Embarking on a New Adventure and Stress Reducing Perfumes

/ Sandra

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Sandra

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Hi APJ! How is everyone doing?

As you read this I will be packing up my home in Rotterdam. We have had an amazing two years here in the Netherlands and will miss so many people and places. It has been a truly wonderful experience for me.

Embarking on a New Adventure and Stress Reducing Perfumes

I have fallen in love with the open and friendly people, the vibrant landscapes and vast magical skies. The winter sunrises and sunsets will forever be emblazoned in my memory. The fragrant vivid flowers, colours bursting with joy, brought me endless hours of sheer fascination. Greens in all shades dotting the horizon, the parks and the gardens made me smile each and every day.

The people I have met, friends I have made enriched my life. Pain comes with change and leaving; the pain of leaving dear friends. We choose to look at it in another light – that we have friends in another country and we can always come back and they can come visit us.

We are embarking on a new adventure – uprooting our family and moving to Basel, Switzerland. Starting at the beginning again makes me nervous and apprehensive and yet I remember my experiences in Rotterdam and I know that Basel will give us priceless memories as well. My love of travel, adventure and delving into the unknown was reawakened here in Rotterdam. Through the many lonely nights with my husband on the road, I found out exactly how strong I actually am. I grew into myself with my self confidence and in all honesty learning to love myself for who I am. For that growth alone, Rotterdam will hold a special place in my heart.

This will be the fastest move I have ever done. My husband signed the contract on 28 December and we leave Rotterdam on 27 January! Needless to say I am a wee bit stressed. I have been wearing the heck out of my Dries van Noten and am dangerously low in my bottle. Other perfumes keeping me calm and clear headed are Lira, Bois d’Argent and using up my sample of Irisistible.

Swiss Embassy Door Knocker

Do I buy a backup of the Dries van Noten or wait until it has been drained? What should I take for the two weeks before we get the shipment for the temporary housing? I will bring some new samples which will hopefully keep me busy and writing.

Here are my latest pictures from Rotterdam.

Until next time from Basel.

Lots of fragrant kisses,

Sandra xo

44 thoughts on “Embarking on a New Adventure and Stress Reducing Perfumes”

  1. Good luck with everything. I admire your sense of adventure! I am the least adventurous person on the planet 🙂
    when I am stressed I usually reach for essential oils…the calming grounding ones (frankincense, myrrh, lavender, sandalwood, vanilla, patchouli)…maybe some perfumes that have those notes are in your collection?

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    • Hi Brigitte, I too pove the essential oils, especially Frankincense! I would like to think that I am adventurous, but it seems that this is just my life and I have to adapt. My nerves are rather rattled at the moment. 🤫
      Sandra xo

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    • Hey Portia! You said it all! Mohur is a fabulous idea! Will do. It will smell wonderful in the cold. Would love to see you in Switzerland one day. 😬
      Sandra xo

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    • Thanks Matty! I will definitely post pictures of Basel and hopefully will be able to find some flowers too. I will miss the abundance of flowers here.
      Sandra xo

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  4. Rotterdam will miss you too I am sure! At the moment being in a somewhat stressful time myself I have fallen more and more in love with Irristible and bought it as an early birthday present (tomorrow!). As I commented here it is for me the second ‘coming home’ perfume out of all these years of perfumistahood (give and take a few perfume fatigue periods). So that would be my advice, or any of the other April Aromatic perfumes, they all have a soothing and destressing effect on me! If I didn’t have any April Aromatics I think I would wear Slowdive to destress, or any of the Mona di Orio’s. Good luck and godspeed Sandra!

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    • Oh I am thrilled that you bought a bottle of Irisistible Hamamelis! I am certainly toying with the thought of buying a bottle of Irisistible. Will take it easy for the time
      being and see what happens. I love Mona di Orio’s Musc! Thank you for all of your kind words.
      Sandra xo

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  5. Lovely post and photos Sandra. My Mom is from the Netherlands and I have enjoyed my visits there as well.
    Best wishes with your move and new adventures in Switzerland! Exciting!
    I think your fragrance choices are beautiful, and I vote for you getting another bottle of Dries Van Noten. I think it would be good to have your calming comfort fragrance with you while settling into your new home and environment. Xx

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    • Thank you Kathleen for your kind words. I am still thinking about the Dries van Noten. I am sure that the move will go smoothly and hope that we will find a flat quickly – that will help with calming me…
      Sandra xo

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  6. I’m so impressed at your at your positive attitude to this time of upheavel Sandra. You truly threw yourself into life in Rotterdam and I know you will do the same in Basel. It will be so worth it if you get more time together as a family. I agree about getting that back up bottle of DvN. It will give you comfort knowing it’s there.

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    • Awww thanks dear Tara! I will surely throw myself into life in Basel. It is the only way to do it, otherwise all I do is compare and complain. 🤭 More time with the family is the whole reason why we are doing this. You are my inspiration BtW.
      Sandra xo

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  7. OMG, it’s been already two years? Time flies…
    I wish you and your family lots of luck in your new home and hope you’ll find it to be at least as nice as Rotterdam. For me it would be unthinkable to move around so often.
    I think the samples you’ve taken with you to bridge the time before your perfumes arrive are just perfect. Maybe you’ll associate your new home with one of them and then you could buy a FB of it instead of DvN which connects you to Rotterdam.

