Amster-DAMN!!!!

It wasnt a very long drive from Rhine Valley to Amsterdamn. There was one service stop, then only a quick drive into Edam for a Bike ride along the Dyjk. (Canal).

It was raining on the way into Edam but by the time we got to the bike pick up point it had stopped, so everyone grabbed their bikes and we left. They were the old school grandma bikes. It was so much fun. Half way through the ride it started to rain again though and not many people were well equipped. We rushed the ride through and got back to the store quick to drop the bikes back as everyone was cold and saturated. It was a shame because it would have been really nice otherwise!!

From there we went to a cheese and Clog shop. They showed us how the cheese and clogs were made then we went into their shop for a tasting. The cheese was out of this world!!! Much better than coles brand tasty cheese block!! lol. We also tried Stroopwafels which are my new favorite thing in the world!!! Hard to explain, guess you have to come to edam to try!!

From there we were taken to our hotel to check in and get freshened up ready for our night tour. After dinner we were taken back into Admserdam and to the 'Amsterdam ballet...' also known as the sex show. When in Amsterdam right!! Then joel took us on a walk through the red light district before free time. It was good going through as a part of a tour as I think it would be pretty scary to go alone. Its just such a different place, so relaxed with all that stuff. Every shop you walk past you can smell weed...

We caught the bus back to the hotel later on and got a relatively early night. Coming to the end of the tour everyone was struggling a bit. Everyone has the contiki cough and a sore throat, so an early night was good.

The next day we got up early to go on our canal boat bike ride. It was so much fun. We took about an hour and a half to make our way round a little circuit in the canals. It was a fun way to see a bit of Amsterdam too. Because me and Jaime went in one on our own we were exhausted by the end cos we had no one to share paddling.

After the canal bikes we had free time, but we wanted to go back early to get ready for our farewell dinner. By the time we wandered around finding our way back to the bus station though it was about 2pm!!

We all got ready for our farewell dinner then we were taken to a canal cruise. We got an hour long ride around different canals with a few wines which was fun. Then we got dropped off at a chinese restaurant for our dinner. The food was really good, and of course a few more wines.

After that we walked back into town to go to a bar. We stayed a little while and had a few drinks, then got taken to a shooter bar, but it was really cramped so a few of us left. We walked our way back to the station doing a bit of a food tour stopping at most food outlets on the way before getting home.

The next day was mixed emotions. We left admsterdam fairly early ready to head back to London. I slept majority of the way. Its like now my body knows contiki is over its given in. It held in for a long time!!

We got back to London and checked into the hotel then joined most of the group down at the bar for our goodbye drinks. It was a nice way to end it really. I was glad it was over so I can sleep and drink more water than beer, but sad to say goodbye to all my new friends!!

I met a guy at the bar who was starting his contiki the next morning, so we gave him bits and pieces of advice for the tour. Was wierd thinking that ours is now over. Feels like it only just begun!!

I think that night I slept for 10 hours straight...