Update: now in KL

We are now in the lounge in KL. It is 3.30 pm on Thursday here, 9.30am in The Netherlands, so an overnight flight. Our next flight leaves at 10.20pm, so we get another - shorter- night flight. It is about 30 degrees outside, but lovely and cool inside. John has just gone for a shower, Liz can't because of the difficulty getting her compression stockings on and off! Well, difficult for John to do, they are extremely tight fitting.
Flight went well, small pockets of turbulence occasionally. Will go for a wander around the airport later with Liz in the wheelchair.

Checked in at last

So we arrived at the airport and went to the KLM check-in desk. We were in the system but she could not find our ticket. It took over half an hour to get our boarding pass! Then we went to the KLM lounge which took ages to get to with John pushing Liz in a wheelchair. Arrived there to be told we must go to the Malaysian Airways lounge. We walked all the way there to be told we must go to the KLM lounge. Ok, we were getting rather fed up at this point. Went back to KLM lounge and they discussed it and let us in. Not very acceptable from our point of view, but at least we are ticketed through to Wellington now!

Catching up with Tante Johanna

We visited Tante Johanna in Bergin today.

Recuperating in The Netherlands

We are now booked to return home, leaving next Wednesday 22nd and arriving on Friday 24th at 2.45pm from Melbourne. So we have one week left to enjoy the European summer -it is currently 26 degrees, with weekend temps due to hit 30.
It was lovely to have Amy here for a few days, she and John collected our bikes and gear on Sunday from the hotel in Amsterdam, and took the rental car back into Amsterdam on Monday.
Liz went to Beverwjk Hospital and had her stitches out, and a full cast from the hand to over the elbow put on. So hopefully that will be all ok until back in Wellington.
Luus and Theo have gone on holiday today, so we are house and cat-sitting until we leave.

Have both been to the nearby hairdresser this morning, so are looking a bit neater.
Will go out for a drive later in our loan car - thanks Berry!

Liz and cousin Luus in Heemskerk

Recuperation underway!

Amy in Heemskerk

Well, Liz Amy and John have now arrived in Holland for the required 2 weeks recuperation time before Liz is allowed to fly home. John hired a car in Oelde and we all drove over Saturday. 320km. 

First time for John driving a left hand drive car in Europe and a manual to boot!

Amy flew to Dusseldorf and took a train to Oelde,but since Liz was discharged Saturday she has joined us in Holland and flys home Tuesday.

We recovered the bikes and gear from the hotel in Amsterdam this morning - many thanks to our cycling colleagues who packed up my bike.

Amy and I have reassembled the bikes so I can go out riding. She has indicated she and Jerome would like bikes in Lonfdon so she may take them....

A relation of Liz's has offered to lend us a car for a couple of weeks, so we should be able to get around. May buy a GPS so navigation is easier.

Will send another post later.

--
John & Liz Pfahlert
P O Box 9740
Marion Square
Wellington 6141

Update on Liz

Good news, Liz has been given the OK by her doctor to leave hospital, 2 weeks after we arrived.

I'll hire a car and we leave Saturday morning for The Netherlands. No immediate return home as her stitches and cast on her arm can't be removed till late next week, and then probably a few days more to get her mobile enough to fly. We will be staying for the first few days with her cousin Luus in Heemskirk in Holland. 

Amy is flying over Friday (tomorrow) evening and will join us. She flys into Dusseldorf and takes a train here to Oelde, and will fly back to London Tuesday from Amsterdam.

All our gear is at a hotel in Amsterdam, and this will all need to be picked up and cleaned before we can travel. 

So a big thanks due to the medical staff here who have been really excellent. 

Liz has some additional holiday snaps courtesy of the X-ray department here showing her elbow with 10 titanium screws holing a plate in place!

So, our holiday continues, albeit at a different pace.

Regards to one and all.

John and Liz

--
John & Liz Pfahlert
P O Box 9740
Marion Square
Wellington 6141

Update on Liz

Not the greatest of news to report to family and friends I'm afraid.

Liz had a CT scan today and the doctors have decided she has cracked her pelvis, the reason for Liz finding it difficult to walk.

