Bumps in the Road: Overcoming Challenges Along the Way - Travel Every Day - page 66

“Thirty-five euro?” Mark said incredulously. “But I don't know what else we can do.
Maybe we'll get lucky and no one will come along to check our tickets.” Hannah made a
face, but she had to agree that they didn't have any other options. Just then a train pulled
up marked for Amsterdam .
“Okay, sweetheart, here's our chance.” Mark motioned as the train doors opened. “What
do you think?”
“I guess we don't have any other choice. Let's give it a go.”
Mark and Hannah stepped on the train, and Hannah looked around for an official to ex-
plain their situation to. Seeing no one, they found a seat and sat down somewhat anxiously.
“Okay, let's hope for the best,” Mark said. “At least we had a wonderful day, and if we
have to pay the fine, then that's what we'll do.”
Hannah agreed, and the two of them began to relive their experiences from the day, from
discussing the contrast between the modern and classical buildings of The Hague to re-
calling the way Hannah had ordered a selection of nuts and candies for the two of them in
Dutch in a local candy shop near The Hague's city center. Mark was still amazed at just
how beautiful Delft had been, and how perfectly preserved the entire village was, and the
two of them were nostalgically reviewing the pictures of the day when Mark felt a tap on
his shoulder. He turned with a large smile on his face, only to have his smile disappear
as he met the gaze of a stern-looking conductor. “ Goedenavondt. Treintickets, alstublieft .”
The conductor wanted their tickets, and Mark and Hannah shared an anxious look. Han-
nah took the lead and replied, “ Goedenavondt. We hebben een problem. ”
The conductor's eyes narrowed, having heard Hannah explain that they had a problem.
“ Ja? En wat is uw probleem? ” “What is your problem?” the conductor asked in Dutch .
Hannah thought it best to try to use English to avoid confusion, so she decided to ask, in
Dutch, whether the conductor spoke English. “ Spreekt u Engels, meneer ?”
“ Nee, mevrouw, en ik moet uw ticket te zien. ” Hannah understood that the conductor
didn't speak English and that he needed to see their tickets. He was starting to get annoyed,
and the situation was becoming tense. To make matters worse, Hannah was finding that the