FAREWELL AMSTERDAM: Some final thoughts

Sunday was our last day. We were not flying till late so we dumped our bags in the hotel and went for another wander.

All this wandering might sound a bit monotonous, but the fact that we had all the time in the world and were not rushing around was quite relaxing. Previous trips, which had focused around specific events, seemed rushed because there was always a deadline to be met to be somewhere. This time, because we had no plan we could do what ever we fancied. Also, previous trips had often involved being in a big crowd who would end up arguing about where they wanted to go, some would want to go to a pub, some would want to go to a coffee shop, some would want a sit down meal, some would want a takeaway, some would whinge about the quality of the coffee in a particular shop, some would want to keep going back to the same place, some wanted to try something different. This time there were only two of us, doing what ever we fancied. Because of that, plus the fact that my previous trips had meant I ‘knew the score’, and despite the fact that we did not really do anything in particular, I think this was probably the best trip I have had out there.

So Sunday just involved wandering some more, a few new coffee shops, some more markets and some more photographs. The one thing that will stay with me about the Sunday was just as I thought I was coming home with some money in my pocket I happened across a shop selling hemp clothing and found a particularly cool jacket, a Hemp Hoodlamb, irresistible and blew a large chunk of my coming home money. I am now hoping for a crap summer so I can get some use out of my new winter coat.

Eventually, it was back on the train to Schipol Airport to wait for our plane. This is one MASSIVE airport. The duty free area is the size of a large shopping centre, and we spent hour two hours wandering. We left the diamonds where they were, but I did bring home some particularly nice cheese!