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    • OMG Neva! Two years flew by in a flash. It feels like I arrived yesterday. You make a very interesting and valid point about buying a perfume! I will find my connection in Basel as well.
      Sandra xo

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  8. Good luck to you and your family as you embark on this latest adventure. I too vote for a new bottle of Dries- you need whatever brings you comfort and peace with such a quick upheaval in your life.

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    • Thank you MMKinPA! I will leave the decision until Saturday when we will be downtown. The quick upheaval is challenging.
      Sandra xo

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  11. Two years already?! But how exciting that you are off to discover a new city, make even more friends, see more things, and ease into another city’s rhythm. (I really enjoy that sense of discovery, and mapping out a new neighbourhood as part of my life.)

    Love your scent choices–Bois d’Argent is so smooth and soothing. I’d suggest adding a reliable spine-stiffener/battle-armour to the perfume mix: No.19, Bandit, or your own equivalent that makes you feel unstoppable. The sort of thing that can help you stare down movers and anyone else who is adding stress to your preparations. That, or something so overwhelmingly bright and cheerful you get that shimmery boost even when knackered. And, for those first two weeks, something that makes the space yours–sounds like the DvN is just the ticket for that. Or, got a favourite candle?

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    • Dear Crikey, thank you for your words of support and encouragement. Your comment made me add Ashoka as my armour and spine stiffener! Thank you for that forethought.
      Sandra xo

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  12. Blimey. Did you drink the Dries? I love it too. Gorgeous stuff, and very comforting. Wishing you all the strength in the world as you cope with new schools, languages, (well, Swiss German …) settling your son and yourself. And hope your hubbie has success in his new job. Huge hugs. xxxxx

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    • Ha! Pretty much guzzled it Val! I love the Dries with loads of sprays. Thank you for all the wishes – we just need to get through the next three days and then we will be breathing again.
      Sandra xo

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    • Thanks Kate! Record time here and we are miraculously still standing, just slightly on edge. 😬 I look forward to trying the samples as it will bring some normalcy.
      Sandra xo

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  14. Sandra, wishing you strength and the best of luck in this adventure. Don’t forget that you’re moving from one beautiful country to another, and that new friends are waiting for you in Basel. Take care & safe travels!

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    • Hi Fazal, I have lived my whole life moving and discovering new cities and I sometimes wonder how my life would be if I had stayed in my birth country.
      Sandra xo

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      • trust me, your life is much better as an expatriate. Staying in one country may be convenient but it significantly limits your intellectual growth. When I moved to America from my birth country for college education, I felt like I was learning more in a year in America than I learned in a decade back home. Granted this is not an ideal analogy because college years are a time of significant personal growth but I believe my learning was not merely due to being a college student but also due to being in a different environment and to be able to interact with those from wildly different backgrounds than mine.

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        • You are right Fazal. I have seen a tremendous growth in my son during the two years here. He is more open to meeting new people and curious about cultural differences. Being in a family of many cultures obviously has given him an openness to begin with, but this experience has been wonderful for him. I know the impact it has had in my life and I am cherishing watching the development in him.
          Sandra xo

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  16. Basel is my hometown and while my home is now more Zürich its a beautiful place. Plus easy access to the rest of Switzerland and Europe, something I very much miss from here in Chile. You are also going right on time to be able to enjoy Carnaval which I highly recommend!

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    • Hi Mariann, We have read up about the Carneval celebrations and look forward to experiencing it. I am sure we are going to love Basel as much as do Rotterdam and Vienna.
      Sandra xo

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  17. Best of luck with this move! I love Switzerland, though I haven’t been to Basel itself in many years. I hope you will enjoy it thoroughly! Just think, you will be that much closer to Tauer Perfumes and Parfumerie Osswald in Zurich! I hope your fragrances do their job to keep you happy and calm.

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    • Thank you Old Herbaceous! The list of places to explore keeps growing. We will be sure to go to Zürich soon. Fragrance can be a wonderful companion with its familiarity and comfort.
      Sandra xo

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  18. Good luck to moving to Basel. But every move brings new beginnings. And you don’t accumulate too much stuff! I love moving and have done so 27times in my life of 55 years. Basel is supposed to be a lovely city.

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    • I love the process of clearing out Tanja. It reminds me of my moves as a child and my father coming to our rooms with garbage bags asking us to throw away anything we no longer wanted. I now only buy what I truly need as I don’t want the clutter. Wow- I am impressed with your 27 moves!!!
      Sandra xo

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  19. Good luck with the move, hope everything goes smoothly! I’m impressed you manage it all in such a short time. I hope the climate will prove to be good for you and trust you will find good parks and greenery in Basel.

    If you managed to adapt to Austrian German, I’m sure you will son enough learn to understand Swiss German!

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    • We are looking forward to the language Ingeborg. Eventually I was able to speak some Dutch and read without problems, but it took a bit of time. Hopefully Switzerland will be an easier transition language wise. I do also hope that our asthma will improve in Basel. We struggled here. Sandra xo

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