I wasn’t going to put the theft of my bike out there, because I suspected it would be met with comments such as: “You left South Africa to get your bike stolen?” or “But I thought Amsterdam was safe?!?”. And you’d be right. But apparently bike theft is the biggest crime in Amsterdam, and if you’re going to be foolish…

Our seven suitcases have been unpacked, our internet is working, our cell numbers are now Dutch ones, my son has eaten two packets of stroopwafels, and all our IKEA furniture has been assembled (not by us, as you might recall. We have achieved a lot so far, and fortunately we were able to stay in our apartment from the first…

My husband doesn’t really get stressed, but the last week of “coronavirus emigration admin” has been trying for him. He’s the smarter, more organised and more logical of us, and he’s also more cautious, so while I’ve been saying things like “This time next week we’ll be in Amsterdam”, he’s been nervous, wondering if when all the paperwork and permission…