Martin’s Air Charter, founded in 1958, later renamed Martinair

I was one of the first SEVEN stewardesses of MARTINAIR. We flew Dutch tourists to sunny European places, and also often: sailors – crews of tugboats or large cargoships transporting BBANANAS from the Caribbean to Liverpool, UK

I began my career as a stewardess on 01.03.1961, and stopped flying on 31.10.1964. I clocked about 5000 flying hours, visited over 85 countries, and sfome, like the UK, Spain, Greece, Corsica, Italy many, many times.

The reason I stopped flying was: I was pregnant, and sick like a dog all the time, so: sorry I told my boss J. Martin Schroder, I just can’t do this any longer.

Note. In those days, a girl FIRST got married before getting pregnant, so I did that on 30.11.1963 to Captain Pete Holmes, on of Martin’s first pilots, who already had incredible flying experience as a WW2 pilot (1940-1945), and since the end of the war as a commercial pilot in some of the most interesting parts of the world, such as India, Burma, Hong Kong, Japan, and *Africa*.

I started my OWN logbook, which was NOT required for stewardesses, but I decided to keep a log, just like the pilots. And I still have that! A wonderful little treasure to check on occasion to SEE where I went & with what crew (pilots & stews,

I found this photograph recently online, added to an interview with the founder J.Martin Schroder and his wife Tineke Schroder- Nipshagen. They have just celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary (24.09.2022), and WOW, he meanwhile 91, she 85/86, and looking great 👍.

NOW:

SIXTY years older! 😇.

And believe me: I could not be happier!! I survived so many incidents and events that could have caused my (untimely) death that it really is a miracle 🙏 ✨ I am still alive.

So: The little Dutch stewardess of 1962 is now a dinosaur 🦕, but in quite good shape.

She had a several great interesting and pioneering careers, starting as a stewardess, then helping to found the Dutch airline Transavia (1966 – 1968) I stopped that because with 2 kids meanwhile and a 24/7, 7 days job as the chief stewardess: that became TOO much.

She then did a bit of free-lancing as an officially licensed Dutch tour guide, speaking 4 languages, and: on call for a Dutch Special Events Action Company, interviewing and training female hostesses for selected promotional/advertising events.

In 1972 (until 1988/89) she started the BENELUX offices of HONG KONG TRADE DEVELOPMENT in Amsterdam, (HKTDC) a semi governmental body to promote Hong Kong ‘s external TRADE & Industries. When that became BORING, she started looking for an alternative, and began studying Comprehensive Alternative Medicine. Note: I was 47 when I ended that career, because I just could not see myself doing that until my age of retirement at 65.

So at 47: Comprehensive Alternative Medicine: a long list of studies and courses A-Z, all extremely interesting and USEFUL, between 1985-1992, including: Natural Medicine, Homeopathy, Cellular signaling through Advanced Applied Kinesiology, Acupuncture, and Mitochondrial Nutritional Therapy (also called Orthomoleculair Medicine & Nutrition, founder Prof. Dr. Linus Pauling, 2x Nobel Laureate)

And NOW: meanwhile nearly 82, happily RETIRED with helping, advising, counseling others, either commercially or by choice *free of charge*: I am exclusively focusing on LONGEVITY.

Yes! Did I know that I would be doing this, at only 21? NO, of course not. However: around being 50 years old LONGEVITY and ANTI AGING became my passion & interest.

That was around 1991, when Alternative Medicine was TABU, very weird, suspect. QUACK stuff. Certainly in Calvinistic The Netherlands 🇳🇱

Yes, what I started doing from 1985, first as a hobby, and then professionally from 1991/2 was something suspect in The Netherlands. So… I decided to leave my own country and relocate to TURKEY. Yes, and what a jump in the deep that was in 1991, landing myself in Southern Turkey, in those days just coming out of the *Stone Age*!

Note: My TURKEY 🇹🇷 *experience* is second to none. Thirty years living off the grid amongst Turkish locals is a huge achievement, I can assure everyone.

But NOW: WOW 👌 👏 We are living in nice houses with plenty of space around, with all the most recent modern facilities available, including fast Internet!! 😀 KAYA KOY, near Fethiye is my home *town* since 1996.

Picture below: the ruins of the famous Ghost village of Kaya Koy, a must touristic attraction now. It was occupied for centuries until +/- 1922, when the Turkish Republic was created and the mostly Greek inhabitants had to leave. I live in the valley and look at those ruins on the hills/mountains.

Note: I learned today, watching the Dutch TV channel BVN: that The Netherlands is now, after Malta, the 2nd most populated country of Europe with 5000 people per 1 square kilometer. All that due to the ghastly influx since the late 1990’s, asylum seekers from Africa, and recently from the Ukraine, refugees, war victims.

I was horrified! Overpopulated The Nethetlands, shortage of proper living accommodations to house everyone, ghastly.

In contrast to where I live now, with approximately 300 villagers per sane square kilometer. So… I ❤ feel extremely privileged living in KAYA KOY, surrounded by nature, wild herbs, flowers, trees, with some beautiful beaches nearby.

This rather personal blog I am ending with: GRATITUDE. So: I thank my lucky stars😇 that I was born and lived, worked in Amsterdam, The Netherlands, had great careers, travelled around the globe, and NOW live in Kaya Koy. 🙏