I Will be back!

Oh Amsterdam.  What an interesting place.  I must visit again sometime.  I have loved the time I’ve spent here though I would love to come back with friends as it would be MUCH more fun.   There is always something to do, there are people out at all hours of the day and night.  Young and old they are all mixed in together.  The amount of people on bikes and bikes chained to…everything….are amazing.   It’s easier to get run over by a bike then the trams or the cars…though the trams are nuts as is.  People walk along the tracks that run un marked through the streets, they beep when they are approaching and people part to the sides as the trams pass by mere inches from people.  Frightening!

 I can see now how only 2 or 3 days in once place really isn’t much time.  If you want o explore and fit everything you possibly can into those days then there’s no room for sitting on the internet and planning….especially when the wifi never works in the hostel which is a HUGE pain.  So I’d have to go hunt out Starbucks and McDonalds.  After finally getting online today and realizing I don’t have a place to stay tomorrow night I gave up on doing anything this evening so I could get the basics sorted out.   I was starting to worry a little. The hostel situation wasn’t looking good as everything in this area skyrockets on the weekends so the cheapest hostel was 50 euros!!  I had sent out some couch surf requests but hadn’t heard much back so I made the plan to head to Bruges in Belgium tomorrow and found a hostel for $25/night…still way over my budget but at least it’s a place to sleep.  Was starting to think I’d be taking up a park bench somewhere….just kidding!!  I heard back from a guy in Antwerp so long as everything works out he will be my first couch surf host….YAY!

Then came the fun of figuring out how to get to Bruges….hmmm.  The easiest way is the train however the cheapest and longest way is the bus….done!  So I booked a ticket and despretly hope I can find my way from point A to point B tomorrow as it all seems a little confusing.   No one said traveling is easy….and it sure aint!

So if everything stays the same I’ll be spending 2 nights in Bruges, 2 night in Antwerp then onto Paris where I’m looking to couchsurf as well.  Takes a bit more time to plan however think that is going to have to be my focus from here on out as money is quickly dwindling and I’m not even buying anything….simply just eating and sleeping….I so DO NOT have enough money to get me through the next two months which has got me thinking what to do.  Might have to cut some places out?  Can’t really come home early as my final flight is non refundable non transferable.  Well….guess I’ll worry about that more once my funds hits the red zone.

The hostel here is nice, I’m in a 4 bed female dorm and the beds are soooo comfy.  It’s very noisy outside from the bars in the area and well, it’s Amsterdam so everyone is high on something and the things you hear are quite interesting.  Last night a girl (with a really good voice) sang :”Whats love got to do, got to do, got to do with it…..what’s love got to do got to do got to do with it) over and over and over.  Not sure how she still had a voice the way she was belting it out.  Finally people started yelling at her to shut it….thanks goodness lol.

I’ve felt pretty safe here though as to be honest I was kind of intimidated about in the beginning.  But because there’s soooo many people out all the time it never really feels scary, even when the people can be dodgy.  I’ve been out wandering the streets by myself everynight past 11 and made out just fine.

I went to check out the Rjyskmusuem (spelling?) during the day.  Was beautiful to see though I need to learn a lot more about art history!  I didn’t feel it was worth the 12.50 euro entry fee.  I’m on a tight budget so that’s about the only activity I could do while in Amsterdam.  I walked….ALOT.  Got my picture taken with the IAMsterdam sign.  Ate the local goodies and just sat and watched time pass by.  Yep Amsterdam is a neat and mind boggling place.  Don’t know when but I will so be back!

Last night one of the girls from the hostel and I ventured into the red light district to check it out.  Now that was an experience!  Red lights, mostly naked girls that tap on the windows as you walk by and the shady men that visit those places….gross.  No need to elaborate more haha.

Anyway it’s late again and I have to be up early…wish me luck en route tomorrow.  Talk to you in Bruges!!