Sunday, February 05, 2012
I have been enjoying myself so far. But i was warned that after the novelty wears off i will experience homesickness.
My flight on the plane was super long because my first flight made a stopover at Colombo before going to Dubai. Then i had to board a connecting flight to Amsterdam. Cousin's friend gave me and cousin an angry bird each and the air stewardess and steward told us that our angry birds are very cute=) i feel like a kiddo. i now have a polar bear and an angry bird on my bed!
I was travelling with the NTU people and they are very nice, really made me feel welcome. they even ask me to change school!
When we reach Amsterdam, one of my friends lost his luggage as the luggage wasn't transferred to our connecting flight and was still in Dubai. Thankfully his coat is in his hand carry. He was very calm. If it's me i will cry lor. But at least he get to claim from insurance=)
We took a train from Amsterdam Schipol Airport and it was real tedious because my suitcase is super heavy and have to lug it up the train. My suitcase is like 24kg and hand carry is 6kg and my slingbag is like 2kg. Super heavy! Lucky got guys in the NTU group help me.
We then change to a tram to go to our hostel. Our hostel is Van Gogh Hotel which is a value for money. 2 nights cost 40 euros, worth it. The room is real tiny though. 8 of us bunk together in the room and we have to take turns to open our suitcases cos not enough space. The good thing is that the room comes with a safe so that i don't have to carry all my cash with me and also the bathroom is shared among us only.
It was super cold when we left the hostel to explore so we stopped by a bakery to get hot chocolate. Lots of different kinds of bread and tarts but all the names are in dutch or is it french? haha and i don't know how to pronounce.
It's weird that everywhere in netherlands the words they show are dutch but their english is very good. wonder why
then we had dinner at a cafe. my most expensive meal so far. it cost 9.95 euro for a main dish and a beer. they call this set "tourist meal"
then after that we walked to the fame red light district.
along the way, they bought some stuff from coffee shop. i don't like the smell of weed so i will never try it. ( don't worry bf!)
so we went looking at girls in display window. I feel awkward and don't dare to look at the face of the girls because obviously i am there to look at them and am not going to buy their "service", so i feel bad staring at them...
night view of amsterdam
we then went back by tram because it was too cold and we just want to get back to the hostel quick.
Day 2
We went to Heineken Experience. (a museum)
It was very fun inside cos besides exhibits we get to try out some equipment then after took nice photos (like photobooths!)
then after that we get to watch a 4D show and then we get to try to draught the heineken beer and the person praise me cos my i got just the right amount of foam! but then have to drink like 3 beers for the whole trail. haha cousin's face was super red and she was a little high!
then we went to walk around some more and had lunch at a small cafe before the guys dropped us off at departmental store so that they can do "some stuff".
so i went around looking for boots and found a very nice pair for 35euro! super cheap! the original price was 205 euro! and the sole is not bad as well, not very slippery when i walked on ice.
after that we ate at macs. the lemon tea is carbonated!=(
then the guys came to get us and we went to extra ice cold bar or smth like that. it was a waste of money la! not worth 14.50 euro!
Day 3
The guys bought breakfast and we shared it. In the end only 1 euro each, so cheap!
then we went back to schipol to take train to Maastricht
the scary train ride again!
then as the train went by, the scenery gets more white ( more snow)
so we were like freezing when we wait for the pick up service at the station. bought fries! cheap and nice. 1 huge bag for 1.50 euro only! and the shop will sell food in the wall. for got to take pic though=x
i was really glad to reach hostel cos i wanted to unpack my stuff and i was real happy to see hs in the room! so long never see her le!
the rest i will blog later;) the beauty exposed ;
