I’m sitting on the couch nursing this cold with a hot tea, listening to the birds chattering all the while drinking in the smell of netherlands spring. Lilacs and magnolias are in bloom, neighbourhood cats are everywhere and locals are sleepily walking their dogs. It’s a national holiday today so that is likely why there aren’t bikes zooming by; everyone is resting and taking it easy this morning. I’m feeling much more myself today after the sleepless whirlwind that yesterday brought and am slowly waking up to what’s in store for day two!

    Today we have plans to enjoy King’s day here in Utrecht by hitting up a canal tour at 11. A planned quiet morning with a slow start to give us all some time to decompress and rest. After which we’ll come back to this beautiful Airbnb home for some lunch. We’ll then head to Caroline and Henk’s to meet up with their three rascals and head to Rotterdam to see the windmills. Famke, Caroline’s daughter, is on school holiday already and joined us yesterday for the airport pick up. She’s a lovely gal and all the little kids hit it off very well chatting and cracking us up at lunch yesterday. I’m looking forward to seeing how much Kai and Nieske have grown today too and watching all the kids interact and play. We’ll have dinner at Caroline’s home tonight as well.

    But as promised, let’s finish out yesterday’s account first. Now, where did I leave off. Oh right, breezing through customs and rental van woes. Seriously, why did the Netherlands not care who was coming for a visit? Sullivan was so excited to have his new passport stamped in Iceland as we transferred planes yesterday and cleared customs and was then disappointed to not have a flashy stamp from Netherlands. So weird! No complaints of course - it’s far better to waltz through rather than have to answer questions and nervously dig for paperwork - but still, so puzzled by the ease of this hurdle.

    It’s fun to sit here this morning and reflect on yesterday’s travel day. A good night's sleep adds a fresh perspective and a bit of distance. I’m smiling to myself at the funny quips all the kids said throughout the day. The kids handled themselves marvelously through all the “new” but a few times had us all covering our mouths trying to suppress our laughter. We hoped this trip would stretch us all, teach us to try new things and jump in openly to fun and new situations. Trevor and I have both worked hard to prep the kids to be open and that situations my be different than their expectations and to be mature and roll with the punches. As we were walking on our first flight yesterday, after all the nerves and logistics of getting all 6 of us through security behind us, Sully was navigating his way back to our seats in rows 32 and 33. People were filing politely down the aisles as Sullivan loudly yell/exclaims, as only a newly 8 year old can “THEY HAVE TV’S!!”. Each seat on the flight had its own tv, as most flights are wont to have these days but this revelation was pure magic to Sully. His relief and joy was felt by all around him. All fellow passengers, including all of us, cracked up and enjoyed the moment as he very happily found his seat and settled in for the long overnight flight - in front of his very own tv screen.

    The flight went smoothly overall. As predicted, I didn’t sleep, but that’s par for the course for me. But thankfully, Nolan and Sully slept for a good few hours. Liam and Trevor caught a bit of sleep as well but poor Ava struggled to get comfy and didn’t sleep either. All the kids took it in stride and before we knew it, we were losing altitude and preparing for landing in Iceland. We were all tired for our 1 hour layover in Iceland and zombie walked with the hundreds of other passengers - some transferring to France and others like us to Netherlands. Shuttle buses, teeming rain and snow, small waiting areas, long queues but after an hr we were seated on our second flight ready for our second leg of the journey. We were in the exit row this time and low and behold each seat had its own tv again! The joy! But this time, you had to press a button while simultaneously pulling on a lever to bring the tv up from its hidden compartment. Sullivan was over the moon! That tv, in seat 19e, has never seen more of a workout in its life.

    After breezing through customs we were greeted by Caroline, Aunt Anneke and Famke. It was such a relief having them there to help us navigate the airport and our rental car fiasco. We’re making do with a smaller suv but its not ideal. On the bright side, driving a smaller car through small streets and busy traffic has been a blessing in disguise. We followed Caroline past the Koekenhof and took in the brilliance of colourful tulips and ended up at a lovely cafe for lunch. As we settled in and got sorted with menus, Nolan in true Nolan style had trouble finding something to suit his tastes. Before he and Sullivan, our two pickiest eaters decided on pancakes for lunch, Trevor reminded him he needed to keep an open mind. Tired stretched weary Nolan leaned into his dad and with a shaky voice and near tears about to spring form his eyes, he said “I do have an open mind I just can’t find anything on the menu I like”. It was a very serious matter of course but the humour was not lost on us. Pancakes saved the day and both boys happily defended their lunch choice and gobbled up their traditional Netherlands pancake with joy.

