Accommodation at IMPALLA, Differdange, Luxembourg: July 19-22

With most of the students having left the Institute, we were left alone most of the time, making full use of the kitchen as well as the computer in the fifth floor where I checked my mail and catch up on news portals like Malaysiakini and Malaysia-today. Though we suspected there should have been cctv installed, we could gain entry without problem. Having seen the set-up, I can understand why Cheng said the fifth floor is like home to her. She used to work until the wee hours (her best time for work) and sometimes slept on the couch overnight. The past few weeks had taken a toll on her as she slept an average of 2-3 hours a night. Whenever we were travelling in a train or car, she would doze off. She had to worry about her move from Differdange to Maastricht in Holland on the day we were due to fly off. While Nee had our full support with rented car and Alex’s, she had to rely on Jabi to drive (his first time) on the continental roads and she booked only a Fiesta.

While based in Differdange, we went on day trips to Brussels in Belgium, Nancy in France and Trier in Germany. On the way to Brussels we could see Volkswagen and Audi plants with many cars parked in the open areas. We walked to the park in front of the Cathedral and decided to join an open top bus for a city tour. I always enjoy such tours because it was easy on my legs. It was not easy keeping up with SP where walking is concerned. I was worried that my problematic right knee might just give way and ended up in hospital instead. Having reached home now, I can say that instead of the knee, I had backache instead because of lifting the heavy luggages, one weighed almost 30 kg and marked ‘heavy’ when we checked in. It is now strictly enforced that a luggage is not to exceed 32 kg to be fair to the airport workers. I find it a problem when normally I try to be chivalrous yet I know I am not fit to be so. So, if my wife is the type to insist on carrying the maximum (preferably testing to include a few kg more) how would it look if I just stand by and said I could not lift it whenever necessary?