12 September - Go Go Go! John & Jen's Amazing Race begins

The packing was mad and fast as we had just finished all our "things to do" and it was 12.30pm on the day we were leaving and I hadn't packed and Jen was 50% done. The check in for our luggage closed at 200pm and it was a 35~40 minute taxi fare to the airport. To see how deluded we were, that morning we still had ideas of catching a train to the city and a skybus to the airport. Pfft, such plans with the time we had went straight out the window.

So we packed all and everything in 30 mins, packed up the cat to drive to Jen's Mum's to drop off Olive (our apparent boss) and meet the already waiting taxi. Rush rush rush, kisses, hugs, pat the dogs, the boss, a wave goodbye and we were off to the airport. Arriving Melbourne airport, at 147pm, we checked our luggage, walked to gate 24 and boarded the plane pretty much immediately. Cool calm .... nope more like needing a stiff drink and a brown paper bag for the hyperventilation.

We arrived in Kuala Lumpur for our two hour layover, which turned into six. A connecting flight from Perth with 100 passengers had to turn back due to mechanical difficulties. Luckily we found a three seater couch, which meant me sitting up and Jen lying down for the duration. Brownie points for me and a few hours needed sleep for Jen. After the month we had had, a few extra hours sleep anywhere was welcomed.

We then fLew KL to Amsterdam arriving around 830am, which was better than our previous 4am scheduled. A few coffees at the airport, then a train ride to Amsterdam Centraal in a "silent carriage", such a good idea, something for Connex or whoever they are called now to consider. No phone or loud chat carriage, excellent for old grumpy goats like me. :)

So we dropped off our luggage at Hotel Brauwer and went a walking the streets, a common thing in Amsterdam (snigger snigger). We were both like zombies walking around trying to work out what phone plans suited, hilarious, no cognitive function and trying to work out phone and data plans as confusing as Australia, well they seemed confusing at the time anyway. Lyca mobile won and calls home on the mobile for 1 cent a minute. Awesome.

Free wifi in the hotel, excellent. Leaning hotel that rivals the Tower of Pisa, as most places are in Amsterdam apparently, one tower in Pisa is nothing compared to this city. So much so we may have to move the bed tonight as you can seriously roll out without to much trouble. It's like camping and pitching the tent the wrong way on the slope.

Got home from lovely walks, awesome berry and apple pastries and very good coffee. Thank good they do good coffee. The only trouble is that finding a coffee shop is a little difficult, as most of the 'coffee shops' and signs that say coffee shop don't actually sell coffee, just weed. Or if they did you would walk out high from all the passive smoke.

4.00pm and we dropped in the hotel for a nap. Sixteen hours later and it was the next morning. Wow did we need a sleep.