Friday, February 10, 2006
Netherlands Trip 06/02/2006 - From Lund to Amsterdam
The journey to Copenhagen, Denmark and then to Amsterdam, Netherlands was filled with travellers' tales.
I am quite a blur person when it comes to reading the train schedule listing on the TV screen. So when I reached Lund Central Station, I scrambled to find out the way to Copenhagen. Now, Copenhagen is not written "Copenhagen" in Swedish so I had to find Kastrup, which is the name of the international airport in Copenhagen. After buying the ticket, I suddenly remembered that I forgot to bring my moisturizer. Not that I am vain, but my heels crack after long walks and the area around the mouth area gets really dry and scaly if I don't moisturize. So since there is abt 20 min to the arrival of the train, I went to ICA to get the cheapest Nivea cream. Later, I will know that Amsterdam sells Nivea cheaper than in Lund. Sucks! Wasted a couple of dollars this way.
So, I waited at platform 2 for the train. To make sure that I am not on the wrong side of the station, I asked a gentleman to know whether the train goes to Copenhagen. But the board didn't say anything about Copenhagen so I got a negative answer. I sensed that I will have to make a transfer at Malmo Centraal (not a typo) Station (and yup, I have to make a transfer.)
On the train, I met a German couple. Well, we didn't really talked but they were travellers too. So I kind of followed them, hoping that they are going to Copenhagen. They were rather unlucky actually. They were travelling on Scanrail and had not filled in today's day on the pass. So the unreasonable conductor slapped them with a fine. I don't know who's fault it is actually. The couple argued that it have always been the conductor who fill in the date; but the conductor told them it's not his job to do the filling in. And on the Terms and Conditions on the pass, it is mentioned that it's the passenger that must fill in the date of travelling. So well, black and white wins. The couple had no choice but to pay. They were out of cash and paid using credit card. The lady was like saying:" I hope this card doesn't work with his stupid machine". Perhaps, the couple has had meet many good conductors along their journey that offered to fill in the dates. Or maybe, this is just a bad day for this train conductor and he just slapped them with the fine.
We got on the train and then there was an angry voice making an announcement in Swedish. The train carriage which I was in was filled with non-Swedish speaking people so we just looked at each other. Then a gentleman by my side translated: This section of the train is not going to Copenhagen, go to the other side. And everyone just scatted to the other side of the train. Then in the middle of the ride, the train got a technical problem and stopped for 15 min. Urggh! It's now 1830, I have had a flight to catch at 1930 and I have not checked in! The couple was worse off, they have a train to catch at 1855. They can't miss that one cause they have already missed a train on Saturday. Bad day for them. That's how we started talking, they asked me for the time and we talked.
The plane was delayed due to the snowy weather for 1+ hour. I slept all the way on the plane and reached Schipol International Airport @ 2230. It was scary being in a country where I have heard racism stories with all the shops closed and the streets empty. I walked alot before finding the hostel. Along the way, I met an Afro-Dutch who looked, obviously like a bad guy. He offered to help me with the way but in a very rude tone. Luckily I didn't accept the offer. I witnessed just a few min later that a man was demanding money after helping a couple with directions. I wandered off into the red-light district and found a police officer (There are actually many police on patrol in amsterdam). He directed me on the map. Met another two guys (one asian and one afro-dutch), they were the last to help me with the directions to the hostel (fellow Asians are very friendly in foreign land).
I made it @ 2330 to the check-in counter of Hostelling International (just before the receptionist knocked off @ 0000). The dormitory was dark since all the neighbors had slept. I was afraid of making too much noise. I took a powder bath, brushed my teeth and took to bed.
(07/02/2006 Tues nite in the bed @ Stayok Stadsdoelen Amsterdam. Manual transcript in pen and paper.)
I am quite a blur person when it comes to reading the train schedule listing on the TV screen. So when I reached Lund Central Station, I scrambled to find out the way to Copenhagen. Now, Copenhagen is not written "Copenhagen" in Swedish so I had to find Kastrup, which is the name of the international airport in Copenhagen. After buying the ticket, I suddenly remembered that I forgot to bring my moisturizer. Not that I am vain, but my heels crack after long walks and the area around the mouth area gets really dry and scaly if I don't moisturize. So since there is abt 20 min to the arrival of the train, I went to ICA to get the cheapest Nivea cream. Later, I will know that Amsterdam sells Nivea cheaper than in Lund. Sucks! Wasted a couple of dollars this way.
So, I waited at platform 2 for the train. To make sure that I am not on the wrong side of the station, I asked a gentleman to know whether the train goes to Copenhagen. But the board didn't say anything about Copenhagen so I got a negative answer. I sensed that I will have to make a transfer at Malmo Centraal (not a typo) Station (and yup, I have to make a transfer.)
On the train, I met a German couple. Well, we didn't really talked but they were travellers too. So I kind of followed them, hoping that they are going to Copenhagen. They were rather unlucky actually. They were travelling on Scanrail and had not filled in today's day on the pass. So the unreasonable conductor slapped them with a fine. I don't know who's fault it is actually. The couple argued that it have always been the conductor who fill in the date; but the conductor told them it's not his job to do the filling in. And on the Terms and Conditions on the pass, it is mentioned that it's the passenger that must fill in the date of travelling. So well, black and white wins. The couple had no choice but to pay. They were out of cash and paid using credit card. The lady was like saying:" I hope this card doesn't work with his stupid machine". Perhaps, the couple has had meet many good conductors along their journey that offered to fill in the dates. Or maybe, this is just a bad day for this train conductor and he just slapped them with the fine.
We got on the train and then there was an angry voice making an announcement in Swedish. The train carriage which I was in was filled with non-Swedish speaking people so we just looked at each other. Then a gentleman by my side translated: This section of the train is not going to Copenhagen, go to the other side. And everyone just scatted to the other side of the train. Then in the middle of the ride, the train got a technical problem and stopped for 15 min. Urggh! It's now 1830, I have had a flight to catch at 1930 and I have not checked in! The couple was worse off, they have a train to catch at 1855. They can't miss that one cause they have already missed a train on Saturday. Bad day for them. That's how we started talking, they asked me for the time and we talked.
The plane was delayed due to the snowy weather for 1+ hour. I slept all the way on the plane and reached Schipol International Airport @ 2230. It was scary being in a country where I have heard racism stories with all the shops closed and the streets empty. I walked alot before finding the hostel. Along the way, I met an Afro-Dutch who looked, obviously like a bad guy. He offered to help me with the way but in a very rude tone. Luckily I didn't accept the offer. I witnessed just a few min later that a man was demanding money after helping a couple with directions. I wandered off into the red-light district and found a police officer (There are actually many police on patrol in amsterdam). He directed me on the map. Met another two guys (one asian and one afro-dutch), they were the last to help me with the directions to the hostel (fellow Asians are very friendly in foreign land).
I made it @ 2330 to the check-in counter of Hostelling International (just before the receptionist knocked off @ 0000). The dormitory was dark since all the neighbors had slept. I was afraid of making too much noise. I took a powder bath, brushed my teeth and took to bed.
(07/02/2006 Tues nite in the bed @ Stayok Stadsdoelen Amsterdam. Manual transcript in pen and paper.)
# posted by William : 2:18 PM
