Grand Hotel Karel V Utrecht

... station and bought some outrageously priced tickets, which the sales girl told me, would get me there and back. I hate travelling by bus in unfamiliar places. The stops aren't announced and you never know where to get on or off.

When the bus came, it was long enough to have bendy bits in the middle. Us and about 250 other people squeezed onto it. We ended up sitting, all five of us, on two seats. The bus whizzed off and a few minutes later, two ticket inspectors got on. I ...

... It's a shopping opportunity way to rare to miss.

Come Friday and Saturday, dorm accommodation in The Damage began hitting 70 dollars, so we said bugger that and ventured out to the countryside. Picked up tickets for 19 Euro each that allowed us unlimited 1st class train seats across the kingdom all day. Sweet! Went to the 2nd largest city, Rotterdam, and stored our backpacks. Caught a bus for an hour out to the picture postcard town of Kinderdijk, which is ...

... a feature of individualism (though a good one cause it gives people a platform). The famous can allow themselves more, but if they 'stayed normal', another expression of ours, they get more appreciation. Possibly and probably the social codes and norms telling what is normal and what isn't, exist in every country so this story isn't a unicum. These norms anyhow are very present here and people who are really open for anything ...

... some promotional Cádiz website, of which at least the last part is ********: you smell more dog pee then sea on the alleys, but whatever. Of which reminds me of myself walking down such an alley that week in Cádiz, with my beautiful red skirt that for the reason of kneeling down to take a look at my map whatsoever turned into wet and stinky. So I had to get back to the hostel, get to wash the thing and change clothes, but hey it was sunny, who cares. Anyway, this ...

... he was 26 after a failed career as an evangelical preacher. He started learning stilllife techniques in the Netherlands that were very dark and realistic. He then moved to France where he started experimenting with impressionist colors and techniques such as pointillism. Eventually he developed his long heavy strokes and bright color pallet he is known for. I was amazed to learn he only painted for 10 years and only did one painting on a large scale. My favorite part, like ...

Upon arrival in Calais it's back onto the coach. Exhausted, many of us fall asleep, only to be woken up by the Smurfs theme tune as we pass through Belgium. On our first service stop in the Netherlands, I am shocked at the price of food. A Mac Donalds burger meal is 5,50 Euro (about R65.00). This is about three times what we pay for the same thing back in South Africa. I start to worry about my budget for the trip...especially when a Dutch lady demands that I pay a ...

... doesn't come with prohibition; it comes with freedom and setting boundaries for yourself.   And maybe it's this sense of swing and liberty which makes Amsterdam have such an incredible atmosphere and style.  Its' inhabitants are relaxed, friendly, but most of all, they look happy.   Call it a haven, a sanctuary, or call it Sin City, but people come here because of that something about Amsterdam. 

... so often. Hopefully I'll call him maybe every 2nd or 3rd, maybe every M W F. Dammit! Word to the wise: don't go overseas and leave your significant other behind. It may cose you a ton in long distance. I must get over this overwhelming sense of sadness that makes me want to sleep for 19 days straight. I should be savouring this, but here I am pining for the arms of my loved one.

... and shake his hand and join his marketing department to learn how they do it. I snipped a bit of hair with them and yup they cut. Seriously, make something expensive, put some hype behind it and BAM! Oh and I smoked weed. I am no longer afraid to say it because 1) I don't work for anyone anymore and 2) its legal here so HA, nana nana poo poo! The Amnesia Haze is quite powerful, but I think I liked the NY Diesel the best, try them out.

... Vanuit Bangkok gaan we via de chedi van Nakhom Pathom en de beroemde drijvende markt naar Kanchanaburi, waar we uiteraard ‘de brug over de river Kwai’ bezoeken. Op de Kwai-rivier overnachten we in drijvende bungalows en kun je schommelend in een hangmat uitkijken over de schitterende rustgevende omgeving. Vervolgens trekken we via de voormalige hoofdstad Ayutthaya en het oudste Nationale Park van het land Khao Yai naar het minder ontwikkelde oosten van ...