Nov 03 2008
Preparations For The Trip
With plane tickets and apartment all set to go, there is not much more to get ready except to upgrade our winter gear. I was heartbroken when my trusty daypack of over 10 years had succumed to mold. And so a replacement is on the list of needed gear besides a new waterproof winter jacket, winter boots, and some long underwear.
Amsterdam is not any colder than Gloucester during winter, but that cold wind goes right through you. Besides with with an 8am sunrise and a 5:30 sunset, there is not much the sun can do to warm up this city of stone and water.
One of my favorite memories of my first trip to Holland was the early morning walks downtown. Amazing how quiet the city is at around 7 am in February.
Besides the gear the rest of the planning involves just how many daytrips we want to take and how many restaurants I want to splurge in. I’ve pretty much decided that the IAmsterdam card is not worth the money after reading the posts in the many Amsterdam forums out there. Although if this was my first time in the city and I only had a few days (in warmer weather) then I can see it being pretty convenient. But you have to keep yourself busy in order for the card to be a real money saver.
