16 Jun 2013

Europe Trip Update Part 4: Meeting Kelana Convoy and off to Amsterdam...

I just finish my classes today an will be waiting for final exam next two week. So last classes mean time to submit all your assignments so I am that busy. Ok, enough lets continue the story.

So, the next morning I wake up early and left the hotel around 7am. Again, with the big luggage, I was going down to the stairs for Paddington subway and again somebody is kind enough to help me to carry my big luggage. He is just a gentlemen. So, i'm going to Marble Arch for the meeting point of Kelana Convoy. There, I meet another 2 girls who are going to join Kelana Convoy, sweet, more people and I'm not going to lost this time. So, from afar, we saw a group of Malaysian and there we meet the crew and passengers.

There were 2 buses for the trip, one bus for families with kids and seniors and my bus it is the hype, happening people, hehe. So I was seated in the second row from the front and sat beside Maria, who is mountain hiking girl and she is cool. Actually, all the people are nice and I love knowing all of them. There are 6 nurses working in Saudi Arabia join the tour and one of them has been working there for 15 years. Other 5 years and some just join two years ago. I heard they already pay off their PTPTN, I mean with the salaries that much, who wouldn't. I was just thinking, I'm in the wrong industry. I should become nurse and migrate to Saudi and gets a lot of money.

So, actually, we are going to Falkstone to take train to France. I was quite curious how are going to do it, so we have to go down and get to the immigration and then go on the train? So if we board the bus, then where are the buses going? Actually we have another stop at Ashford, because there are two passengers that miss out the meeting point because they were late. Actually, because of the bank holiday, some of the subway station are closed for maintenance, they they are actually stuck, so they have to catch a train and meet us at Ashford.

So when we wait at the Ashford, I just found out that there is factory outlets there and it just like Bicester Village, but the Kelana Convoy crew already warning that we are only be there for a moment only. Still some did buy something, they just so fast.

So meet the girls and went ahead to go to Falkstone. When we arrive, actually I was prepare to go down the bus, and saw the train. It was not an ordinary train. So actually, all of us, even the buses are going inside the train, yeah that train is that big. So, when we are inside it is time to meet each other. I met with a group of medical students from Galway, Ireland and also the "late girls" who eventually become my tent mates. They are so cool and tell us about their journey to catch the bus.

So, here we are at France. I just can't believe myself, until I look into the road signage which was in French. So we are going to our camp site in Amsterdam. Before that we will go through France and Belgium to reach Amsterdam. To kill the time in the bus, we need to introduce ourselves, in front of the bus. My introduction, is I travel alone and everybody quite amaze. Yeah, me too.

Our first stop before reaching camping site is Belgium's chocolate factory. It got a lot of chocolate and I was thinking I'm at Willy Wonka chocolate factory. I didn't buy a lot because I know I can't bring back to Malaysia because the journey is sill in early stage. The chocolate is great, I tried all the sample, which I think halal to try and the price is not bad, around 4 euro to 10 euro per box.

Then we when to continue our journey, and I just can't sleep and looking out through the windows. The scenery is so nice and I saw a lot of modern windmills and really feel I'm in different country which is just so modern and clean. When we arrive our camp site which is near to the Schiphol airport called Amsterdamsebos, one of the crew show us how to build our camp, so me and my tent mates, Asma and Lyn trying so hard to build them. We manage to complete it early and helping others to set-up their camp. Now, it is time for dinner and we are having Indonesian food from Amsterdam's Indonesian restaurant. It was warm and quite nice. After that, we did hanging out in the big kitchen and get to know each other better as well as charging our phones and cameras. We also manage to upload our photos and status updates as the wifi there is free. In the kitchen, then have big dining place and near to the dining room is the public toilets and bathroom. So, like I said before, I have doubts with public toilets, luckily they were clean but you need to pay if you want to shower with hot water and it is only for 4 minutes on;y. Well, as I didn't buy the token, I just shower, thinking how cold it could be? It just so cold and the most coldest shower I ever had. Then it is time to sleep because we are going to my dream place tomorrow, Keukenhof, the tulips farm and visiting Amsterdam.

We did discuss to go to the famous Red light districts. Did we manage to see naked people? to be continue. I promise I will update as soon as possible.



Me, in front of Ashford Factory Outlets

Practice posing for Keukenhof

Inside Ashford

So here is the toll to go to the train


So, we are going through Euro tunnel

We are in France already...


So here is the train...

Queuing to get inside the train 

It is big...

Wow, I don't think I can park inside train like that

Here we go...

Inside the train...


Photo time...

We are in France!

Turn to Brussel here...



Modern windmills, it just something you wouldn't see everyday... 

Some scenery along the way...yes, it is white and black cows...

Our camp site...


Setting-up our tent...

Dinner of the day

The cabin is so cute...
 

The scenery here is just so beautiful...

Colourful cabins

They have children park here...

Hopefully the tenant is not home...

Talking to Galway girls...

Me, posing...

Love to sit here and read something...



My and my tent buddies...

Try to mix it up a little bit...




8 comments:

Raz said...

so many beautiful pics..

saerah80 said...

Rasa macam nak pergi lagi sekali...jomla hehe...

Anonymous said...

salam.

seronok baca blog ni. Anyway awak pegi bulan berapa ni ye? nampak mcm sejuk je tu..

saerah80 said...

Saya pergi bulan 5, cuba bawa satu baju sejuk sebab ingatkan musim bunga kan, turn up masih lagi sejuk...dahla tidur dalam khemah...mengigil sejuknya...

Anonymous said...

Salam.

Hi, seronok tgk gambar2 awak. saya plan nak pg next year. kalau saya nak book for cabin ada tak yg untuk couple? sbb klu tgk kat kelana website cabin tu mcm kene share je 4 ke 5 org?

saerah80 said...

Rasanya kalau buat request boleh kot mintak couple cabin...kalau ramai- ramai pun, dia ada bilik...so ada privacy sikitla...

Rosie said...

hi..i'm going for the same trip wt KC 30/5 -14/6 2014... anyone out thr who wanna join our group? we can get discounts... pls contact me rosselinn@yahoo.com

saerah80 said...

Alamak, macam dah jadi iklan kat sini....tapi takpe hehe...

So kalau ada apa-apa soalan pasal KC ni feel free to ask me...saya share pengalaman ja...

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