Exploring Amsterdam

Amsterdam, our last stop on our epic journey, so of course we had to go out with a bang!

On our way into Amsterdam we stopped at a small farm where we would have a demonstration as to how you make clogs and cheese which we were told was lead by a completely crazy man. They did not lie. I think he had most definitely made the most of the legal drugs and it made him the craziest man I have ever met! But however insane he was, he knew how to make clogs and cheese! We were shown the workshop and the place where they made their cheese (which they made from scratch – they used the milk from their own cows and everything!) we all tried on some clogs and I found them quite comfy even though most of the others didn't, and we also got to try some of their cheese which was sooooo good!

We all got back onto the coach once we had got a tun of souvenirs, and then we drove to a little windmill house which was so cute!

La Familia photo!!

We then drove into the city and went to our campsite to set up and get ready for that night as we'd all be going into the city together. We drove in, had a mini walking tour and then got some food before the night's entertainment (which I didn't go to...) So instead of going to the evenings entertainment with the rest of the group, me and Claudia went to see the “I Amsterdam” sign which we found all by ourselves (which we were really proud of!). We then met up with the rest of the group for a walking tour of the red light district which was, lets just say something completely different that I really don't want to do again..

After the walking tour I headed back to the camp site because we had to be up early the next morning for something quite exciting!

Nat, Aussie Tom, Maia and me :)

I was up super early with a couple of the girls because we had decided to go to the Anne Frank house! We got the tram in to the city and found the house quite quickly, but even an hour before it opened there was a huge queue! So we took it in turns to go for a wonder and find some breakfast and something to keep us warm because (compared to all the other places) it was freezing! We waited in the queue for about 30 minutes once the museum had opened, which was way shorter than what we though we'd have to wait! We weren't allowed to take photos in it, but again I didn't really want to take photos. Something I've learnt this year is that yes, taking photos does mean you'll remember it all years down the line, but if you're not careful all you'll remember is the photos, not the things you did or the people you met.

The annex was such a tiny space, I couldn't believe it. We've all heard the story and know the diary, but standing in the actual space that they hid, with the pictures still stuck on Anne's bedroom wall really reminds you that it's not just a story, its an actual part of history that the eight people who were in that tiny space lived for two years, and for seven of them, it was the last two years of their life..

The museum was a serious eye-opener, and it reminded all of us that it was a museum that told the stories of just eight of the 6 million Jews that died..

After the Anne Frank house the others went back to the campsite but I stayed in the city and did something that I've always wanted to do. I found a place that you hire bikes from, and I hired one for a couple of hours.

It was the most incredible two hours, I got wonderfully lost almost instantly and somehow ended up at the Anne Frank House again. Then off I went along the canals and found the “I Amsterdam” sign, along with a couple of hundred people, so I soon left that behind. It was so peaceful biking the streets in the sunshine, following the canals and stopping on the bridges to take photos.

This was about 20 seconds before like 100 singing christians swarmed on it singing about Jesus. That was when I left

Once I returned the bike I headed back to the camp for a nap and a shower before we headed out that night for our dinner on a canal boat. It was dead classy and the food was so good, but the company was what made it (as always). We had so many good laughs and many good drinks (because they were free) so everyone was in a stella mood for the rest of the night. 

We all went to the “I Amsterdam” for a La Familia photo, and then we went to a bar/club that was empty except for us, so we got to choose the music and we danced for hours! Me and Dom had a rap battle to the wake-up song which I 100% won! It was so much fun being with the family that I didn't want it to end! We eventually headed back to the campsite, and as we were walking back we could see a massive thunderstorm rolling in, literally from all directions...

That night was probably the worst night's sleep i've ever had in my life. My tent had 5 pegs in it, and so the rain came right into the tent, my mattress was deflated, the thunder was right above us all night and it was basically impossible to sleep. By the next morning everyone was in a bad mood. Everything was soaked, our tent was half filled with water (I woke up with a puddle next to my head) and everyone was exhausted after getting no sleep. I had to wear my pyjamas all day because they were the only things that were dry...

we were all tempted to just leave the tents there for other people to worry about, but apparently we weren't allowed to do that...

Thankfully that day was a bus day, all the way back to London, so there'd be no more camping (ever, if I can help it).....

I absolutely loved Amsterdam, and I feel like it's a completely mis-judged city because of it's red light district and drugs thing, but there's so much more to it, and it's so beautiful!!

I really want to go back (as usual) for longer!!

Next (and final stop): Brugge