    The rest of the night was a bit of a blur. Settling into our beautiful temporary home, a grocery run, backyard and nearby park romp, showers to wash off the grime of travel and bedtime tuck ins. I mindfully went from room to room to sing to each little kid and settle them for the night. When I asked Sullivan what his very favourite part of our trip so far was, without missing a beat he of course said the tv on the second flight. Nolan surprised me and said the tulips. He doesn’t miss much that kid and is very reflective. Ava was already asleep by the time I could get to her room so will have to ask her today. And Liam, who is too big for songs and cuddles but deserves to be asked too, said the sandwich he just ate was his favourite part. A perfect cheeky happy almost 16 year old response.

    Well, it’s time to rally the kids and get some warm oatmeal into us. Day two, here we come.    Read more

  • Windmills, Tulips & Glaciers
    1
    2
    Day 3

    Beautiful Airbnb...and jetlag

    April 27, 2018 in the Netherlands ⋅ ⛅ 7 °C

    Kids crashing out after a long day of travel, followed by a renewing night of sleep and an early morning run.

  • Windmills, Tulips & Glaciers
    11
    Day 3

    Kinderdijk

    April 27, 2018 in the Netherlands ⋅ ☁️ 12 °C

    A beautiful afternoon trek to Kinderdijk. Water, water everywhere.

  • Windmills, Tulips & Glaciers
    1
    Day 4

    Amsterdam day

    April 28, 2018 in the Netherlands ⋅ 🌧 12 °C

    1928 Olympic Stadium, riding the Tram through Amsterdam, Anne Frank house, walking along the canals, going to the Rijks museum. Those little feet can only go so far. I feel so fortunate to have Caroline and Aunt Anneke to spend time with, reconnect, and help us navigate the Netherlands. So fun and lots of laughs :) TrevRead more

  • Windmills, Tulips & Glaciers
    Day 4

    Snaggletooth Sullivan

    April 28, 2018 in the Netherlands ⋅ ⛅ 12 °C

    We’ve been making bets as to where or when this kid would lose his front tooth but no one guessed it would happen just before dinner right here at the Airbnb. We thought maybe in the airplane as we flew over Greenland but nope, not there. Someone suggested on the canal tour in Utrecht but nope, not then either. Sully hoped and wished for it to fall out in Iceland somewhere, anywhere but that wasn’t in the cards. This kid has had a sideways sticky outty snaggletooth for weeks and the wait for freedom is finally over. The unending tasks of a mom, I tell ya. I nurture, fix, love, clean, redirect, teach and...yank teeth. ;) I’ve yanked countless teeth between the two of my kiddos but never have I pulled one out in Holland. Goodbye you weird crooked awkward tooth; you won’t be missed.Read more

  • Windmills, Tulips & Glaciers
    1
    Day 5

    3am

    April 29, 2018 in the Netherlands ⋅ ⛅ 8 °C

    It’s 3 am and all are asleep. Well, except for me that is. Maybe I have too many words that are bursting to get out so I need to write. Or, maybe I’ve just had my obligatory 6 hours that I’m far too used to so my mind and body are ready to get life’ng. Or, maybe I’m full of jet lag still and am still on netherlands time. Whatever the reason, I’m quite content laying here listening to the quiet sounds of the icy snow pinging off the outside of the camper, the crew breathing softly all around me and the quiet hum of the heating system.

    We’ve camped for the night just outside Geysir and Gullfoss at an all year round spot. It has all the amenities. Snack bar restaurant dining hall with a stage for summer camp multi purpose room, mini putt course, hottub and even proper flush toilets and showers at our disposal. After a monster day of seeing the sights on very little sleep we arrived to this spot about 7 pm.

