Day 1 – Amsterdam – Arrival

As mentioned in my previous post, I missed my flight to Amsterdam Airport Schiphol (AMS) from London Heathrow Airport (LHR) and had to re-book another flight. Arrived at the Schiphol airport around 6:30 pm (local time). The Google maps are kind of confusing regarding which train to take to my Sloterdijk stop. I had been reading about various European cities and their payment methods for metro transportation (London for example has a system where you can tap with your phone or watch and have the trip automatically charged to your credit card.) and I must have gotten Amsterdam mixed up. I didn’t see a kiosk, so I figured I’d pay on the train. Got on the train with no ticket…

I see the Sloterdijk stop coming up and there it goes… looks like a direct trip to Amsterdam Centraal. Oops! Okay, get off at Amsterdam Centraal and re-board another train going the opposite direction. Fortunately this one stops at the Sloterdijk station. Heading for the turnstile exit, I notice that people are tapping their tickets to exit. Another Oops! As people are entering and leaving the turnstiles, I have a moment of insanity thinking that I maybe I can slip through behind someone. There are too many metro personnel around and it seems like a really bad idea. I glance around and see a tall slender metal object that looks like an intercom, so I push the button. About 30 seconds later, a voice comes on the line and asks how I may be helped.

I am from the United States and I thought somebody was going to sell tickets on the train and I never received a ticket. What do I do?

I’m an idiot, this is never going to fly and I am going to go to jail on my first night here! But the gods of transportation are with me and after a deep sigh, the operator tells me he is going to open a turnstile three meters to my left. I thank him and I am out of there!

Now to find that Train Lodge…!