Amsterdam - Last overnight stop...

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Monday 20th July 2009

Our last full day in a destination on this tour, it's finally coming to a close, the first week of the tour seemed to go so slow and the last week or so has just flown by!

Up at 8am this morning and checked out the breakfast at the hostel, bread and coffee is free but I buy muesli and orange juice... its hideous!!! Then we all troop just up the road to Mike's Bikes and are split into two groups for a bike tour around Amsterdam which is really great. Most people in Amsterdam bike or take the trams - looking at the city feels like looking back in time as in NZ we used to have trams and not anymore. We go past Anne Franks house and the queue is already massive...

After this tour we decide to head out for a look around of our own, Jacinta has to mail stuff off and we all get separated as I had to go back for my jersey cause it's cold and then didn't realise everyone has gone another direction. Joy and I head off for a walk around and end up buying more stuff!! This time REAL essentials like clog slippers!!

We stop and have banana pancakes for lunch mine with ice cream and Joy has eggnog with rum in it... of course I had to have a hot chocolate with LASHINGS of whipped cream too!!! It was really funny as the shop has The best pancake place written on it and when we leave the one next door and every other shop in Amsterdam ALL say they are the best....

We continue walking around looking and go back to Anne Franks house but the queue is still big so we give it a miss and keep looking and shopping. We stop and use the internet for about 20 minutes and get back to our room about 3.

Later after resting up and reorganising my packing, we catch a tram to central and then walk to the Sea Palace for final group dinner in a floating chinese restaurant. We then board a canal cruise boat for a bit of partying - it's all you can drink for free and we all have a complete blast taking 101 photos of everyone and every combination. This is Brooke's last night with us as she has to catch 5.30am train tomorrow morning to go to her next tour group pickup.

We get dropped off near where we are staying and head to a pub where a band is playing, Joy has had about 7 wines!! I am sober but having the best time up and dancing and more photos until Joy has had enough....

We head off about 11.30pm and go back to the hostel and Joy is really not well so once sorted I have a shower and go to bed.

Tuesday 21st July 2009

Up at 6.30am for breakfast and I have bread and jam this time and we head off to the bus, another tour leader from the other topdeck tour also in Amsterdam rounds us up and takes us to the bus. A few people are staying in Amsterdam as our group is only about 30 something or so now.

Today we go through 4 countries, leaving behind Amsterdam we head to Brugge where we stop for lunch for about an hour and a half to have a look around and it's really lovely and quaint. Then we are off to Calais for a border check but the boat is fully booked so we have to go cool our heels for about half an hour and go through the border check again...

Here we meet Maggie who is taking us back to London, we board the ferry and eat on board, I dont bother with photos again of the White Cliffs of Dover, not particularly nice day but just too tired. I lose my watch and Leszek finds it (phew!) and once in Dover we board another bus for the ride back to the Generator.

Oh no it's time to say goodbye!! I hate goodbyes and am not good at them, so I get Les to take a photo of "The Roomies" and then we head off in different directions, I head off to the underground with all my freaking baggage and by about 9pm I am safe and sound in Acton Town... and here my European Adventure Ends...

On Sunday... my UK Adventure begins instead so now I am off to do loads of washing, shopping, restocking, repacking, relaxing and whatever other "re-" things I can do!!!!

Hope this hasn't been too boring.... 😊

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