One last goodbye… and somehow I still had time for dutch chips, journalling and a cider.
There’s something oddly emotional about the final morning of a trip.
My alarm went off at 3:30am, which should honestly be illegal, and after saying goodbye to Mum and giving Sophie one last cuddle, it was time to head to Norwich Airport. Surprisingly, after weeks of travelling with what felt like my entire life packed into two suitcases, the airport was refreshingly painless. Bags checked, security done, and before I knew it I was sitting in the departure lounge wondering why every airport can’t be this easy.
\Norwich Airport is tiny in the best possible way. No marathon walks between terminals, no endless queues, and absolutely no panic about whether you’ve accidentally wandered into the wrong country. After the chaos of Heathrow on previous trips, this felt wonderfully civilised.
The short hop across to Amsterdam was over before I’d really settled into my seat. Schiphol, on the other hand, reminded me very quickly that it is not Norwich Airport. My first challenge was simply finding the right exit to catch the train. Whoever designed the signage clearly enjoys turning tourists into scavenger hunters.
Thankfully, once I found the station everything fell into place. The direct train to Rotterdam was clean, comfortable and surprisingly peaceful. I may have been running on very little sleep, but watching the Dutch countryside roll past the window was the perfect introduction to the Netherlands.
By mid-morning I was at my hotel in Rotterdam. My room wasn’t quite ready, but the staff couldn’t have been more welcoming. They happily stored my luggage, found me a comfortable spot to wait, and even brought me a complimentary drink while housekeeping worked their magic.
Now… I could have sat quietly in the lobby doing some journalling...but nstead I wandered off in search of sights and food.
About fifteen minutes later I’d found exactly what I needed: a shady outdoor table, a cold Dutch cider, a bowl of hot chips with mayonnaise (because when in the Netherlands…), and finally a chance to pull out my journal after one very busy morning.
There’s something I absolutely love about arriving in a new city before you’ve done anything touristy. No checklist. No pressure. Just sitting quietly, watching the world go by, listening to a language you don’t quite understand, and realising…
The next chapter of the adventure has officially begun.
That evening I wandered down to the local supermarket to stock up on the essentials (mostly drinks and snacks, because priorities), before calling it an early night. Tomorrow I’d finally get to explore Rotterdam properly.
And I couldn’t wait.
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