After a sad farewell from Singapore I was off to begin my European adventure. A weary lone traveller jumped off the plane at Frankfurt at 5 am!!! Totally disorientated and jet lagged, I managed to find my way to Amsterdam! There waiting with a warm smile was my friend Marieke. We jumped onto the metro and headed for Tilburg Marieke's university town. The train ride was excellent, so much to see and I couldnt believe I had finally arrived in not only Europe, but one also of my motherlands. We dumped my pack at Marieke's flat and trotted back into town to hire a bike.

Everybody in Europe rides bikes old women, young kids, business professionals - I was gob smaked when i saw a dude ride by in a 3 piece suit. It was so lovely riding around the town and seeing the beauty of another country. We were on our way to Marieke's uni when we were rudely interrupted by a masturbating Dutchman!! I thought he was about to do a pee or something but he pulled it out and started playing with it. Way too funny we couldnt stop laughing.

In the afternoon we sat near the river and fed the ducks, it was so relaxing just watching the world go by, little old men and women in their house boats chugging along.That night it was good to finally sleep flat after my 12 hour flight. The next day I headed off to Amsterdam, I conquered the Dutch train system - I managed to get myself to Amsterdam. What a city, something happening everywhere! I was so overwhelmed by how busy it was that I got lost! I kept asking for directions, but I was so dazed that I stumbled upon the Red Light District by mistake - smack bang in the middle of prostitutes and pimps, junkies and dealers! It was scary at first sight... People kept approaching me offering me Drugs, accommodation, help to carry my pack. I went down an alley way and on both sides were prostitutes tapping on the viewing glass. I was completely disorientated and dazed.

I finally found the "Shelter" it was nice and comfortable for my first experience with hostels. I met some people who were staying there, and got some advice on what to do and where to go! So I started out on my adventure I went to the Waterlooplein Markets, totally cool stuff, but I didnt want to blow my budget so I didnt buy anything! I finally decided to do a tour of Amsterdam because I couldnt get to everything with a limited amount of time! I went to the yellow bike tours and failed miserably, the tours stopped running in the afternoon so I was in a bit of a dilemma, had no clue how to find everything and I was running out of time! So I went on a canal cruise - as you do in Amseterdam. The canals were so pretty I saw so much more than on foot. The next morning I woke early to go on one last walk around Amsterdam! I went to Dam Square where the Koniklijk Palesis was located then onto the suburb of Jordann - nice little trendy suburb.

Off to the airport - at the train station I couldnt work out how to buy a ticket, a homeless man helped me and in return he asked me to help him out "I do a favour for you; you do a favour for me!" So that was my pretty tamned Amsterdam experience - no space cakes for this young traveller..