Tulips from Amsterdam?

Woohoo Girlie weekend has been arranged, we’re off to Amsterdam for a long weekend in January. I’m rather looking forward to it as I’ve never been to Amsterdam before.

I’m currently umming and arrhing the mode of transport to get me there; I can either go by plane with Easyjet out of Gatwick or see the olds as well and hop on a Eurostar in Ashford. There’s not a lot in it moneywise, timewise plane is a bit faster, but I’d only get half a day in Amsterdam on the last day due to flight times. I’m a sucker for Eurostar, and can’t bear hanging around … so the lack of possible delays with trains is winning it for me.

So as planned nearly 12 months ago back in Birmingham, location of Girlie Weekend 2, it started off after we missed the LOTR expo in NZ (it finished in Wellington (the north island) on the day we flew into Christchurch (the south island)) so we met for the weekend in London when it was at the Science Museum we’re heading abroad. It’s the only really decent thing to come out of the GGUK team that went to NZ, the fact the two youngest members got on so well (good job too as we were regularly homestayed together!). The thing that amused the Kiwis the most is that out of all the team it was the two furthest apart who got on the best! She was the furthest North in Leeds, and I was the furthest South; added to that they were amazed that we’d only met once before coming out to NZ. It’s just a shame that as we’re so far apart (both with hectic guiding lives) we only get to see each other in person at Girlie Weekend.

Why Girlie Weekend? I’m not sure where the name was christened other than it was girls only (ie no Dr T) and a chance for us to be silly. We both work in male dominated industries and not girlie Guiders … so its not as if we’re into pink! It keeps the spirit of our rebellion against a particularly annoying 35 going on 85 Guider who tried to self appoint herself as leader. I was the youngest and got away with things (like eating meals with Kiwi Guiders at 90% kiwi conference, mixing with non UK Guiders, not wanting to eat every meal with the GGUK team, and staying up past 10pm (8pm pre ANZAC day with the 5am coach call)) with a lot less disapproving stares than Sarah!

So any tips on what to see in Amsterdam?