After some delay due to illness I made it to Gent today. The train ride started early (6:30am). My brother managed to get home in time from his night out to see me off. With 4 train changes I had to make darn sure that I wouldn’t sleep on any leg or I’d probably wake up somewhere completely removed from my desired destination. The ride to Frankfurt had no surprises - I had done this leg many times when getting to the Frankfurt Airport for my flights out to the States. They offer a new service: The “we make sure you don’t think this is a plane” service. So after we left the airport station staff came through asking if anybody was a Lufthansa passenger…Well, either they wanted to make sure that people really didn’t think Lufthansa is flying low these days or they wanted to remind people that the airport *was* their stop - in which case I would think the service is somewhat useless…
Anyway, after some more changes, always carrying my backpack with most of my belongings, a daypack with two laptops and a not particularly cooperating box with my bicycle I finally arrived In Bruxelles-Midi. That was a confusing station, because the Flemish and German announcement called it Brussel-South, the French called it Bruxelles-Midi and the English just plain Brussels. So I made sure that it was really Midi, before setting foot on the platform. Midi means noon and all I can figure is that there is some kind of connection between the sun in the south at noon…But I don’t think they should have overtired train passengers make those kinda decisions after traveling for 6 hours…
I then had to master the final leg, from Brussels to Gent. Easy enough, train leaves at 1:06pm and gets to Gent at 1:33pm. As I get to the platform I notice there is another train to Gent at 1pm. So why not take it? After all it’s an Interregional train - surely doesn’t stop more often than an Intercity, right? Yeah, right….So instead of 1:33 I get to Gent at 1:50. Oh well.
The walk to the apartment is easy and nice. Partially through a park. I come to a cave like entrance that is overgrown and looks like a jungle. And noises that suggest the same. As I walk through, I notice that yes, the noises came from some wild tropical animals: a few roosters are chasing each other, while htree ducklings cross the path with mama right behind.
One of my new teammates greets me in the apartment. The staircase is so narrow that I actually need to fold my folding bike in order to get up. The box and the backpacks I send with the elevator. One bad step and you certainly can’t fall down here: The stairs are so narrow that you surely will get your shoulders stuck, even if your first name isn’t Arnold…
The apartment is nice, and really bright: The living room front side is nothing but window. There is a major street, so the window will have to be closed most of the time, but at least there is a balcony at the back.
Yes, I think I will like it here :)
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