Kassel to Amsterdam

Phew. We're here.  Ready for a day exploring Amsterdam but, it wasn't the easiest journey. 

 Neither of us is entirely crippled by the bike/bag carrying although the steep walk from Hercules down has left its mark on our calves. We managed the transfer between trains well but on the trains it isn't easy to stow a bike.  We didn't manage to sit in our reserved seats on either train. On the second train we sat in the corridor because the alternative was turfing a six year old out into the same space. 

As soon as we got to Amsterdam we found a quiet corner (I have spent hours and hours and hours waiting for trains at Amsterdam Centraal. It's a station I feel I know intimately ) and began putting my bike together. Putting together an unfamiliar bike - even one you took to bits yourself - isn't too easy but I managed. The dynamo lights even work.  The breaks gave me a few problems because I've never had that kind (calipers or something?) but after a couple of attempts I could stop again.

We headed out of the station. One to the taxi rank and one to the bike path. It was only after Mr H set off that I realised the back wheel wasn't straight and he had my socket tool. I squeaked my way to the hotel slowly. 7km later and at the hotel I saw Mr H still at the check in. Unusual huh? Turned out that the reservation hadn't gone through and had been cancelled. (There were complicated and confusing reasons for this that shall be reviewed at a later date)Yay. It was 10pm. It was dark. I was covered in oil and bike grime and we were both starving. 

I got on the internet and so did the woman at the reception desk.  Mr H happened to have found a hotel on his way to this one - his taxi driver having taken him to the wrong place. We tried there. There was one room left. We reserved it and I got back on my bike (after fixing the wheel). A short ride later and I arrived again at the hotel. This time all was good. We threw our bags in the room, I locked my bike in the garage and we went out for tea.  Back at the hotel with a takeaway we revelled in chips, beer, two BBC channels and subtitled American dramas. Then fell into a very deep sleep.