Day 2 boats, trains trams and cheese. So much cheese.

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No Stena line, 'every little thing is *not* gonna be alright' playing that song at full volume into our room at six am. I mean I know they need to wake us up but..... Even Seth got cross as it woke him from a pretty good Lego dream. A super smooth crossing despite the wake up and we were off the boat and on our way by eight (going down the stairs sooooo much better than going up had been) awaiting the ping in the car as we headed off towards Amsterdam.
Amsterdam. I love Amsterdam. We parked on the outskirts and got a train in (more stairs) and made our way to the eye, across the river on a little boat full of bikes. Seth has decided that for his sixteenth birthday he's coming to Amsterdam to go on the (frankly terrifying) swing on top of a building. A cuppa with a view (more stairs) instead this time and we headed back over to catch a tram and eat cheese. It made such a change to be in Amsterdam in a sensible temperature, the last few times it's been painfully hot, especially as it meant that, after lunch (cheese toastie) I felt like eating far more cheese in the lovely cheese shops. We all ate enough cheese to justify buying more cheese for tonight's bed picnic. With the promise of a swimming pool at tonight's hotel, Seth was keen to head back to the car so we caught the tram and train (unusually the right one, first time with all the right tickets) both Seth and I spent the vast majority of the relatively short drive (no pings) to the hotel asleep after an early wake up (both of us) and not enough tea (me).
We love Van Der valk hotels. They're very plush, always just off motorways and have huge car parks. They are also usually massive. We invariably get the furthest room from reception in most hotels and that was no exception. Except here it was nearly 600 steps from the car to the room ( yes, I'm that sad I measured it) including yet more Everest steps at the front of the building. Even worse I had to go back to the car to get things whilst the boys went for a swim. Almost two and a half thousand steps *just* getting to the room but at least I didn't get taken out by the automatic door (close though)

One bed picnic (with cheese) and it's time for bed. A heck of a long journey tomorrow aaalll the way to Denmark

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