It was our final day in the Netherlands and it was going to be a bittersweet end to our world wind adventure. It was only the beginning though. I almost forgot I was actually in Europe for a class...in Scotland...I am a long ways from that home. But as you probably already guessed, our last day was to be spent in Amsterdam. I didn't know what to expect when we arrived there. I just knew I wanted to steer clear of the things the city is known for (like the red light district, the weed, some of the people) but that is what happens when a government is unstable.
We checked out of our Airbnb and it was about an hours drive to the city, we found a parking garage by the shore and walked everywhere for the day. We wanted to see if we could make it to the Anne Frank House but were sad to hear they were all sold out for tours for the day. So here is another one of my *TOURIST NOTES* buy your tickets in advance for the Anne Frank House. They do sell tickets the day of, but if you are with a group like we were there is a good chance you'd be split up and have to tour it at different time. I also believe it is cheaper to buy your tickets online.
We passed that up sadly (just means I will have to go back!) and decided to take up a canal tour. We conveniently found one right next to the Anne Frank House and it was called Flagship. They were a newer company and gave an hour long tour for sixteen pounds and you could also buy drinks on the boat. Kallie and I took up that offer and I enjoyed a Moscow Mule.
I enjoyed the canal tour because we learned so much about Amsterdam, which is what I wanted. Did you know that they have more bikes in the city than cars? A whole two million bikes versus a whopping two thousand cars. They also fish out about fifteen hundred bikes a year out of the canals. We also learned that the people in Amsterdam can't carry their furniture into their homes because of the small, narrow stairwells. So they bring their furniture in through the windows...that is why they are so big!
I could go on and on about what I learned on the boat tour, but I want you to go experience it for yourself! After the tour we walked around and found a place to eat. At Kantjil we feasted on Indonesian food near nine streets. They are known for nine blocks of shopping. Also, Amsterdam was known for being populated with Indonesians back in the day so it is said to try Indonesian food while you are there because it is authentic. And I believe we chose the best one out of all there. I had my own chicken rice bowl with peanut sauce and vegetables. It was a huge dish but very filling and I paired it with the house iced tea which again, amazing.
Afterwards we continued on looking in shops and even were in search for stroopwafels. Eventually we found them and Kallie and I were so excited to have them we decided to have a quick photo shoot with them...sad to say that after one picture Kallie dropped the stroopwafel on my shirt and needless to say I was done with the afternoon after that. I didn't want to walk around Amsterdam with chocolate all over my shirt, but hey the picture turned out cute! Was it worth it though...debatable.
After my little incident I felt our day was slowly going downhill from there. When we were heading to the airport, we had to top off our rental car with gas and a simple job that should've taken minutes ended up being an hour long job because all of our cards were being rejected in their systems when outside it clearly states the cards they take and all of ours were visas or master cards. Frustrated and confused, we had to drive to a super market 'nearby' (twenty five minutes out of our way) get cash and drive back in traffic to pay for our gas. Jaseena was not happy and we had to rush to get to the airport just to ensure wed have enough time to go through security and everything...but then the rental car happened.
We arrived at the airport and car rental returns but what yet again a simple ten minute task should be easily be done, this worker spent another twenty minutes of our time inspecting the car high and low for one thing wrong with it. He pulled out his orange marker and circled two spots on the car that were 'damaged' and proceeded to go through the paperwork to charge us for the 'damages'. Which made us even later behind schedule and made us worried wed miss our flight.
Once inside the airport, we were running to get to security and it took us about forty five minutes to get through that and Kallie got stopped to check her bags which put us behind schedule again. We had to go through passport security after and that added another half hour to our decreasing time frame and in line Jaseena looked at us and said, "okay, whoever gets through first has to run to our gate and hold the plane for us". With short realization, I noticed that was me. So I got myself ready for the run against the clock. Thankfully Katie got through quickly so we both were running through the airport to find Gate H. Okay readers, remember that letter.
It was at this point in time, I was irritated with how this afternoon was playing out for us and I did not want to be stuck in this city. So I knew it was going to be Katie or I to save our butts. It was also at this time I realized I was running through the Amsterdam airport like the family in Home Alone. It was actually quite ridiculous because when all of that hit me, I just started laughing at myself and Katie in front of me. At one point I caught up to her and she slowed down and was like you go Carly, I'll catch up.
If this task wasn't already on my plate, it definitely was now and I was carrying the team solo. Running a marathon through the airport, IN MY BIRKENSTOCK SANDALS! So here I am making a fool of myself doing a run/ shuffle on my toes with my backpack flying about on my back. There was a time I had to slow down and I hoped Katie was right behind me, which she thankfully was and it was my time to tell her I'll catch up, you go!
Well we did that whole stop and go a couple times before it was me hauling ass to our gate because we had the final call come on in the airport "final boarding for Edinburgh, please make your way to gate H". Did you guys remember? Gate H. I looked up at the signs and I was at Gate C. GATE H WAS ON THE OTHER END OF THE AIRPORT!! THE LAST GATE AT THE AIRPORT! And to make it all better, it was H6 so when I found that out, I had to go DOWNSTAIRS. I made my way somehow down those and had to again haul ass to our gate and when I saw it in the distance that was when I felt like the hero of our group. I had to make sure we would get home!
I round the corner to our gate and make my way to the desk and again like out of a movie and out of breath, all I can muster is five between breaths and there's five more coming...well four not including me. What? Seriously Carly these people are looking at you like a crazy woman. So I keep explaining that we need to get on but there are more coming and one of the girls had the boarding passes. I was relieved when I saw that my group wasn't the oly ones running late to the flight. And overheated and exhausted, it was in that moment I realized how out of shape I was.
There is a happy ending to this story though, we made it in time to our flight and got back home safely. But we had one last slip up happen to Jaseena when we were putting our carry-ons away on the plane. her YETI fell out of her backpack and nailed the man sitting below. What else could've gone wrong? We got back to Dalkeith and bless Kallie's heart she ordered us Domino's pizza after our struggling afternoon and we went out to the Black Bull that evening for much needed drinks.
But our two week trip has come to an end. It was full of laughs, tears, stress and many stories and memories that I will never forget. And guess what, that is only part of my adventure!