From Amsterdam to San Francisco

  San Francisco, California, United States
Thursday, July 3, 2008

July 2 and 3

July 2. from Dordrecht to Amsterdam

Clouded, little rain 19°C/66°F
 
This travel report actually starts on Wednesday, the second of July. After months of preparation it is finally time to go. Today we leave our house and our cats to start an incredible holiday to the west of the USA. There is just one disadvantage to this trip, we won't see our cats a couple weeks. This produces always some emotions but our neighbours are really the best foster parents you can imagine, so the cats will be treated very well and probably won't miss us for a second.

At 19.30 it is then up to that point. Luggage in the car, waiving to the neighbours and there we go. 4 red lights and the same amount of minutes later we were back home. It seems stupid, but I forgot my watch and earrings, nevertheless cumbersome, therefore just quick pick up and still rapidly give the cats a last stroke.

We leave again and at 21.00 we arrive at the Van der Valk a4 hotel at Schiphol. Always when we have a flight in the morning or halfway the day, we stay the night before in this hotel. Then we don't have the traffic stress in the morning and our car is parked for free for two weeks. This time, because we will be gone for a bit longer, we have to pay € 10 extra. Normally the cost for park & stay are € 139. Like always we ask at checking in if there are still upgrades available. This time they have top suite in the offer for € 35 extra. This room costs normally € 205 per night, therefore €40 profit and a deliciously large round bubble bath in the wide room with deliciously large comfortable bed, or actual two enormous queen-size beds. We let the bath run full, turn on the enormous TV, pulled a bottle of wine open and this way we started to relax. Nicely warm and tired we are falling asleep around twelve thirty.
 
July 3, from Amsterdam to San Francisco
 
Clouded  19°C/66°F
 
 
I was awake at 04.00!!!! Frans has postponed it one hour longer before he became awake, by that time I have fallen still asleep again. At 06.30 we both were really too awake for further sleep so we stood up. We took our time to wrap up our stuff and went for a breakfast. Breakfast at Van der Valk has always been extended, therefore there are always things which you would like to eat. For €15 pp we have our stomachs nicely full.

At 08.00 the free shuttle bus brings us to the airport Schiphol. Because we already checked in by Internet yesterday, we only had to drop off our luggage (2 trunks of 19 and 20 kilos). The trolley we keep with us, because we will go shopping and there is more space in the trolley available! For years I use my Kipling handbag to drag photo camera, video camera, navigation system, money and stuff during holidays, but this year it is really getting to small. Fortunately, Samsonite has a nice solution and so all our stuff moves to my new handbag where everything fits in much more easily. Of course some illustrated magazines to read during the flights, new perfume and sun protection. It is always clear to me why they recommended to be at least 3 hours prior to the flight at the airport. We simply need this time to shop!

Exactly on boarding time, we're arriving 12.20 at the gate. The plane was scheduled at 12.40 but it is getting a little bit later, at 13.00. We have been surprised by the leg space at Delta Airlines. These really turn out better than expected and are approximately to compare with Martin Air's comfort class. Nobody talks about the announced airtax, and the diner which is provided is of excellent quality. In short, everything is going smooth.

On JFK airport, New York we must take another flight and here it becomes a little bit stressfull. We are almost on time, 15.15 instead of the scheduled 14.55 (local time NY, 6 hours earlier than in Amsterdam) but we cannot park at the gate because there is still a plane standing. So we have to wait. When we finally can leave our airplane, we rapidly run to the customs authorities and this is at entry in America a drama when there is are just one or more plane that arrived shortly before you. At 16.05 we stood at the officer and he was fortunately not too long-winded. Rapidly we put our luggage of the one belt onto the other and start to run to the other side of the airport. From the corner of my eye I see the first Starbucks but I have to let this one go! We are, as it happens, scheduled for 17.00 therefore no time for coffee. Exactly on time for boarding we arrive at 16.30 at the correct gate. Check in and at half past five the plain starts to taxi.

After the first flight of 8 hours we now have a flight of 6 hours. Between New York and San Francisco is a time difference of 3 hours (totally Amsterdam-San Francisco is 9 hours) and we arrive at 21.00 local time at San Francisco international airport. Our luggage was rapidly at the belt, therefore we could smoothly take the shuttle to the rental-car pick up. At least, we could have done this smoothly. It wasn't the fault of the shuttle or Alamo's, but to our speed of choice that it lasted longer. It took us between 15 and the 20 minutes to talk about all the advantage en disadvantages of the different available cars and we couldn't come to a decision till...... a red Dodge Charger returned for rental. This car won immediately and together with us the car drove at 22.00, accompanied by Tomtom in a straight line to the hotel Luna Inn on Lombard street. Just a shower and at half past eleven local times (in Amsterdam it was already the next morning 08.30) at last we fell asleep.

Frans en Inge