A City of Canals

If I were to describe Amsterdam in only two words, it would have to be BICYCLES and CANALS. Both are found in abundance and define the whole cityscape. The old single-speed clanger is the preferred means of transport, and with back-pedal brakes and Harley Davidson style handlebars it certainly rules the roost. I've spent close to a week cruising around the city on Mike's rusty old bike and love the sense of freedom it provides. Riding alongside are mums with little kiddies on the front, men and women in suits on their way to work, people carrying groceries and bunches of flowers and amazing wheelbarrow-like contraptions for transporting all and sundry. It's the quickest, easiest way to get around, and the cycling infrastructure is amazing.


Amsterdam is a beautiful city. At this time of year the days are gloriously long. Twilight lasts until well past ten o'clock at night, and there is a light, relaxed mood to the place. Mike and Cadge's little apartment feels like a home away from home, and has been a real oasis in a city that didn't make much sense on first appraisal. I was quite overwhelmed by the sense of foreign-ness, particularly in regards to language. The trick here is that outwardly things may seem unintelligible, but beneath a thin veneer there's a population of extremely proficient English speakers, so it's really just a matter of approaching situations with a little bit of confidence and humour. I am humbled and impressed by the multi-lingual talents of so many people here.

It's amazing how quickly one's mood can change. Two days ago I was feeling more than a little apprehensive about the next phase of my journey. Suddenly it all seemed rather ambitious to be heading off on this tour alone. I was looking forward to the cycling, but I felt frozen with indecision about what route to take, the logistics of transporting my bike, and even more mundane challenges such as finding basic necessities in a foreign language speaking country. It was supposed to be fun, but suddenly it was starting to feel more like hard work...

The turning point came while sharing a lovely meal with friends. After chatting for a couple of hours and poring over maps together, I was reminded of why I'm on this journey in the first place. There are so many beautiful places to see and beautiful people to meet! That night I was so excited I couldn't sleep.

Today I continued my exploration of the city, which is currently gripped by world cup fever. One of the things I really love about Amsterdam is that it's very much a human-sized city. The compact design means that you can walk or ride anywhere and thus get to know the place more intimately. However the long circuitous canals make it a nightmare for navigation.

As a child I was captivated by the story of Anne Frank, so despite the hordes of tourists I couldn't resist experiencing a part of that history by visiting the house where she and her family hid during the war. There must be thousands of people who wander through there daily, yet the man at the ticket window made a point of thanking me for my smile, saying that it was the first he'd seen all day. If only we made more effort to smile and spent less time complaining of our troubles!

On the eve of my departure I'm feeling a mixture of nerves and excitement. My main concern is that I've been over-cautious in my preparations, instead of leaving more to chance. My panniers seem much too heavy - do I really need all that stuff?! Perhaps by the end of the road I will have shed some insecurities and material possessions and learnt to travel a bit lighter, both in body and in spirit.