In May, my family came to visit me, and I couldn’t have been more excited! It was a wonderful opportunity to reunite with my parents and siblings, as well as to spend time with my beautiful niece and nephew, whom I miss dearly. In this post, I’ll share a glimpse of our two-week travel itinerary and introduce some of the amazing places we visited. Given the duration of our trip and the number of sights we explored, this will be quite a long post. If you’d prefer to skip the story, you can head straight to my travel page for the detailed account once it’s ready. Just a note—my family members arrived on different days due to their varied holiday schedules, with my dad being the last to join us.
The first group to land in Amsterdam included my sister and her family, my brother and his wife, along with a friend of my aunt. Well, technically, I was the first to arrive since I live in the EU. Instead of flying into Amsterdam, I decided to travel by train. I chose this mode of transport because I wanted to avoid arriving too early and having a long wait alone. My sister was set to arrive around 20:00, so I booked a ticket through Deutsche Bahn and took the morning train from Hamburg-Harburg to Amsterdam Schiphol. The journey took nearly six hours, partly because the train was delayed due to rail works. There was a traffic jam on the tracks, with many trains coming from different directions but only one track available for use. I didn’t mind the wait too much; as long as I could stay seated on the suddenly crowded ICE train, I was fine (maybe a bit selfish, but I couldn’t help it). I felt bad for the elderly passengers who had to stand, but there wasn’t much I could do when space was limited and I was seated in the middle of the carriage. Fortunately, after just two stations, I arrived at my interchange station, where the ICE was almost empty.
By noon, I arrived at Amsterdam Schiphol. You might be wondering what I was doing there so early, considering that my sister and the others wouldn’t be arriving until later that evening. Honestly, I couldn’t shake the feeling that people were looking at me oddly, possibly because I was pushing a kinderwagen (a stroller) that I had carried all the way from Harburg to Amsterdam. Traveling solo can make you feel a bit self-conscious! When I decided to leave the kinderwagen at the Left Luggage counter, the staff seemed incredulous and kept asking if I was serious. Of course, I was! The kinderwagen was heavy, and I didn’t want to lug it around the city empty. It cost me 7 euros, but it was worth it to avoid those curious stares—and it meant I had less weight to carry.
Next, I bought an Amsterdam & Region Ticket for my personal use and hopped on bus 197 to Amsterdam Centraal. Since this wasn’t my first time in the city, I didn’t have a specific itinerary. However, I was starving and knew there were plenty of food options around the Dam area. I ended up grabbing some pommes (fries) and a fish burger from McDonald's—yes, I chose a fast-food chain of all places! It made me chuckle that I opted for a Filet-o-Fish instead of trying something more local. I ate while strolling around, and despite only having been in Amsterdam for about three hours, I found myself with plenty of free time to fill. So, I decided to walk back to Amsterdam Centraal and catch bus 316 to visit the harbor village of Volendam.
As I boarded the bus, the driver greeted me with a cheerful “Selamat Siang,” and I nodded and smiled back, my brain struggling to catch up. I shouldn’t have been surprised that some locals speak Bahasa; the Netherlands and Indonesia have a long history of colonial ties. I had a similar experience while living in Glasgow, where a British Army veteran approached me, and we chatted in Bahasa. He had been stationed in Kem Terendak, Malacca, and I was delighted to find he still remembered the language after all those years, even if I now regret not remembering his name. My uncle has joked that it’s because I just don’t care, and while I’m not sure I completely agree, I’ve moved around a lot since childhood and met countless faces, which might explain my poor memory for names. Still, I cherish the ones who have stayed close.
Back to my adventure! I got off at Volendam Centrum and began exploring the area. There was a flea market, and I noticed many foreign visitors (including myself) milling about. It was my first visit to Volendam, so I wasn’t sure what to see or do. I felt a bit silly for not just Googling it, but I was trying to be frugal with my data. I use Lycamobile, which I love for its toggle option; when I travel outside Germany, my number switches to a local one, allowing me to enjoy the same rates. However, for internet access, I need to purchase a separate data bundle for international use, with different codes for different regions, so it’s wise to check that before heading out.
I wandered near the harbor and stumbled upon a fish and chips restaurant. I found myself standing there, staring at people enjoying their meals, wishing I had waited to eat. If only I hadn’t been so quick to grab that burger! The restaurant looked great, and there were also souvenir shops nearby. As I continued to explore, it started to rain. The changing seasons were evident, and this year had been particularly chilly. I sought shelter by standing in front of someone’s house, which had a little overhang that shielded me from the rain. I silently thanked the homeowner for their kindness—whether they noticed me or not! It wasn’t long before the sun peeked out again.
I continued walking until I reached Marina Park, where I took some pictures and sat on a bench by the docks. I ended up making a new furry friend there—an incredibly friendly and playful dog named Maya. I didn’t snap any photos of her, though, as I wasn’t sure if her owner would approve. Maya was quite the little wanderer, often straying from her master, who called after her repeatedly. As I sat there gazing out at the sea, I spotted a caravan park nearby. I wasn’t sure how much it cost to stay there, but it looked appealing.
As I sat admiring the view, I noticed dark clouds rolling in again. Realizing I needed to make a quick exit to avoid getting drenched, I looked for a bus stop nearby to take me back to Amsterdam Centraal. It started raining and hailing as I walked, and I had to pause at a red traffic light. While waiting in the cold, I checked the bus timetable and prayed it would arrive soon—my hands were starting to feel numb! I couldn’t find my gloves in my backpack, as I mistakenly thought the weather would be mild—it was already May, after all.
Within about an hour, I was back at Amsterdam Centraal. I hopped on any tram heading toward Dam and then switched to tram number 7 toward Slotermeer, getting off at the Burg. Fockstraat stop. There’s a fast food place I love near the tram station called Halal Fried Chicken, which made for a convenient dining option. I decided to sit down and enjoy some fried chicken while ordering a family bucket to go. Amsterdam has a fantastic array of halal food options, including Middle Eastern, Indian, Indonesian, and even Malaysian cuisine. Comfort food is always a winner for me, especially since it’s often cheaper than dining at a restaurant. If you prefer home-cooked meals, there’s an Indonesian restaurant called Iboenda near the Bilderdijkstraat tram stop that’s both reasonably priced and run by friendly staff who speak Bahasa. I ended up spending nearly two hours there.
As 20:00 approached, I boarded tram number 7 once more and got off at Plein 40-45 to switch to bus 69, which would take me to Amsterdam Schiphol. The ride took about 40 minutes. I hadn’t gone to the airport too early, knowing it could take my family a while to get through immigration and claim their luggage. I was right—they didn’t emerge into the arrival hall until after 21:30! By that point, I was getting bored and sleepy waiting for them. Once I collected the kinderwagen from the Left Luggage center, I called the hotel for their shuttle service. Fortunately, our hotel was nearby, and it didn’t take long for them to pick us up. Within half an hour, we were checked into our hotel room, ready for the adventures that awaited us.
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| Marina Park, Volendam |
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| Volendam |
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| Volendam |
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