    .....................

    Clearly, I didn’t finish this post. Such small quarters that the light is my phone was disturbing Trevor. Fast forward several nights. I sit here now with our motor home all clean, relaxing for a few moments in the beautiful Tjaldsaedi Grindavík campsite common room. I’ve had so many thoughts and words exploding out of me for this blog but not a moment in our schedule to write. I hope to catch up some today and then hopefully more when we get home.

    My first order of business in this choppy post is to go back a few nights and a plane ride to the Netherlands and share some musings on our last day in Friesland.

    ........................

    One more interruption - fast forward a bit more. Lunch, packing up and cleaning the motorhome interrupted your regular programming of this blog post. We’re now at the airport nice and early. There was, let’s just say, a wee bit of Icelandic wind last night. The motorhome rattled and banged as the winds off the oceans whipped by the little campground we stayed at. We were fairly protected by the building and berm that was built by the campground but even still, we woke often as only one does when irrational late night thoughts take over. Will we tip over, should we reposition the camper more toward the wind, what will the drive be like tomorrow, will there be a foot of snow on the ground, will we miss our flight, will we have to stay in Iceland forever, will the volcano erupt! Thankfully, a warm shower, the sun rise and a chat with the local person at the campground office brought us back to reality. We felt ready to make the drive to the motorhome return place and knew all was going to be ok. And it was.

    Ok folks, back we go. Let’s chat about our tour of Friesland and the stops we made. Four or so days ago now we woke for our last morning at Trevor’s cousin’s beautiful cottage in Heeg. The cottage had the perfect number of beds for the six of us and was very comfortable, warm and just what we needed. Although it was rainy on and off for our time in northern Holland we still enjoyed the view of the lake, sail boats navigating the waters and water! Water everywhere. Trevor has done an incredible job driving us around many roads that we certainly are not used to in Canada. The NOT a minivan small SUV was a blessing in disguise at times when driving along a tiny rural road or navigating the many lanes of traffic and speed limits of 130 around the big cities.

    We had a quiet morning so the kids could rest. Laundry churned, warm baths and showers were had and iPad wifi time was revelled in. These planned down times have been much needed but they zoom by in a flash. Before we knew it, it was time to get ready to head into Sneek to meet up with Joke for brunch. She recommended this lovely warm restaurant that had a large menu catering to all tastes. And by this I mean they served chicken fingers and fries, which suited a few of our crew quite nicely. the kiddos were showing some wear today. Some grump moments and a bit on one another’s nerves. I think we all could have used a full day of slow but that wasn’t in the cards. After some fuel, we set off on the hunt for Dutch Pokemon. Sully has been on the lookout this whole trip, determined to prove that Pokémon are only in English and Japanese. Boy would it have been crazy to find Pokémon cards in Dutch! But alas, we did find some at a toy store and they were in fact in English. He spent nearly all of his allotted Euros on a booster pack and was one happy kid.

    After some more shops and poking around the downtown we said our thank you’s and goodbyes to Joke and headed back to the cottage to regroup before our afternoon/evening plans commenced. Next up was a stop in Tzum to drive by the home where Trevor’s dad was born and to visit the church and cemetery of his grandparents. Although we didn’t stay long at either place, it was very meaningful to take the time to see them in person.

    We carried on north and headed to the town of Franeker to stop at the planetarium museum. After nearly having a heart attack parking the car beside a canal, we found our way into the museum. As has been the case on this adventure a bit, we didn’t leave quite enough time to really take in this treasure. The museum highlights the life and genius of Eise Eisinga, a young brilliant mind who created a planetarium in the 1700’s in his spare time. I would love to go back again some day to have a second longer tour. It’s definitely something I’ve added to my “research and learn more about later” list from this trip. the kids enjoyed it to varying degrees based on their ages and tiredness levels but overall, we all took something meaningful from this experience.

