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Harold van Oorschot
Who loves to travel will know my interests, I love to see and experience other countries. The new cultures, people and above all nature. That is why I normally travel with my friend "Backpack" :P and others. In this blog I describe my own experiences about my private and job related travels.Haroldje
After one year working at the office as a trainee engineer for Van Oord I decided to work more outside.
Now I am working for the same company as a superintendent on projects all around the globe. My first project was in Qatar, a large chemo-patrol harbour construction. The harbour is extended and my job was to coordinate and work with two dredge vessels called "Volvox Delta" and "Rotterdam" this was very interesting. And after my study (Integrated Coastal Zone Management) I have the feeling I work directly with coastal zone, everyday I am on the water or working on projects in the coastal area. Now I am asked to participate in a trainee program that lasts for one year (start end of September 2009). The trainee program shows the company and learns about the different departments. This sounds interesting as well, so I will do this!
Who am I:
Well I am Harold van Oorschot born in 1982 in Schijndel, The Netherlands. Most of my time at primary school I spend looking outside to see the nature. When I saw the importance of studying this changed ..well I spend still allot of time to see what happens outside.
After two years of working I bought a house that I rebuild with my dad. Photos are also on this page.
In September I start with a traineeship from Van Oord and for one whole year I will learn and study about the company.
When you’re interested to travel with me or know more about me and my job, just contact me.
Travel Blog Posts
April 14th 2013
Round-trip in Thailand March-April 2013 After 9 weeks of starting up a project in the world famous Dubai I flew on the 22nd of March 2013 to Bangkok where my first real Asian experience begun. In fact it is my second but Turkmenistan is not really seen as an Asian country and now I also know why. After a arrival in Bangkok I was picked up and we drove three hours to the south between two city’s: Cha-Am and Hua Hin. There was a condo arranged at the 14th floor, a nice place with a great view over the Thai Ocean. The first days where relax days, some looking around in the area, visiting the monkey rock and some temples and Buddha’s as well shopping at Hua Hin and visiting the famous and o so nice ... read more
January 19th 2013
19th of January 2013 Finally again in the plane for my job….after 1,5 years of working in the Netherlands I am heading for Dubai. Most of my colleagues have worked here and I wonder about all the stories I have heard about this so fast developing place. At Arrival at Dubai airport it became clear that the quit years are behind, a huge hall full with people waiting for their passport control and visa stamp, tired I join the mob of many different cultures, Indian, Arab, Europeans and wait 1,5 hour for a stamp. Drivers are lined up, to many to read all the signs / names on both sides I head for the Van Oord logo. After a short introduction we head for the car and drive to the Byblos Hotel. Around 2 o clock ... read more
Sea kayak experience Canada
Published: October 25th 2011North America » Canada » British Columbia » Vancouver » North Vancouver
September 4th 2011
:Canadian adventure, September 2011 4th of September after a good party for my brother his B-day early in the morning at 6.00 Ricardo, Marcel and me where brought to Airport Dusseldorf in Germany for a direct flight to Vancouver BC. At the airport we walked trough security and our long haired friend had to go back trough security because he had some fluids in his hand luggage... We where early trough the checks and had a breakfast, during the breakfast Marcel had to make the “funny” comment: you will see that behind us is a whining kid….and in the plane there he was….a terrible kid right behind Marcel…damm. Well ok, I did what I can do best….fall asleep and sleep….after several wakeup brakes we landed in Vancouver. By taxi we went to the Hotel close by ... read more
July 18th 2011
Active Holliday Slovenia 2011-08-08 During my leave in July 2011 it was bad weather in the Netherlands and most of Northern Europe. Planning to enjoy a small trip to test my new camera my first idea was NORWAY!!!! But bad weather, then I saw on the internet from Labyrinth a nice trip to Slovenia, active, challenging: Canyoning, hiking, rafting, kayaking, climbing and allot of nice and crazy people! Thursday I booked the trip and Monday I was around 1 o’clock I was in the bus on my way. I sat between a group of teens heading to the coast of Croatia. When I prepared for the trip: taking a nice PALM beer, plate of tapas and cashew nuts they looked strange…..hearing them say: did we take beer? Made me smile and remember my first trips. After ... read more
