Tips for traveling in and to Europe
(or, how to avoid the mistakes I made)

(Still a work in progress, last update 7/3/06)


1) The Flight

I like nonstops. If I'm stuck in a layover, I always end up in the airport bar buying $5 beer. That's too much for beer, I don't like drinking that much, and it just stinks. Since I'm from Orlando and can get my mom or brother to take me to the airport and leave my car at their place, it looks like a no-brainer: Martinair, nonstop to Schipol airport in Amsterdam, 8:40 minute flight. Upgrade to Comfort Class if your budget can handle it. Summer (from June 1 normally to the end of August) is expensive. From Amsterdam it's pretty easy to get anywhere else in Europe via train. There are also cheap flights from Schipol to most places in Europe.

2) Amsterdam/Holland

Amsterdam is fun. I stayed at the Piet Hein hotel on the trip in, and it was fine, very conveniently located on the edge of the Vondelpark near the museums. I was there in a heat wave though, and my room didn't have A/C, although I may have just missed it as I almost did at my hotel in Paris. I'm used to the heater and A/C being in the same unit. Staff very friendly and helpful. Breakfast was more than adequate. If you are going on the cheap, the Flying Pig Hostel was basically next door. The Vondelpark is fabulous. I didn't get to see a quarter of it though as my time was limited. It was busy @ midnight, with what looked like many hundreds of people sitting around the lake playing guitar and so forth.

The Red Light District: Strictly for partiers. Cheap hotels, but I'd rather spend the extra money and stay in the museum district, which looked lots safer to me. I stayed at the Centrum in the district, because the Hotel Old Quarter was overbooked and that's where they put me. At least it had a private bath (VERY small) and was in fact clean. If you want to try the famous Amsterdam "Coffeshops" they're everywhere, and yeah, there are girls in lingerie in the windows that you can rent if you'd like. I'd stay away from here if I brought the kids.

Don't drive. Walk, bike or take trams. If you're leaving Amsterdam, rent a car at Europcar, I got a good deal, and I could walk there from my hotel. Tip: parking in Amsterdam stinks. If you rent your car as close to closing on Saturday as you can, you only have to pay to park on the streets til midnight, Sunday parking is free. If you have to park for a full weekday, it could be 30-35 Euros per day.