Around The World In Katie Days

Today was a late start. We had to check out of the hotel and then head down to the city. We were planning on doing a bike ride out to the country side. Things were already ridiculous in the city for the game.. People were everywhere it was so crowded. We went to get bikes paid for them and then realized that there was no where we could really ride to and that it was way too crazy in the city today to get anywhere. We went to see if we could refund our tickets and instead get a canal tour. This worked out well for us, Thanks Carlos it was hard to stay awake until towards the end where there was a kid who would not stop crying and screaming. It was awful and everybody booked it off the boat as soon as it docked. Another reason I don’t think I want kids, they can be such little punks. After the cruise we ended up getting some groceries and headed down to watch the game. It was super crowed and we were able to score free hats that had horns to blow attached as well as free orange shirts. We found a place and stood to watch it. I could hardly see and then a girl let me stand on her crate with her during the first half. The second half I tried to wiggle my way so I could see the game. At some point I couldn’t not find the girls again. Oh alone in Amsterdam once more. This time we had a plan in case we got separated, we would meet by the baggage lockers at 6. Since our train left at 7. After Holland lost everyone went silent and walked away. I figured now was the chance to find my friends. No luck. I saw where we were sitting, the french people were still there. I asked if they saw my friends and they pointed as if they left a while ago. Oh well looks like I need to find something to do for 6 hrs. I head to the park because I figure I could crash out there easily. I found a flag on the ground and was rather upset so I picked it up and then I later used it to sleep on. Some guy almost peed on me in the woods and so then I had to move places. I saw a fire so I went to it to get warm. I meet some dutch guys who took the flag pole and used it for their fire. They also had a shopping cart in their fire. Crazy people. Eventually they left and summoned me back to my trees. They called me tree woman. I found a new place to crash out, but by 4 am it was too cold and I decided to head to the train station. I made it there with no map. It was great! I found a spot and camped out for about an hour then decided to head over to the luggage. It was sweet relief when I saw the girls. Wahoo! Successful once again! And then we headed to begin our 18 hour train ride on to Poland!

Today was a late start. We had to check out of the hotel and then head down to the city. We were planning on doing a bike ride out to the country side. Things were already ridiculous in the city for the game.. People were everywhere it was so crowded. We went to get bikes paid for them and then realized that there was no where we could really ride to and that it was way too crazy in the city today to get anywhere. We went to see if we could refund our tickets and instead get a canal tour. This worked out well for us, Thanks Carlos it was hard to stay awake until towards the end where there was a kid who would not stop crying and screaming. It was awful and everybody booked it off the boat as soon as it docked. Another reason I don’t think I want kids, they can be such little punks. After the cruise we ended up getting some groceries and headed down to watch the game. It was super crowed and we were able to score free hats that had horns to blow attached as well as free orange shirts. We found a place and stood to watch it. I could hardly see and then a girl let me stand on her crate with her during the first half. The second half I tried to wiggle my way so I could see the game. At some point I couldn’t not find the girls again. Oh alone in Amsterdam once more. This time we had a plan in case we got separated, we would meet by the baggage lockers at 6. Since our train left at 7. After Holland lost everyone went silent and walked away. I figured now was the chance to find my friends. No luck. I saw where we were sitting, the french people were still there. I asked if they saw my friends and they pointed as if they left a while ago. Oh well looks like I need to find something to do for 6 hrs. I head to the park because I figure I could crash out there easily. I found a flag on the ground and was rather upset so I picked it up and then I later used it to sleep on. Some guy almost peed on me in the woods and so then I had to move places. I saw a fire so I went to it to get warm. I meet some dutch guys who took the flag pole and used it for their fire. They also had a shopping cart in their fire. Crazy people. Eventually they left and summoned me back to my trees. They called me tree woman. I found a new place to crash out, but by 4 am it was too cold and I decided to head to the train station. I made it there with no map. It was great! I found a spot and camped out for about an hour then decided to head over to the luggage. It was sweet relief when I saw the girls. Wahoo! Successful once again! And then we headed to begin our 18 hour train ride on to Poland!

