The last time I was in The Netherlands was for a week long conference for work. I survived the international flight, landing at Schipol at 6am and finding nothing open for breakfast, managed to navigate the train system by myself (the old, mechanical flip board in Amsterdam’s Central Station is a magnificent sight to behold), and got to the hotel at the beach (it was November) on the North Sea without damage.
My collegues were great people: smart, funny, prone to telling dirty jokes in loud voices in public, and serious drinkers. By the fourth day not only was I hung over, I was also sick. Someone showed up with the tail end of a sinus infection and due to the alcohol, the travel, and the impenetrable clouds of cigarette smoke I picked it up like something that gets picked up right away after being dropped.
My flight home to the U.S. included not only said sinus infection and hang over but also menstrual cramps. Until very recently I didn’t think it was possible to feel sicker without being seriously ill.
Boy was I wrong.
I don’t normally get the viral infections. I’m lucky that way given that I come from people who as a family pass the same cold back and forth all winter long. I must have been ripe for it because I spent the last two days shuttling between the couch and the toilet, security bowl in hand for the vast space in between.
Did I mention the cramps?
Yeah, minor illness can get worse than having to face the gendarme with the automatic weapon at customs while you’re sick, the uterus is making a fist, and you’re hung over. But at least this time I didn’t have to have my luggage searched.