Not all of the Netherlands is flat

“Pain is inevitable. Suffering is optional.”

- Haruki Murakami

If you ever want to know where the Dutch have hidden their hills, just go to Nijmegen. When I was initially told about the Zevenheuvelenloop (seven hills run) I took the use of the word 'hill' with a pinch of salt. After all, this is a flat country and you can probably argue that there are more inverted hills than actual ones!

But as I heard more and more about this race I began to realise that this was probably going to be quite tough. As I waited with 15,000 other people in the back streets of Nijmegen I was wondering how steep these hills really were. Take a look at this image that shows the profile of the run...

Now let me assure you that the centre part is red for a very good reason. Now take a look at this picture...

...and you may begin to realise that when they say hills they really do mean it! So, in short, it was a pretty tough run but I still managed 1:15:31, which I am extremely pleased with!

I was very lucky in the fact that work sponsored our team to attend as part of their Fit For Work scheme. Here is a picture of me and two colleagues before the race!

Congratulations to everyone from Fugro that ran with us that day - it was tiring, but great!

Ik woon in Den Haag

"Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance you must keep moving."
- Albert Einstein

So, after one year of what became an elaborate game of geographic table tennis I have finally made the move to the Netherlands. I've been here two weeks now and have to say that it doesn't feel like that major a change at all! As I have got to know many people here in the last 12 months it felt more like the completion of something, rather than the start.

Of course, what was more difficult was leaving Newcastle. Having spent 7 years of my life there it really did feel like home. A busy week of trying to see as many people as I could before I left ended in a great leaving party for my flatmate, Tom, and myself. Coupled with that was the fact that it was my birthday within days of arriving in the Netherlands. Thankfully, as you can see from the picture below, having a birthday in a foreign country for a second year running didn't go unforgotten!
 

Spot the little bit of Newcastle in my new apartment!

Returning to the Cecilia International Choir has made me realise that Christmas is fast approaching and it will, in fact, not be long until I make the return to the UK to see friends and family. But to get back into singing again really is great. Incidentally, if anyone is around The Hague area on 15th, 16th and 18th December then why not come along to one of the concerts?

I never thought I would be singing John Rutter again...

This week was the viva examination for my PhD thesis, which involved a brief two day trip back to Newcastle. It felt very strange knowing that I no longer lived there, especially when I saw the 'to let' sign outside my old flat. But after a rather daunting 3h40m, I was told that I had 12 months to complete the corrections to my thesis and did not need to do another viva. I cannot yet prefix my name with 'Dr.', but I am well on the way! Naturally, I also had a great time celebrating with my CeG colleagues in the evening!

Finally, I also hope to revive another one of my passions...

I might need to buy a practice mute if I'm not to annoy the neighbours!

Taking advantage of my trip to Newcastle I brought back my trumpet. Hopefully I can find a jazz band or orchestra in The Hague who is in need of some extra brass!

So this brings to an end my first blog post. If anyone has a suggestion for a better name for this blog then please do let me know. If you are interested in hearing tales of other Newcastle University PhD students that have been scattered across the globe then take a look at Letters from Colorado.

Tot ziens!