Diary of the GR5 Walk in 1999

Arrived at Schiphol Airport 6:50 am and caught a train to Amsterdam an hour later. It is a gray, bleak and quiet morning, and most shops, including the tourist office are still closed. Walked down the main street about 1 km to the Hotel Rokin where I have stayed on a previous adventure. After a little persuasion, I manage to get a room immediately, albeit room 33 on the third floor. It is amazing how a good hot shower and a nap on the bed can lift your spirits after 26 hours of air travel.

Now it is time to find the guidebooks called topo-gids that I will need for the walk through the Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg stages of the GR5. The tourist office, VVV, suggests Jacob van Wijngaarden at Overton 97. A quiet walk through the streets of Amsterdam and 118 Hfl later I have the four guidebooks I need. Although, three are in Dutch and the other in French, the maps are good and I don't think I will have much trouble making good use of them.

The rest of the day is spent walking along the canals and although I have done this before on a previous visit. The jet lags hits me at about 4 pm so I head back to the hotel to catch up on some sleep. There is a small blister on the inside of each of my heels, which surprises me since I have never had them before. Tried to ring Andrew but he wasn't home so I left a message with his friend Phil.