Arrival and Rijksmuseum: Amsterdam Day 1

Today was the first day of my first solo interplaning/hostelling adventure across Europe. Since I enjoyed blogging my trip to Paris a few years so much, this time I am going to also give myself the pressure of ATTEMPTING to vlog the entire experience too. Don't hold up too many hopes as I'm currently using an age old netbook which is on its last legs. but I managed to get today's done:


I am definitely going to keep up with regular daily updates on this blog though, summarising the best and worst parts. So what did I think about today?

Best bits:

1. Amsterdam's public transport was easy to navigate. Today alone I took three methods of public transportation: the intercity train, metro and tram. Since I am from by London, I am used to an incredibly cramped, stuffy and dirty tube system, so Amsterdam's spacious (have you ever seen a double-decker train before?) trains were refreshing surprise. I've bought a GVB card to cover all transport for the few days I am here which was a swift and painless experience, with a perfect customer service and a free map.
2. Everyone in Amsterdam speaks perfect English. I knew this before I came as all the Dutch I have previously met were also fantastic linguists. This really helps to diminish any cultural barriers, making the Netherlands a straight-forward place to travel. 
3. Rijksmuseum was very enjoyable. This is the state museum housing an array of Dutch art from the 1100s all the way to some post modern works. The collection was extensive and the architecture of the building was magnificent.
4. Where I am staying is absolutely fantastic in terms of location, amenities and service! I will write an entire blog post on it in the future as my mother won't be too happy if I reveal my current location to any potential murders or rapist that read my blog.

Worst bits:

1. Spending too much money on museums. The Rijksmuseum was actually free for under 19s which was a pleasant surprise. However, I bought a museumkart:  a pass that gives free access to all museums in Holland for 1 year. The card cost 32,40euro which doesn't work out to be that great of a deal for me considering I only have limited time in Amsterdam to visit museums. However, I have already made online bookings for other museums for a Museumkart, so I had no option. Thus, advice for future travellers is that if they are a student or under 19, it may actually be cheaper to buy standard tickets if you don't plan on spending everyday of your trip frequenting museums.
2. I felt rather ill and lightheaded during the day. I think the drinking fountain at Luton had some dodgy tap water which made me feel ill. However, my headache was from being dehydrated and there weren't any places to re-fill my bottle in the Rijksmuseum. For my evening dinner I knocked up a rather yummy noodle dish if I do say so myself, which helped to settle stomach. 

Following are some snaps from the Rijksmuseum - talk to you tomorrow!

Obligatory I Amsterdam sign shot

Dolls' House

"Mine!"

Catholics or Protestants, which side are you on?