The Amazing Race

We finally made it to our final destination of the three week backpack around Europe. We've already been to Amsterdam but I was still pretty damn excited. Something you never really hear about is how beautiful the city really is. Instead you hear mainly about coffee shops and the 'specials' they offer.

At about 1 am we got to the hostel, Amsterdam Center Hostel...or was it Hostel Center. I can't remember and I don't really care to. I was ready to pay my half of the payment but my other two friends didn't have enough cash. That was fine, the guy behind the desk told them where the nearest ATM and since I had my cash I watched the bags. I glanced around the room, sitting on a stool with my backpack still on when the guy behind the counter decided he wanted to chat. He glided from behind the desk and leaned against the table in front of me, arms folded across his chest and his eyes looking down on me.

'So your friends don't have money?"

'Um, they do, just not on them...that's why they had to use the ATM.' (Duh...)

He gave me a slow and creepy smile as I noticed it was just me and him in this tiny 'reception' room.

'So how was your trip here? Come to Amsterdam to do some...' He glanced around making sure no one was around behind he lifted his hand towards his mouth, imitating a smoker.

'No, none of us smoke. We've been here before and we just thought it was a pretty city to visit.'

Have you ever met someone and just looking at them sends icy shivers down your spine? As uncomfortable as I was I just smiled at him and looked towards the door, hoping someone else would come in here. After a few more minutes of awkward chit chat my friends showed up. Unfortunately, the ATM hadn't worked so they got directions for another one. Lucky for me though, as they walked out the door another one of the guests of the hostel walked in and sat down at the table by mine and started a conversation with him.

Finally, my two friends came back still without cash. But we had enough to cover that night and the night after so creepy behind the counter said it was fine to finish paying tomorrow. He then asked if two of us would mind sharing a bed the next night. We would get a 50% discount for that night. But since it was so late we told him that we would let him know the next morning. Getting to the room I noticed that we were in a room with 8 beds, not the 6 bed dorm I had booked. That was something that could wait until the morning.

Once we were showered and dressed, Patricia and I made out to visit the front desk and figure out if we wanted to share a bed or not. A different guy at the desk explained that the two sharing the bed would each pay half for sharing the bed. We decided it would be better to keep our beds. I also asked about the room situation, he looked at the booking papers, and offered to take the difference from the room off what we had remaining on the bill. Problem solved and we promised we would return in the afternoon or evening and pay the rest.

My other friend Mia made a quick stop int he hostel in the afternoon and came back to tell me and Patricia that the guy at the hostel had taken our bags and moved them into a 6 bed dorm. What the hell?

We got back to the hostel and find a different guy behind the desk. This guy claimed to be the owner and proudly told us how they did us a favor moving our heavy bags to the new room. They took our bags barely 10 feet to the room next door...I've been carrying my bag on my back for 3 weeks. Baby.

He told us that we had been moved to the right room and we now owe him more money. I disagreed and wanted to know why our things were moved without our permission. He said it was because we weren't in the room. Well, duh what else are suppose to do...sit in the lounge/reception area and have more conversations with creepy employee? Patricia tried asking why everything was changed when we had fixed everything that morning with the other guy.

Does it ever bother you when you're talking to someone and they never look you in the eyes?

He said he was the owner and had final say over everything. Which is why the deal from this morning was void. Patricia and I kept asking him why things had changed and that it was completely unacceptable for them to even touch our belongings without us there. He replied with 'You girls think you're so smart. I don't make mistakes.'

Then tell me why we were put in an 8 bed dorm when I booked 6? Or why his employee asked if two of us could share a bed...oh that's right,he doesn't make mistakes. He then gave us another option. We could check out early and we were more then happy to accept. We got the keys to the previous room and the new room, making sure all of stuff was together.

Before we left I asked him to give me copies of any transactions that were done on my card, since I booked the room. One thing their profile on Hostelbookers failed to mention was that they took the amount of the first night from the card you book with. Well apparently my card hand't worked the first time, second time, or third time so I had quite a bit of money on hold. He went on a 5 minute spiel on how they never withdraw money from the card unless we didn't show up the first night.

That was not my question. I asked again, how many times they used my card to book the room and he once again told me how they never withdraw money from the cards. Ok, asshole, one more time, how many times did you type my credit card number in your broken credit card machine and can you give me copies of that? He told me that they don't keep paper work and wrote on a blue post it note that they didn't withdraw cash. I took the 'official' post it, gave him an evil glare, and walked out.

Something I forgot to mention was while I was packing I made a phone call to the airline to see what flights they had heading to London. It was Easter weekend and knew that Satan would be throwing snowballs before we could find another hostel to stay at. So instead, we otped to cut the trip short and head home. The next and last flight of the night would be taking off in an hour and a half.

Shit.

We found the cabs and jumped in the first one and told the man we needed to get to the airport as fast as he could take us. We were taking our bags out of the trunk 15 minutes later. Patricia found the airline counter and I had Mia scout for an information desk in case we missed that flight. There were two guys ahead of us in this line, semi drunk, and taking forever.

God damn you.

After what seemed like forever they finished and made their way to the check in desk. I flung my passport and wallet on to the counter and asked the guy what the chances were we could make the last flight to London. He smiled, took my passport, and said he could get us on.

Thank you!!

79 euros later and I was waiting on the woman behind the check in desk to put sticker thing on my backpack. Unfortunately, my super cool backpack was considered 'odd sized' and had to be checked in at the 'odd sized baggage' desk. Not a problem...until we got there and saw it. The damn sign that said, 'Back in 5 minutes'

SHIT!

Patricia and I turned back and went for the check in desk again. The woman said we had to check our things at the odd sized desk and Patricia interupted her and said no one was there. Then the guy who changed our flight saw us at the check in desk and said we didn't need to check our bags here, we could do that at the gate and we need to leave NOW.

The cool part was we got to skip the long security line. Jumped to the front, got my passport stamped, and tried to remember what gate I was suppose to go to. D22...on the other side...

Oh sweet holy Jesus.

I didn't have time to put my backpack on properly, so instead the 17 kilos hung on my right shoulder as I followed the girls to the gate. Pain going through my shoulder as I rushed through the airport, counting the gates.

D2, D4, D6.....Damnit, damnit, damnit, damnit!!!!

Turning a corner I saw it. Sweet, sweet salvation. Running to the gate, my backpack hanging off my shoulder, my face was red and covered in sweat, (sexy image huh?) but I made it. I dropped my bag on the scanner machine while the staff smiled and gave me the thumbs up.

'Yay! You made it. It's ok, you made the flight!'

I found my seat ont he plane and smiled, knowing in a few hours I would be back in my room in Swansea getting my things ready to come home.