    By this time the kids needed a bit of a release so the next stop was perfect. We stopped at the dykes and had a run around, learning more about why this is critical for the Netherlands. The kids just couldn’t fathom the size and need. I wonder how their minds will process this kind to info going forward as they learn through school and life about water and resource management. A good bit of fresh air was perfect before a nice dinner at another of Trevor’s cousin’s. Gerbrich and her partner Ship had a lovely dinner for us. We had a nice long chat and lost track of time a wee bit. Time management on a trip is always tricky - it’s limited, we want to connect and visit for as long we possible and we’re also managing 4 kids all at the same time. Time slips away faster than we would have thought possible.

    A bit of a drive back to the cottage and straight to bed for all. Packing, cleaning the cottage and travel lay ahead. Our 5 nights in Holland was at an end and we certainly had mixed feelings about the transition from our Holland adventures with the connection and help of family to the camping motorhome ruggedness of Iceland. Sleep and game faces were prepared; we were ready.    Read more

  • Windmills, Tulips & Glaciers
    1
    Day 5

    The Quiet of the Morning

    April 29, 2018 in the Netherlands ⋅ ⛅ 9 °C

    Slowing down a wee bit last night and this morning has been a great choice for TELNAS. After an amazing day in Amsterdam touring the Anne Frank house, walking the city streets, feeling some rain on our faces and navigating a very busy and overwhelming Rijks museum, we were ready for a night of decompression. After once again thanking Caroline, Anneke, Kai and Nieske for their help and hospitality, the kids dispersed to their chosen activities. Liam to his loft space, the two boys to a world in Minecraft far far away, full of giggles and building and storing inventory, and Ava to some homework, nestled in beside me. The only major agenda item on our list for the evening was acquiring groceries and making a nice dinner.

    After some rest and time to ourselves, Trevor and I and the three littles walked the two minutes up the path to the shops to pick up what we needed for the night and coming few days. The kids each have 40 euros for the duration of our time in Holland and boy is it burning a hole in their pockets. Sully is desperate to find Pokémon and the other two are generally on the hunt for interesting treats. We left the kids at a pharmacy type store to scour the shelves for treasures while we went for groceries. It was a successful run for what we all felt we ‘needed’ - food for supper and fudge chocolate for the kids. Oh, and Ava found a very reasonably priced beauty blender, which she was very happy about snagging. Make-up application is important you know and having the right blender makes all the difference.

    On our way back, we left the kids at the park and came home to make a nice familiar spaghetti dinner. After cooking and clanging around, all four kids began to hover and pace as kids are wont to do when they’re hungry. We soon had dinner on the table and their full attention as they devoured. It was a time for a bit of TELNAS reflection, a team check in of sorts on how the day went and what was to come in the next few days. Highs, lows and thankfuls were shared. All of us agreed that the Anne Frank House was a high. Sully said walking the streets for such a long long time was his low, which I’m not sure entirely if that was because he has short legs and was feeling very tired overall or if it had something to do with being scared a few times with some near bike and car misses with my shouts and strong arm yanking him away from the roadway. Adjusting to the narrow streets, compression of thousands of people and cars and bikes a plenty has been tricky for us all but the 8 year old has felt it the most acutely.

    We sat for a bit longer and ran through the coming day’s agenda. The family reunion, timelines, packing up, saying goodbye to the Airbnb and the ever present expectations we have of them for the get together, such as that annoying difficult social task of looking everyone in the eye when they’re introduced, speaking clearly and being present and attentive to whom they are meeting. This can certainly be hard for kiddos and teens, especially in big gatherings and new situations. Watching them grow and practice their social navigation skills is a pleasure. They’re all doing wonderfully on this adventure - stretching and learning and it’s magic to be a part of.

    The quiet of the morning is waning - Sully is now up and our sappy lovey sleepy morning feeling we woke up with is transitioning to adulting thoughts of packing, breakfast and the drive to Friesland. Goodbye sleepy peaceful feeling; until tomorrow when we meet again.    Read more