Ahh.. It’s hard to believe how much one relies on technology especially cell phones. After my arrival to Amsterdam I was to meet the girls I have been traveling with previously. They had a flight earlier in the day. My original plans were to sleep in the airport that night, since it would be a safe shelter and I would be able to meet up with the girls in the morning. I read about the Amsterdam airport on sleepinginairports.com and it was rated one of the best ones and that cops do not let homeless people stay. So I figured it would not be a bad option. However I received an email from Marina telling me that they would wait for me at the central stations and I could sleep in their hotel with them. I was a bit worried that they were not going to be there because my plane had been delayed but they didn’t have a way of communication so I figured that I didn’t want to leave them out waiting for me all night. By the time I got to central stations it was already 1:30 am, 2 hrs later than when my flight was to arrive. I was walking around and couldn’t find them anywhere. It was already too late to go back to the airport since they don’t have trains going there after a certain hour. I didn’t know what the name of the hotel was or where it was located so I couldn’t try to find it on my own. I checked my email and saw that they emailed me and had already gone back to the hotel because the last bus came at 1:15 am. Welp.. Now what to do I was thinking. I locked up all my stuff in a locker and took out only my sleeping bag and my knives and my phone. I walked around for a little while trying to find a nook where I could hide out. But in central amsterdam there was not much I could see. I contemplated jumping a construction fence and sleeping inside a work zone since no one would really find me inside, but I decided I could get into a lot of trouble. So I ended up walking around more. Then a guy, asked me if he could use my blackberry really quick to email his friend, that he was trying to meet up with. I said sure and sat down talking to him. He was having the same problem as me, couldn’t get in contact with his friend. He turned out to be from the states as well and goes to yale, so I figured he couldn’t be too much trouble. Also it was better that I was with a male rather than wondering by myself. After waiting for his friend till 3:30 we decided that he probably wasn’t going to meet up with his friend. I ended up staying at a campsite that night that Henry had known about. In the morning I was awoken to goats There was live music in the morning at the campsite which was nice. And we found out that his friend had ended up at some british peoples place, so he wasn’t lost all night. Henry and I went into town and was waiting again for his friend.. No luck. At this time my phone was dying and I hadn’t had any confirmation that the girls were going to meet me at the bus stop at 1 like I suggested. We decided to get lunch and it was amazing. We got these sandwiches but they were just great roast beef, pesto, fresh moz. It was one of the best meals I have had in a while and it was cheap. After lunch I headed over to the bus station which I thought was where their bus would arrive. I sat there for about an hour just people watching and reading. Still no sign of the girls I turned my phone on to see if there was any word. There was an email, saying they never saw me and a new meeting spot and time. I went over to the hotel, and maybe after 5 mins Marina had spotted me. It was great to finally find them. And Henry had heard word from his friend so everything worked out. It always does. So we went to work out our train tickets to get out of Amsterdam and it seemed like it might not happen. Everything this summer seems to be quite full and hard to book. Maybe its because of the world cup? Maybe because the Euro is down? Not sure but trains are hard to come by this summer. After getting our train tickets we decided that it was time for a break and just to stroll along the streets and go on a Rick Steve’s self guided walking tour. It was nice. We went to Vondel Park and got completely lost. We could not find our way out to save our lives. We kept walking in circles it seemed like. The same damn Gazebo we passed like 5 times. Eventually we made it out and had some amazing pancakes, one was a shrimp pizza, one was a gyro meat style, one was chocolate and nuts and the last one had fruit. We looked like pigs eating these it was rather entertaining. After our pancakes we went to find the Anne Frank house, however we ended up completely lost and it started storming like crazy. We hid out in some cafe and then gave up on the storm ever ending. Walking along the streets, I happened to run into John Holmen, a kid I have known for quite some time and went to the same school as me. Small world. Somewhere along the way a guy was handing out Ponchos, I believe you had to pay for them, but I’m not sure that we did. Sorry Amsterdam. Then eventually what seemed like an eternity to me we made it to the bus station. And made our way back to the hotel. There is no way I would have found it on my own. It was a golf resort out in the middle of nowhere. I fell fast asleep by midnight.