Project Sakhalinsk, Russia
Published: June 14th 2011Europe » Russia » Far East » Sakhalin » Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk
June 14th 2011
Another experience May 24th the plane left Schiphol airport to fly via Seoul (South Korea) to Yuzhno Sakhalin Airport where the plane touched ground at 17.00 May 25th. The same day we went directly to the office and meet the project team. After a brief introduction and arranging our safety gear we all went to the GaraGara hotel and signed in. On the ground floor of the hotel was a Karaoke bar with good sushi. The next day at 7.00 the breakfast was ready and 7.30 most of the project team went walking trough a park to the office, this was a nice walk of about 10 minutes. The week before there was still lots of snow and now plants start popping up from the ground and growing so fast you could hear it. The port ... read more
February 25th 2011
In three days I will meet my parents and my brother in Reykjavik where we will bath in the Blue lagoon and walk on the mountains. They come back from a nice trip (USA and a family visit in Canada) while I have been working in Lagos...hmmm international family :) There I will try my new camera, Olympus stylus tough 8010 and see if it is as tough as described: P After my arrival at Schiphol I had to wait much to long and I saw each shop and bar.... Then I flew to Iceland and the weather there was snow and windy. The Fly bus brought me directly to the Back Packers lodge in downtown Reykjavik in the middle of the shopping street of the main capital of Iceland (containing about 300.000 inhabitants :)) After ... read more
September 14th 2010
Project in Nigeria 13th of September 2010 my bag is prepared and I am ready to fly to Nigeria. This is a reclamation project one of 3 phases. The project is close to the branch office and that is also where we operate from. Working in a branch office has big advances because the people are already known with the region and facilities are well organized. In the evening, when it was already dark we landed. But my first impression of Nigeria was busy and disorganized in front of the airport. There are too many cars for the bad roads so for transport a long time has to be calculated. When arriving in the apartment there was some good spaghetti and I meet my college again. Together we will guide this project and prepare all arrangements. ... read more
May 17th 2010
This is the last project during my traineeship year within Van Oord. I’m send to a river project in Brazil to work as a superintendent on a project with 3 working and one survey vessel. The flight to Brazil went from Schiphol via Paris and Rio de Janeiro and ended in the hotel in Itajai. The travel started on Saturday night 3.00 and arrived 27 hours later in a hotel where I directly went top bed. After 6 hours of sleep I accompanied a colleague with breakfast and we went to the office. The office is on the eighth floor and looks over the city and the river where we work. For lunch we go to a nice restaurant where you pay the food by kilo. You can take what you want and at the end ... read more
November 10th 2009
Turkmenistan On the 19th of October my flight of 17.30 brought me from Amsterdam via Istanbul to Asghabath the main capitol of Turkmenistan. The last flight was terrible, many people with to many stuff! I was surprised the people could carry so much. After landing I had to go for my visa, this took 2 hours of waiting. Than there was a man assisting how to get on my inland flight, this took about 2 hours to Turkmenbashy. When it got light I saw that the entire inland flight was over dessert and rocks. No towns or signs of civilisation. When the plain started its landing I saw some roads and gas pipes crossing the landscape. The small airport had one landing strip and a still under construction flight tower. All foreigners where again placed in ... read more
July 1st 2009
Meanings in life Change: April 2011 It is clear that in every phase of life the importance of material and feelings change. When you’re a baby a dirty diaper makes you upset, later it’s the car your older brother has confiscated by force. Sometimes we think we understand the meaning for some feelings and later they changes as rapid as clouds for the sun. Here I am 29 years old, 5346 km away from my family and friends in a strange country of which we never can understand the culture. In a few weeks I will travel to another remote destination for a next adventure. That is my life now but how did this start: This is all due to one of those moments you think you understood. I found out what loving means and I ... read more
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