Just thought I’d send a postcard from the flatlands.
Things are still going ok at this truck company and I’m slowly getting to grips with reversing. It still goes wrong of course but it’s going right more times.
The bosses are treating the drivers and their other halfs to a fun day out at the end of the month. Go Karting in the morning, and then in the afternoon we go to a Prison Break experience where we all have to work together to break out of a secure facility. Then finally a bbq in the evening. My wife says it’s normal for some Dutch firms to reward employees with fun days.
Living in Holland, I miss a few goodies from home like proper bacon, Lincolnshire sausages, Chocolate digestives, Mr Kipling cakes etc. Luckily, a Dutch friend of the family drives for Verhoek Europe and goes to England every week, where he then spends the week mainly working out of the depot in Wakefield, going all over the UK before returning to Holland for the weekend. I sometimes give him a shopping list and he gets the stuff from Asda in Wakefield.
He’s just been allocated a new Daf and gets to take it home sometimes. Picture of the truck on his driveway below.
However, he’s a bit puzzled why the forkie in Nottingham keeps calling him a duck?? He also wants to know what language they speak in Bolton as he can’t understand a word they’re saying.
For the past two weeks, I’ve been laid up unable to work or walk. My daughter thought she would be helpful by slamming the car door for me as I left. Unfortunately, she didn’t realise my foot was still outside the car resulting in a badly swollen ankle, damaged ligaments and crutches. I hope to go back to work next week but I really will be a ‘limper’.
Hope to do a Dutch trucking diary soon.
In Bolton they speak Hindi , or Pakistani don’t they or if English then it’s broad Lancastrian ,
I bet he wouldn’t understand old Fred Dibnah either
blue estate:
In Bolton they speak Hindi , or Pakistani don’t they or if English then it’s broad Lancastrian ,
I bet he wouldn’t understand old Fred Dibnah either
I showed him a youtube video of Fred, and he said “that’s it” that’s how they speak at the delivery address. He also has trouble understanding them in Wakefield. He tried his first chip buttie the other week, and was looking for the mayonaise to put on it like they do over here.
How hard did she slam the door to do that kind of damage!!!■■? 
Citycat. Do they not have Lidl in Holland for some of your shopping? 
Goldfinger:
How hard did she slam the door to do that kind of damage!!!■■?
I didn’t think she slammed it that hard, but somehow she caught my ankle between the door and the frame in such a way to cause me some damage.
SWEDISH BLUE:
Citycat. Do they not have Lidl in Holland for some of your shopping?
They do have Lidl, but they don’t stock those goodies that I listed unfortunately.
Glad that you enjoy Nederland.
It’s funny that all the bacon comes from Holland or Denmark, but you cannot buy proper bacon anywhere in these countries.
Your tastebuds will change, when I came here, I ordered every month a lot of stuff from Holland, after 2 decennia, it’s neither here nor there.
You will get used to mayonnaise on everything, and the choice in the chip shops is just amazing and mind boggling.
You can buy good fried fish at the fish monger, but you can’t buy chips there, neither can you buy fish at the chippy.
Try the Dutch raw herring and the smoked eel, it’s a taste experience, absolute love it.
The raw herring is a great hangover cure and soothes a sore throats.
I’ve always fancied doing something like this but not got the balls
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caledoniandream:
Glad that you enjoy Nederland.
You can buy good fried fish at the fish monger, but you can’t buy chips there, neither can you buy fish at the chippy.
Try the Dutch raw herring and the smoked eel, it’s a taste experience, absolute love it.
The raw herring is a great hangover cure and soothes a sore throats.
Aaah, I could murder some good old fish and chips right now. They’re horrified when you tell them you put vinegar on your chips back home.
Every week there is a market in the town square and the kitchen trailer is always parked up that sells the raw herring covered in onion and the eels. Business is always brisk with the locals standing around dangling the herring into their mouths. I have to say it looks pretty gross and I’m not brave enough to try it.
With the nice weather the past few weeks, there’s been some nice sunsets in the truck.
citycat:
caledoniandream:
Glad that you enjoy Nederland.
You can buy good fried fish at the fish monger, but you can’t buy chips there, neither can you buy fish at the chippy.
Try the Dutch raw herring and the smoked eel, it’s a taste experience, absolute love it.
The raw herring is a great hangover cure and soothes a sore throats.
Aaah, I could murder some good old fish and chips right now. They’re horrified when you tell them you put vinegar on your chips back home.
Every week there is a market in the town square and the kitchen trailer is always parked up that sells the raw herring covered in onion and the eels. Business is always brisk with the locals standing around dangling the herring into their mouths. I have to say it looks pretty gross and I’m not brave enough to try it.
With the nice weather the past few weeks, there’s been some nice sunsets in the truck.
Rollmops, and other pickled herring? Lovely. Maybe new food is best tried in private, so theres no fear about loosing face if spitting it out again. Maybe its mostly tried after a skinful of alcohol though, and any adverse effects from the booze the next morning is blamed on the innocent new food? Some people blame brandy for their hangover; the fact they only drink brandy after a big meal with copious aperitifs and lashings of wine is somehow irrelevant !
pickandmix:
I’ve always fancied doing something like this but not got the balls
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Do it. Its nothing to be worried about. My 3 years on and off at HSF when in my 20s taught me so much and set my career up nicely
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switchlogic:
pickandmix:
I’ve always fancied doing something like this but not got the balls
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Do it. Its nothing to be worried about. My 3 years on and off at HSF when in my 20s taught me so much and set my career up nicely
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Its often said we regret the chances we dont take, rather than those we do.
Franglais:
switchlogic:
pickandmix:
I’ve always fancied doing something like this but not got the balls
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Do it. Its nothing to be worried about. My 3 years on and off at HSF when in my 20s taught me so much and set my career up nicely
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Its often said we regret the chances we dont take, rather than those we do.
christiaankanis.nl/545-2/
Just to warn you though that they’re a bit strange over here. In a friend’s home town, they celebrate New Year by packing old milk churns with explosive carbide. Then, they proceed to sit on the milk churn, and then detonate their home made bomb while still sitting on it, risking their gonads in the process. Watch the video.
The Dutch are bleedin’ mad !
Lol. Do you have any issues with language
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pickandmix:
Lol. Do you have any issues with language
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Most people don’t. Its hard to find a Dutchman who cant at least a little English
Do you live there or just work there?
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I enjoyed the read. Thanks.
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