Mobile and (Mostly) Independent
I have made it a full week here in Amsterdam and this is proving to be the perfecting starting spot for this grand adventure. I am getting a taste of what it feels like to find my way on my own in unfamiliar territory. In my previous visits, I was a tourist, and had been expertly guided by my friends who are residents of the city. Walk here, hop onto the tram, take this train then that bus and we arrive at destination. Reverse process to return home. I'm ashamed to admit that I never was sure how we got to each place.
This time is so different, as I am on my own for most of the day. First of all, I have been spoiled by GPS. I have been having some challenges getting data set up on my phone, so when I leave the comfort of my few guaranteed wifi spots, I am on my own. I have an offline GPS app, but there are parts of it that still require data to modify. For my first few days here, I couldn't even text or call whomever I was meeting if I got lost. Thankfully those are now options.
The time came for me to start getting around, one way or the other. The trams are a very efficient option. They run frequently, through the span of the day, and can get you just about everywhere in town. However, the tolls can add up, even with a chip card discount. Moreover, I don't get a directional sense from the train. We turn, but I didn't turn us. I can't see where the sun is. Which turn did we take on that roundabout? I lose my sense of space from the tram.
I can get pretty far by foot. I walked a marathon, what difference is it crossing a city? I do have the blessing of time, but I could spend a whole day getting around. Not efficient at all.
And then there are the bikes. And they are everywhere here.
Everywhere.
Sooo many bikes.
At first a friend let me borrow one of his bikes. A generous donation considering how much it would save me in tram fare, how much bikes cost here and the possible damage that could be done by a newbie to the city. Unfortunately my short little legs didn't fit the bike. It wasn't bad, actually pretty fun, as long as I was riding continuously. I just could not manuever, literally, for the life of me. The beautiful, bike lanes sometimes give to sudden sharp turns, and you have to be able to dodge people, other bikers and some of the bigger vehicles that may pop into your lane at any time. My loner just wouldn't do.
I checked into a few bike rental shops, but the best quote I got for my 5 weeks here was almost $400 US! I knew I could buy a bike for cheaper than that. Plus, nothing says "tourist" louder than the brightly colored rental bikes that mean "caution" to the locals.
To buy a bike is still a huge decision. My requirement for a shorter 26-inch wheel already put me at a disadvantage. I wasn't so concerned how the bike looked, because a shiny new one is a bigger target for thieves, but it's still hard to consider dropping almost $200 for a bike that looks pretty beat up. Our final destination was this huge bike store that went on through nooks and crannies under the road. In their used section, I instantly fell in love with a pretty pink number that was (gasp) only $190. I could probably sell it back when I left, but it was still way over budget. But it was sooooo pretty. Then, I found my baby.
Meet "Roma".
She isn't flashy, but at $130 she is a pretty good deal for here. She has brand new tires, lights and seat, and she fits me perfectly. We have fun exploring the city together. I don't mind getting a little off track with her, because we just make our way back around. We'll get along just fine.