I’m happy to report that my flights home went well – no delays to speak of and no lost luggage. Our longest flight (9 hours) had the regular crew of flight attendants plus a bunch in training so we had much better service than I’m used to which helped as well. Still, nearly 27 hours of traveling with no sleep is not much fun, no matter how perky and attentive the service. They really can’t give you enough roasted almonds and wine to make it truly pleasant.
I said I planned to pop in to Amsterdam for a look around during my layover and I’m proud to say I did it. Proud? Why? I’m not quite as adventurous as I might seem on the surface, for all of my traveling. And I have a fear of public transportation.
Does that sound strange? I’m an American and used to getting around independently in my own car. I used to take the train to work in Cleveland years ago but I bought a monthly pass I flashed as I went and there were only three lines, color coded. A no brainer. Even the train in Cairo is pretty simple.
In Europe public transportation is much more developed. You can get just about anywhere on a bus or a train. So think about it: more stops and destinations mean many many more routes to navigate. They try to make it efficient by selling the tickets from vending machines but when you aren’t familiar with the system it just makes for one more challenge. Trying to figure out how to purchase a ticket to the destination you want from a vending machine with foreign money when the instructions are in Dutch and so are all the signs is no cake walk. But my main worry stems from how more more quickly and efficiently you can get lost if you are on a train / bus than if you are on foot.
But I didn’t let myself off the hook. (I told you I was dedicated to my research) I was pretty disgusted with myself for even thinking of chickening out. One of my new resolutions is not to be such a ninny about stuff like this and to do more things to seize opportunities to enjoy life as it comes. The kids and I were awake, we had loads of time and it wasn’t raining so I had no real reason to NOT go. It was either go into town or follow the kids as they played on the moving walkways in the airport. For five hours.
So I went.
I stowed my luggage in a locker in the airport, found a ticket office with a person to talk to, and ventured out into the larger world of Amsterdam on the train. The kids and I didn’t go so far – they were cold in the 70F cloudy damp weather after coming from Cairo! – but we had time to walk around a bit and had breakfast before we headed back to the airport. The signs in the airport were mostly in Dutch and English. Not so in the city. However even I can follow little pictures of an airplane. And all the people getting on the train with luggage was another clue.
I really enjoyed my short glimpse of Amsterdam and may do it again on the way back through in August (weather permitting – it did rain after we returned to the airport) But next time maybe I’ll bring jackets for the kids and a map.
Welcome home, Jenyfer,
I visited Amsterdam twice years ago and remembered I felt cold too in July. I also remember I was shocked by the junkies sitting on the floor, smoking in front of the train station. Kind of scary. But I still fell in love with the city’s architecture, the canals and the lace curtains I could glimpse on the houses’ windows. I bought a pair of them. And now live in a city that reminds me of Amsterdam with its many canals, Fort Lauderdale.
Mona Risk
by Mona Risk July 18th, 2007 at 5:09 pmI really enjoyed what I saw of Amsterdam – and would enjoy going back without the kids. Now that my daughter can read I don’t want to have to explain what the Sex Museum is, etc!! I didn’t go looking for it, just wandered past and there’s a lot of stuff like that near the Central Station. We didn’t have time to admire the architecture and higher cultural pursuits. I’d love to stop for a few days sometime.
by Jenyfer Matthews July 18th, 2007 at 6:26 pmI’m afraid that I would be looking for flowers and paintings and windmills… Maybe someday.
by anny cook July 18th, 2007 at 11:49 pmI saw some lovely souvenirs at the airport – tulip bulbs in Delft china bowls that you could take home to grow. I want to get some of those on my way home again
by Jenyfer Matthews July 19th, 2007 at 1:36 am