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Greg and Kerrie's travels
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Location Date Oceania 1498604400 North America 1476226800 Europe 
1443826800 Asia 1428274800 -
Location Date UK 1443826800 Netherlands
1440284400 Poland 1440198000 Germany 1439766000 France 1437865200 Italy 1436828400 Greece 1428534000 Czech Republic 1371942000 Slovakia 1371682800 Austria 1371596400 Slovenia 1371250800 Turkey 1310079600 Belgium 1309129200 Isle Of Man 1306623600 Spain 1304550000 Andorra 1304290800 Switzerland 1303686000
Monday 20.06.2011 - we rode out of Whitby in glorious sunshine and headed the 65 miles south to Hull where we would board our ferry, The Spirit of Rotterdam for the overnight voyage to the Hook of Holland.
We parked the P-D in the Princes Quays shopping centre in downtown Hull and killed several hours before we rode out to the ferry embarkation point. We expected to queue and then wait several hours before being called forward to embark as this has been the way so far on our ferry trips. Not this time! We sailed through (excuse the pun) and went straight onto the ferry and up to our cabin.
We forgot that Holland is one hour ahead of the UK so when the piped wake up message came through at 5 am it was a rude shock to say the least. We disembarked as last bike off the ferry which proved a blessing because we didn't have any pressure from guys behind us wanting to get on their way.
We covered the 100 odd kilometres (back to km from miles) from Rotterdam to Amsterdam in quick time on the freeway with one stop. We found that Holland is now the home of the Dialeks! Dr WHO obviously got rid of them from Britain!
In no time we were parking the P-D on the footpath right in front of the Prins Hendrik Hotel, smack in the middle of Amsterdam. Greg spoke to a local scooter rider who said it was OK to park on the footpath with other scooters & push bikes, they weren't proud! Cheeky b*****! Europe has this approved footpath parking for scooters and motorbikes down pat. Wish we did!
We set off on foot to wander around Amsterdam having last visited here nearly 30 years ago when backpacking around the world. We could remember little of the place for two reasons. Firstly it was so long ago and secondly, we were badly hungover at the time! But that's another story.
We decided to visit Anne FRANK's house which proved very worthwhile. As you would recall The Diary of Anne FRANK became an international bestseller when published in 1948 and won on Academy Award for Shelley WINTERS in 1959 when made into a movie. As Jews, 14 year old Anne, her mother, father and older sister plus 4 others hid from the Nazis from 1942 in an Amsterdam house to avoid persecution before being betrayed in 1944 and sent to various concentration camps. All perished except Anne's father Otto FRANK, who after the war located Anne's diary and had it published. He died at age 91 in 1980.
We then walked through the red light district of Amsterdam where the ladys of the night sit in a window displaying their assets and offering their services. You can view before you buy so to speak. Only trouble was, it wasn't night! We didn't expect to see anyone in daylight hours; how wrong can you be? There were dozens of females, and possibly a few males dressed as females, all working and available at the right price!
Amsterdam is also famous as the cannabis capital of the world where the 'wacky weed' is legally sold including all utensils and bongs to go with it. Cannabis cafes proliferate and you can get high just by walking down the street! You can even buy ready made cannabis cigarettes that look like the real deal tobacco ones.
Much to our surprise Amsterdam was very dirty with rubbish on the streets and in the canals. It seemed to us the place was full of prostitutes and perverts and the tourists who came to watch the former. Not our cup of tea.
Amsterdam is known as the Venice of the North due to its plethora of canals. We decided to take a canal ride and find out for ourselves. Kerrie found out. Greg slept!
As we were walking down a street after our canal ride Greg thought he recognised a tall, young good looking blonde girl who disppeared into the throng before he could get a second look. Kerrie told him to get a grip. A few minutes later we walked around the block and then walked straight into Lauren OVERELL, who had passed through Coomera Police Station as a first year constable last year and was now attached permanently to Surfers Paradise Police Station. Lauren and her friend were backpacking around Europe. The world is indeed a very small place!