The young lady doctor says she would like to keep Liz here  for a further 1 to 2 weeks so they can monitor and treat her. Any plans I had for rejoining the tour to Barcelona have been dashed, since I cannot leave her here where few speak English.

I have to say that since it is my birthday I feel a little depressed at this development. 

Perhaps if the insurance company monitor my blog site they will offer to shout a good bottle of champagne?

I think perhaps Rudyard Kipling had something to say about these type of developments in If .......but you will need to be an affiacondo of poetry to understand the significance...

At this stage therefore all our gear wends its way to Barcelona, to be returned by truck late August to Amsterdam.

I suspect we will get to Holland in about 2 weeks and spend time with the relatives before our return to NZ.

Not perhaps exactly how I saw myself spending my  4 weeks of special leave which my employer granted me following the company restructuring, but this is life and I always say that adversity builds character, though right now I wish it were otherwise.

 

I will report again where there are further developments.

John

--
John & Liz Pfahlert
P O Box 9740
Marion Square
Wellington 6141

Update on Liz's Operation

Good news on the operation front. Liz has just emerged from surgery in good health. The doctors have pronounced the operation on her elbow a success. She is now held together with a titanium plate and screw......All she now requires is a gyroscope to keep her bike upright in future.

It's now 6 pm local time and I'm taking a break from the hospital. Hopefully we will be able to now leave Oelde in 3 or 4 days. Very hot here today at 32 degrees. 

Thank you to all the family and friends who have sent emails, too many to respond to directly, so if you think someone needs updating please let them them know.

--
John & Liz Pfahlert
P O Box 9740
Marion Square
Wellington 6141

Update on Liz's Operation

Good news on the operation front. Liz has just emerged from surgery in good health. The doctors have pronounced the operation on her elbow a success. She is now held together with a titanium plate and screw......All she now requires is a gyroscope to keep her bike upright in future.

It's now 6 pm local time and I'm taking a break from the hospital. Hopefully we will be able to now leave Oelde in 3 or 4 days. Very hot here today at 32 degrees.

Thank you to all the family and friends who have sent emails, too many to respond to directly, so if you think someone needs updating please let them them know.

--
John & Liz Pfahlert
P O Box 9740
Marion Square
Wellington 6141

An example of the nutritious food being served so far on the trip

From Marienhospital Oelde

Well by now all family and friends are aware of the setback to the cycling trip due to Liz's fall from her bike last Saturday. She is in good spirits, but a little annoyed with herself. Her walking is still slow but that is due to severely strained leg muscles. It is now Tuesday afternoon and she is scheduled to have an operation on her elbow Wednesday late morning or early afternoon. 

John has been out and about and determined that hiring a rental car and driving Liz to Amsterdam is the best course of action once Liz is well enough to travel.

At this stage the plan is to try and get moving either Saturday or Sunday, and the surgeon doing the operation is ok with that provided Liz doesn't get any infections and feels well enough to move.

John is trying to get confirmation from the insurance company that they will cover the costs of the rental car for a one way hire. The hire company is called Sixt and say that all they require to hire a car is a valid NZ licence, passport and credit card. The insurance company have so far been wonderful, advising they will cover all medical costs and the costs of Johns hotel.

John plans to rejoin the tour in Brugge in Belgium if the above plan all comes to pass. Liz will meanwhile convalesce with her cousin Luus until Amy can come from London to take charge. 

Liz thinks there is a conspiracy to prevent John from ever traveling within The Netherlands and meeting her relations! He has never been to Holland whereas Liz has been many times and met all her relations on many occasions. 

Many thanks to all of our friends and family who have been in touch. If you have not been contacted directly it's because John has been a bit distracted, and if truth been told, somewhat challenged by using Liz's iPad and iPhone, both of which he rarely uses!

One of our close friends suggests that in future we travel by bus, but my challenge to him is to join us on our next trip and discover the joys of cycling, German hospitals notwithstanding!

Will keep you all posted as to developments.

John and Liz

--
John & Liz Pfahlert
P O Box 9740
Marion Square
Wellington 6141