After too much travelling in trip one and too much money spent, trip two is going to be a little different. We are basing ourselves in Rotterdam and taking daily train trips instead.

We fly from Manchester on the 3pm flight to Amsterdam after taking 65 minutes to go through security! Our friends flying from Gatwick are delayed by 45 minutes so time for a pint and Bitterballen in the Schiphol airport.

First train of the trip is a stopper to Rotterdam calling at Leiden and Den Hague on the way.

A tram to our apartment and then three sets of  incredibly steep narrow stairs up to flat G in the Alphabet apartments.

The apartment is great, modern and clean. It was two thirds of the price of lots of others so definitely a bargain.

The guys go shopping and return thirty minutes later requiring oxygen after lugging the shopping up the stairs.

Jacky and Bev stay in and the rest of us visit a very busy local bar followed by a takeaway after midnight. A good start to trip two.