Tuesday 21st June 2022

Summer solstice.

Darkness is coming.

But not yet.

I awake at half five in my spartan hotel room. Outside the sun is up and already getting warm. I have three hours before I am to be picked up, so I can have a shower, mess around online and gird my loins for the day ahead. I mean, I am supposed to be here for work.

Breakfast is at half six, with the promise of sprinkles. Sprinkles are what we used to call hundreds and thousands, and it is a staple of Dutch breakfasts and snacks. I am glad to report there was sprinkles. And fruit. And coffee.

Decent, smooth coffee.

I am bored by quarter to eight, so go outside where I was sure there would be seating in the sunshine.

There was none.

So I wander around, look at some wildflowers and the traffic going by. It doesn't hold my attention, so go to wait inside.

45 minutes pass.

Maartin arrives in his dusty Renault estate, and takes me and his dust collection over the river to where the office is. Or would have but for the hundreds of yards of solid traffic in the way. We inch down the main road, meaning when we do get through the traffic lights and down to the office, its time to start the day.

I am an auditor, therefore I audit.

I audit for seven straight hours, I am hard. I am auditor.

There is a break for lunch, and I have three sandwiches, a salad and a litre of orange juice to myself. I eat one of the sandwiches, and leave the rest. I was assured once I had left others would finish off the food.

Back to auditing.

I was done at half four, and the final action was to arrange the next day, a visit to a service site which was a two hour drive away. We would go in the hire car, and have to leave at half five.

Eeek.

I was dropped off back at the hotel, I mess around online for an hour or so until it was half six, then go to the restaurant for dinner. A clear soup with tiny meatballs. I mean, I assume they were meatballs. Followed by "devil's soup". Be careful, it's spicy the waiter told me.

I had my doubts.

And I was right. I mean, there was warmth there, but not Madras hot for sure. I ate it all, then had a coffee before going back to my room to get my head down. An early start in the morning.