Transit

I love country change day, it's so exciting :)
We got up at 8:30 to pack. We could make as much noise as we wanted because literally everyone else in the dorm was also up packing too because checkout was at 10. Today we had the hostel breakfast for 3€ which was pretty good actually. I had Coco pops some fruits and juice.
We would of had it other days but weren't up in time haha
We figured out how we were going to get to Rotterdam (2 trains) then headed up to the bus stop.
Will wanted to walk to the station but I shut him down quickly. Why yesterday he wanted to catch a bus with no giant backpack to carry and today with big bags he wants to walk is a mystery. I appreciate cost is a factor but walking yesterday would have been smarter.
We caught the bus then I minded the bags at the train station while for the first time ever, Will organized the tickets.
It was only 6€ each to get to Antwerpen station.
I had a snooze on the way as usual. I feel like a small child fighting sleep every time it's so silly.
It took about 1.5 hours until we arrived.
Antwerp station was awesome - it reminded me of the big fancy American and British ones. Such intricate architecture and of course, a clock.
We decided we would buy our next ticket beforehand so we knew how much time we had to eat.
This leg of the journey was more expensive - 23€ each. I suppose it is an international train so that's actually quite reasonable. Will keeps complaining I got him sick. I told him not to kiss me but he didn't listen, so tough. 💁🏼
We had 45 minutes so we ate at the only option - old mate, McDonald's.
Will wants soup for dinner though which I'm excited about. I always want soup but he never does so yay!
Back at the train station and we are on platform 22. It's so bloody big we went down so many levels before finding it.
We are now on our second train on the way to Rotterdam, The Netherlands! 🇳🇱🇳🇱🇳🇱 so keen! Especially for Amsterdam. Our first 2 stops are more obligatory stops because we promised ourselves to do each country properly and not just main cities where we could help it.
We have decided the next 2 days will be rest days for us both and we will only be walking around not spending money. 👍🏼
I did really like Belgium though. Brussels was my favourite and Ghent was Wills. We both liked Bruges the least. We really weren't that taken by it - if you take the canals away it has no beauty. It's the same building styles as Ghent only Ghent has flower boxes everywhere. 🌺
Bruges was also so busy - not the last 2 days but the first 2 were ridiculous.
It was so expensive too.
Overall the people were very friendly and it was easy to communicate. The cities were clean and had wonderful buildings.
They are famous for chips, beer, chocolate and mussels..
The chips, I think, are done better by almost every local chicken shop at home and the chocolate can't be beaten by Cadbury, though still admittedly delicious.
I haven't tried the last batch I bought so we will see if my opinion changes..
I would happily come back to Belgium.
So far I would rank countries
1. Macedonia
2. Bulgaria
3. Belgium (a very very very very close 3rd - it might even overtake once I've reflected more)

And all the way down the bottom

*drum roll*

Greece.
What a pile of poo.
I do still want to do the islands though.

I know we have also been to Rome but I don't consider Italy as 'completed' yet so my ranking cannot be made yet.


Will is sleeping.
My nose keeps running and I hate the sniffing sound.

We made it to Netherlands ! We haven't shown our tickets or passports to a single person.
Good job Europe; glad to see those heightened security levels...
We did technically have to scan our tickets as we left Rotterdam Station but that posed the same challenge and the security levels at Epping station..
We walked for about 10 minutes before finding our hostel - you could smell the weed in the air hahah
Rotterdam is definitely the most modern city so far.
It don't know if this will make sense later but it looks modern because of how many glass windows each building has.
We got the the hostel and dumped our bags - we are of course on the top floor 😞 we took the double bed because there was only 2 other top bunks available.
We then went for a walk to buy cold and flu medicine for mr complains a lot.
We then went into a coffee shops because we were interested to see if weed was legal just in Amsterdam or the whole country. It only occurred to us when we smelt it that it was probably the whole country just people only ever mention Amsterdam.
Yes, it's legal and very readily available. The shop we entered also had magic truffle. Magic mushrooms are illegal, truffles are not. They gave us a booklet packed with information about quantity and effects.
It was so bizarre just standing in a shop which advertised and sold drugs and no one was on edge expecting to get arrested any second. I was though hahah.
We will obviously be trying at some point. You can't not go to the Netherlands and ignore its culture??? Hahah
#wheninrome
We then went home took some medicine and laid around for a bit. We walked around the entire city trying to find an ATM. How a city functions without having them readily available is quite the talent.
We then had Asian food for dinner because we couldn't find soup - Will was ecstatic because he found katsu curry on the menu. I tried a chicken ramen broth thing. I didn't think much of it.
We are home now and i just want to rest.
Our room isn't full so that's a bonus.
It's 10:30 and the sun is still up.Read more