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Published: June 24th 2006
Que?
Most of the signs in the Euskadi region have this cool typeface. Most words seem designed to win scrabble games.Bilbao turned out fine, no hassles at all, in fact it was a really pleasant place to while away some hours and plan a few next steps. Stomach cramps took a bit of hold which slowed me down alot, meaning lots of rest and a day by the water in a nice little town just north called Plentzia. It was here I realised how much I adore Spain, and Tim Cahill. Granted I'd only seen a bit of the north over two weeks, however the people, atmosphere, warmth and spirit of the country gets inside you and makes it hard to leave.
But leave I did, the urge to take in some more sausage and bad moustaches proving too great, and I took another turn towards Deutschland on Ryanair. Hahn was the ex-military airport and destination, Koblenz the place for a couple of nights of mundane wandering and a touch of Welmeisterschaft fever. The hostel was quite incredible, sited within castle grounds atop a mountain, and overlooking the junction between the Mosel and Rhine.
Suddenly feeling alot better and with more energy I moved on to Arnhem, Netherlands via Cologne. I'd read about a national park with bike paths
A square in Plentzia
Travel inertia had me lazing about in squares like these (Note the Euskal flag). Geez you're boring Bertie. and free white bicycles (If they'd been yellow I'd have passed). So with a bit of wicked highspeed downhill single-track in mind I made that Saturday's activity. Of course I eventually realised that I am in Holland and that expecting hills may be asking a bit too much, so I coasted around an unusual bit of flat landscape with brownish-green grass trees and sand dunes for a few hours, content all the same. Parts somehow looked something like parks in Tasmania.
Amsterdam is apparently home to Europe's most attractive women, speaking perhaps Europe's most unattractive language. So many girls (no, not in the windows) take my breath that I end the day breathless, collapsed in a heap of quivering asphyxiation (no, not in the coffee shops).
I have ground to a halt in a very pleasant, comfortable, gezellig country. A trickle of jobs in my field seems to be appearing here, in Germany, Belgium, and of course the UK, but it may all be in vain. The magic age 30, and only wanting at most 3 months work it seems will be my undoing. I'm going to keep a holding pattern here (now Utrecht) for perhaps a week
Castle grounds
And some medieval festi. while I dissect the situation for us elderly skilled folk in Europe, then probably just volunteer in some capacity - I have no idea what or where. As long as it provides a bed, some kind of challenge, and no more travel for 2 months I'll be fine.
If any of you guys have spare time (David) to websurf such escapades, please help out.. internet use here requires taking out a small mortgage.
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David
non-member comment
Work
Hey Andy It would seem that above the age of 30, your choices are: Kibbutz, sponsored work visa, volunteer work in a third world country of your choice (probably not France), marrying an EU national (preferably not Austrian), or working black. Or not working at all. If you want, we can put you in touch with a friend in London who may be able to help you out with contacts/advice - beyond that, not sure I can help much. You are probably a better chance than most to get sponsored with your IT quals. If you are running out of options, I would head to Ireland and just start applying for short project jobs. When it comes time to discuss visas, just be charmingly evasive. You're bound to encounter a sympatico employer eventually. Surely ?