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Barbara and I thought that it would lovely if we could go on holiday together. We never saw each other for a long period. Just being together for a long time would be amazing. Of course there was no chance that this was going to happen. Barbara's mother didn't even know that I existed or that Barbara had a boyfriend.

Then we had this great idea. If we could persuade her mother to let that Barbara go on a culture trip abroad organized by school, she probably would agree. Barbara and I were good at arranging things. I think Barbara would have been a good manager. We looked for two students who would be accepted by her mother as decent students. They could convince her mother that it was really necessary that Barbara had to go on this trip.

We asked our most respectable Chinese friend and an Iranian girlfriend. They agreed. Barbara gave them instructions on what they should talk about and which topics they definitely should avoid. We planned the holiday from Sunday till Friday during the first week of the two week Easter holiday. That way Barbara could still work in the weekend in the shop and the whole week after the holiday.

It worked. Our friends played their part beautifully and Barbara's mother agreed.


We met at the train station in Cambridge to take the train to Harwich. From there we took the night ferry to Hook of Holland. When Barbara sat next to me in the train we finally believed that we managed to pull this off. The days before were very tense days and there was always the danger that her mother would find out.
The journey on the ferry took 8 hours, we didn't have a place to sleep. We went to the restaurant, that was closed, and collected a lot of cushions from which we made a bed. We also managed to find some blankets. It wasn't comfortable and we weren't alone, as more people copied our idea, but for us it was perfect. Barbara wasn't sea sick, what surprised me.

 

计划去度假

我想如果我和翁美玲一起过一个假期一定是件很美好的事情。我们已经有很长一段时间没见面了。如果我们能待在一起很久就太好了。当然,这不可能发生。翁美玲的妈妈甚至不知道我的存在,不知道翁美玲有个男朋友。很快,我们想了个好主意应付这个问题。如果我们能使翁美玲的妈妈让翁美玲参加学校组织的文化旅行,她妈妈或许会同意。我和翁美玲很擅长规划事情。

我想翁美玲一定能成为一个好的管理者。我们找到两个翁美玲母亲能视为好学生的两人。他们俩能使翁美玲母亲认为让翁美玲参加这种文化旅行是件必要的事情。我们叫上了我们认为值得尊敬的一个中国朋友和一个伊朗女孩去说服翁美玲的妈妈。翁美玲告诉他们在她妈妈面前该说什么,不该说什么。我们计划假期从周日到复活节第二周的周五。这样,翁美玲就能在第二周的周末赶回店里继续打工了。计划成功了。我们的朋友做的很好,翁美玲的妈妈同意了。


我们在剑桥的火车站见面,然后一起搭火车去哈维奇。从那里我们坐一夜的渡轮去荷兰。在这几天前,我们真的很紧张,我们怕翁美玲妈妈发现我们是在骗她。


在渡轮上的旅程足足有8个小时,我们没有地方睡觉。在一个停止营业的餐馆里,我们收集了许多垫子铺成了张床。我们还曾想找一些毯子来盖。其实这样睡起来还是不很舒服,并且很多人抄袭我们的方法都挤进来铺垫子睡觉。


(translated by Zhi)

 

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Josephine
6 years ago
I can tell how much effort you two paid to arrange everything. It was not easy but you made it ! The love story became even more touching because of all these "barriers" imposed by Brabara's family.
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Guest
13 years ago
This is an interesting journey,Look forward to your next story
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Guest
13 years ago
Planning to go on holiday
- We are kept in suspense for now.
- Looking forward to know how you & Barbara spent the rest of the holidays
- Great memories
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Guest
13 years ago
Another great entry! Keep the stories going.
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Guest
13 years ago
more more more more more more more stories please.

thanks so much....for your time and willingness to tell us your life experience....
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Guest
13 years ago
more more more...please. :-)
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Guest
13 years ago
Poor mom. :P

Can't wait to read about the journey itself.

BTW, a typo in the picture: 'copywrite'
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