Brad avatar

The Netherlands 1991

new.things

Published: 16 Jan 2025 › Updated: 16 Jan 2025The Netherlands 1991

The Netherlands 1991

Half of the people on the bus thought I was nuts the other half just did not care. I had been on a 6 weeks Contiki tour of Europe and there was only a couple of days to go. I had a word with the tour bus manager and driver the night before and when our bus pulled up at a set of traffic lights near a train station, I grabbed my back pack from the the overhead shelf, the driver quickly opened the door and I was off. I caught up with a few of people after the tour in England months later and they said some were shocked me just getting off sort of unannounced, we had become a bit of a family but I did not want to have to explain myself to everyone. I told a few, I had other plans, things to do. The bus tour was great to see a lot of the tourist stuff in Europe, have a few drinks and a laugh but after backing solo through Asia and a bit of Africa I was keen to explore more at my own pace again.

Half of the people on the bus thought I was nuts the other half just did not care. I had been on a 6 weeks Contiki tour of Europe and there was only a couple of days to go. I had a word with the tour bus manager and driver the night before and when our bus pulled up at a set of traffic lights near a train station, I grabbed my back pack from the the overhead shelf, the driver quickly opened the door and I was off.  I caught up with a few of people after the tour in England months later and they said some were shocked me just getting off sort of unannounced, we had become a bit of a family but I did not want to have to explain myself to everyone. I told a few, I had other plans, things to do. The bus tour was great to see a lot of the tourist stuff in Europe, have a few drinks and a laugh but after backing solo through Asia and a bit of Africa I was keen to explore more at my own pace again.

A few years earlier I got a few pen pals through the Australia post world expo 1988 site in Brisbane with the idea that if I got along with any of them, I might score some free accommodation, if I ever got to travel the world. This was about to all come together. I had been writing to his Dutch girl for ages and eventually I got an invite. I don't think back then many people would expect somebody to show up but I did and it was so good meeting some of the locals staying at her family home. I even got show around. I don't think her boyfriend at the time was that impressed but I was only there for a few days. 

So I got to stay with a Dutch family in Utrecht

So I got to stay with a Dutch family in Utrecht 

And got shown around the Centre of Amsterdam before I started travelling off again by myself. I kept in contact with my pen pal for a while but stopped as life moved on, maybe one day I should try to see if I could reconnect and see that she has been up to all these years later.

And got shown around the Centre of Amsterdam before I started travelling off again by myself. I kept in contact with my pen pal for a while but stopped as life moved on, maybe one day I should try to see if I could reconnect and see that she has been up to all these years later.

I think the Contiki bus dropped me off some where near the Amsterdam town centre

I think the Contiki bus dropped me off some where near the Amsterdam town centre 

I used to send postcard home to update my parents on where I was at and what I was doing. Dad was a stamp collector, I used you enjoy going to a post office in each country I visited and getting some different stamps.

View this post on TravelFeed for the best experience.

Leave The Netherlands 1991 to:

Written by

travel adventure learning

Read more #travel posts

Best Posts From Brad

We have not curated any of new.things's posts yet. But you can encourage our curation team to review posts by visiting them regularly and by referring other readers. Because we give priority to frequently read content.

More Posts From Brad