After bidding Lauren farewell and safe travelling, we had a coffee and retired to our hotel, exhausted after such a busy day.
We parked the P-D in the Princes Quays shopping centre in downtown Hull and killed several hours before we rode out to the ferry embarkation point. We expected to queue and then wait several hours before being called forward to embark as this has been the way so far on our ferry trips. Not this time! We sailed through (excuse the pun) and went straight onto the ferry and up to our cabin.
We forgot that Holland is one hour ahead of the UK so when the piped wake up message came through at 5 am it was a rude shock to say the least. We disembarked as last bike off the ferry which proved a blessing because we didn't have any pressure from guys behind us wanting to get on their way.
We covered the 100 odd kilometres (back to km from miles) from Rotterdam to Amsterdam in quick time on the freeway with one stop. We found that Holland is now the home of the Dialeks! Dr WHO obviously got rid of them from Britain!
In no time we were parking the P-D on the footpath right in front of the Prins Hendrik Hotel, smack in the middle of Amsterdam. Greg spoke to a local scooter rider who said it was OK to park on the footpath with other scooters & push bikes, they weren't proud! Cheeky b*****! Europe has this approved footpath parking for scooters and motorbikes down pat. Wish we did!
We set off on foot to wander around Amsterdam having last visited here nearly 30 years ago when backpacking around the world. We could remember little of the place for two reasons. Firstly it was so long ago and secondly, we were badly hungover at the time! But that's another story.
We decided to visit Anne FRANK's house which proved very worthwhile. As you would recall The Diary of Anne FRANK became an international bestseller when published in 1948 and won on Academy Award for Shelley WINTERS in 1959 when made into a movie. As Jews, 14 year old Anne, her mother, father and older sister plus 4 others hid from the Nazis from 1942 in an Amsterdam house to avoid persecution before being betrayed in 1944 and sent to various concentration camps. All perished except Anne's father Otto FRANK, who after the war located Anne's diary and had it published. He died at age 91 in 1980.
We then walked through the red light district of Amsterdam where the ladys of the night sit in a window displaying their assets and offering their services. You can view before you buy so to speak. Only trouble was, it wasn't night! We didn't expect to see anyone in daylight hours; how wrong can you be? There were dozens of females, and possibly a few males dressed as females, all working and available at the right price!
Amsterdam is also famous as the cannabis capital of the world where the 'wacky weed' is legally sold including all utensils and bongs to go with it. Cannabis cafes proliferate and you can get high just by walking down the street! You can even buy ready made cannabis cigarettes that look like the real deal tobacco ones.
Much to our surprise Amsterdam was very dirty with rubbish on the streets and in the canals. It seemed to us the place was full of prostitutes and perverts and the tourists who came to watch the former. Not our cup of tea.
Amsterdam is known as the Venice of the North due to its plethora of canals. We decided to take a canal ride and find out for ourselves. Kerrie found out. Greg slept!
As we were walking down a street after our canal ride Greg thought he recognised a tall, young good looking blonde girl who disppeared into the throng before he could get a second look. Kerrie told him to get a grip. A few minutes later we walked around the block and then walked straight into Lauren OVERELL, who had passed through Coomera Police Station as a first year constable last year and was now attached permanently to Surfers Paradise Police Station. Lauren and her friend were backpacking around Europe. The world is indeed a very small place!
After bidding Lauren farewell and safe travelling, we had a coffee and retired to our hotel, exhausted after such a busy day.
- comments
swankyank What an amazing trip .. I thought The British Isles. was the end destination but NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO now the Lane's are in Amsterdam running into Lauen. What's next running into the Swank Yank in Istanbul. That will never happen.. Or will it... At my Sisters House in NY.. Leaving tommorrow. e-mail me if you received my travel info.. Swank Yank
Christopher Hi Swankyank aka Howard sorry I wont see you as I will be in Canada now in Ireland (no not Belfast where the touble is but beautiful Galway Bay (actually it is Salthill Bay but doesnt have that same ring to it I guess)
Ben Lauren, you are the woman of my dreams.