  • Windmills, Tulips & Glaciers
    Day 6

    Friesland, Family, Friendship & Farewell

    April 30, 2018 in the Netherlands ⋅ ☁️ 8 °C

    Its been a busy wonderful few days and it’s time to carve out some time and space to share my thoughts and feelings. We are currently sitting on our 3rd flight and are on our way to Keflavik. We’re all in one row again so I’m separated from the kids by an aisle. Trevor is snoozing at the far end of the row in a window seat and is beside Liam, who is self-sufficiently on his phone or watching a show. Ava and Nolan are sipping on their free drinks and watching shows as well. Meanwhile, the toothless wonder seems to be switching between his iPad, retrieving gum from his backpack, putting his tray table out, putting his tray table back up, squeezing himself between his seat and the seat in front of him to pick up dropped headphones, reaching past Ava to ask me a question and so on. Ava and Nolan don’t seem bothered by his antics and he’s smart enough not to bang into the person in front of him (thanks to a few reminders about airplane etiquette earlier) so I’ll leave him be to sort himself out and carry on with my journaling.

    It feels a bit strange to already be on our way to Iceland. The days have felt long but here I sit now already three quarters of our way through our trip. In the blink of an eye, the Netherlands portion has whirled by. We’ve managed to see and do just about everything on our wish-list, which of course made for busy days. We planned a relatively short stay and felt we needed to make good use of time. Within reason, we kept to our schedule and saw and visited and hit up the sights we hoped to see.

    A few days ago we said goodbye to the South and headed North to the long awaited reunion. We were originally hoping to meet up in the morning with Trevor’s cousin Ignarts and his fiancé Joke at a new info centre near the sea wall but practicality and tiredness prevailed and we decided to meet in Wier at the gathering instead. After a busy morning of packing, tidying and rallying sleepy kids, we were soon sitting snugly in our NOT-a-minivan small SUV and were waving goodbye to our beautiful rented home. The rainy drive went smoothly and we even fit in a short stop on the sea wall to overlook the ocean and fresh water lake, which 4/6’s of TELNAS partook in (the TEAN portion) and the remaining 2/6’s chose to stay dry in the car. During a second stop for a necessary washroom break at a convenient nearby McDonald’s, the opportunistic kids used some of their 40 euro to try a sampling of chicken McNuggets (which I suspect was in hopes of avoiding the pre-made boring sandwiches I’d packed). Well, did you know the chicken nuggets in Netherlands are far superior to those from Canada? The reports are that they are much less greasy! ;)

    The reunion was held in a newly renovated town school house. I was later to learn that Trevor’s cousin and wife had a large hand in the building’s restoration and current use. A perfect gathering place for sisters, brothers, aunts, uncles, wives, husbands, cousins, new little ones and welcomed family and new friends visiting from Canada to gather and be together for an afternoon. It was overwhelmingly wonderful to witness Trevor reconnect with his family after many years and a privilege for me, Ava and Sullivan to be accepted and welcomed so warmly by everyone. I continue to process my many conversations and chats, sorting names I’ve heard and read on the family tree for months now with faces, warm hand shakes and kisses on my cheek. I watched our four kids attempt to integrate and make connections of their own, at their own pace and in their own ways to suit their personalities. From almost 16 to newly 8 years old, all four successfully relaxed into the crowd as only time, confidence and bravery can provide.

    Food, treats and drinks were in abundance thanks to those tirelessly organizing behind the scenes. A large group picture was organized outside and May, Trevor’s cousin’s wife, who happens to be a photographer, took the shots. I’ve seen a few now, which have quickly circulated on Facebook and whatsapp and they look great. It is such a large group and you see the magnitude when looking through the lens of the camera. Trevor and I have had many moments throughout this trip where we wish for the rest of his family to be here, most especially his dad and mom. We felt this most intensely at the reunion as we watched his three aunts chat and the whole family mill amongst one another so comfortably. Many well wishes and hellos were sent back with us and we fully intend to pass them along when we’re back in Canada.

    We are now two hours into our flight and I’ve nearly written a small novel. In the interest of sparing you all the details of our time in Friesland all at once, I’ll adjourn here and save the update from day two for another post. Hopefully I can squeeze in some time to look back to our last full exploration day in Holland before life in Iceland takes over. It’s now time to turn my head toward customs, chilly weather, motorhome rental, grocery fetching, a three hour drive to Vik all the while helping to steward four tired kids who will most likely be stary-eyed and full of adrenaline for the aforementioned tasks ahead for TELNAS.

    Until then, wish us well.
    Xo
    E    Read more

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