End of story...

The year 2008 will start for me personally in a much different way then I had anticipated in the first place. That is the reason, why I went to meet with my bikermates on sunday, before my motorbike will be sold...

Present...
In the beginning of december our daughter drops by and surprises us with a vacation. The kids have joined together, because on december 20 we will celebrate our 25th wedding anniversary. They offer us a vacation to: destination unknown in the first place, but later that week we learn that we will land on Antalya airport in Turkey. It's just not known yet in which place our hotel will be. We will hear that, after we have landed. That gives me the opportunity to get aquainted with my boss.

Job-offer...
Ever since the end of august I know a man, who has a small travel agency in Alanya. Through a site we got to know each other and now and then we exchange messages. That is how we eventually end up on msn. Now I usually have the name of my website behind my msn-name and he must have clicked it, because he asks me if I speak those languages. If so, I am the person he has been looking for. So I talk about it with my family and Roel will let me go for 3 months. That means I have to give up lots and leave behind even more. But this is the adventure I have always dreamed of.

Cold shower...
The day after Christmas, Roel tells me he wants a divorce. Well what to do next? I could stay here, get a house and try to find work. But I can also do it there as there is more work there then only those 3 months. I can always come back after the season. My work as moderator of motorforum.nl and my stories that I write for Zeens.nl/motor/ I have to give up. Maybe I will send some story about bike-related events I run into, but not every 2 weeks. So I have to make some decisions and when I talk about it with my bikermate on msn, he asks if we can at least get together and see and speak with each other, before I leave. We agree to come together with a group of close friends on the Jack Middelburg Square near the TT-racing track. But in part of the Netherlands it is raining.

TT-race-track...
When I arrive shortly after one pm, it is only Rudy that is enjoying the sun. Together we smoke one after we greet each other. But when the sun hides behind a cloud it cools down rapidly. We start our engines and drive to Rudy his house. When we drive away from the track we pass the crematorium and for a moment I think of another goodbye. Then we move on to Rudy his place, where we enjoy coffee amongst his family and of course the dogs. Before I know it, it is close to 3 pm and I leave them for my homeward journey. I choose not to drive via Groningen, but via Smilde. This means only the first 10 kms a low sun in my face, but after that not anymore.

Die hards...
Near Oosterwolde a Honda Goldwing rides in front of me. Near Drachten I overtake him and greet him of course. Only a moment later he overtakes me and switches his flasherlamp on. I take the exit to a service station too. I have hardly removed my helmet or he shakes my hand and asks me if I would like to drink a coffee with him. Why not, but I have just lit a cigarette. So he walks in to get two cups of coffee and together we drink it. Just bikers joining for conversation. Another cigarette and then I move homeward. In a short while I will move abroad and will not come back for a while. At least not on this base. I think the best thing to do is sell, both the Shadow and the Deauville. So it's end of story...

Betty Smit, Motormeisje.nl

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