Cycle from Rotterdam to Kinderdijk @ Netherlands

As my friend said, I’ve lived the ultimate Dutch life. I cycled for 5 hours yesterday, covering from Rotterdam central station to Kinderdijk and back, including taking bike up a ferry across at the end. Jup (yes for Dutch), if that’s the ultimate Dutch life, I have enjoyed it indeed.

Cycling all the way I was never lonely, there were many people cycling from everywhere to everywhere, we smile and we say hi occasionally, though I notice I’m the only weird Chinese, or even tourists, doing it. The bike routes are well linked, and if you ever want to cycle around cities and villages, Netherlands is definitely the place to do it.

While I keep riding and riding, occasionally stopped to see the map and to take pictures, the reality hit me that it is actually quite far. Then there was only one single thought in my mind halfway through, “How am I getting back??” Well yes I could cycle back but I do dread it, where I even considered to hitchhike. Buy anyway, after 5hrs of cycling, looking back it had indeed been something. I rode through city, then passed the huge river, hike across the giant bridge (it feels like giant when you’re on a bike), then through a factory area, pass a little park, then through villages to villages, one which reminded me of my godsis’s village back at UK, while another like a row of cottages overlooking the prairie and finally reaching the river crossing with ferry. Oh boy, I rejoice when I saw it. Kinderdijk itself wasn’t much except for many windmills that are not working and lots of winds of course to add on to my cold misery.

My friend asked me at the end of the day, through time and space differences via whatsapp (we live in amazing times indeed), what was most memorable for me that day. I thought for a bit and one thing that came first to my mind was the crazy coldness. I was chilled to the bones while cycling, the wind was strong and adding on with my cycling through it, it was indeed like slicing through ice. But all I can do is curse the wind, wish for the sun, curse myself for not dressing adequately and keep asking “Why am I doing this again?” Oh I love to ask myself that question, a lot. Cause whenever looking back after it’s all been cursed and done, you’ll see why and it would all be worth it.

My bike and the windmills @ Kinderdijk, Netherlands

Mind you the windmills were alright, lots of them, non working, line up along the rivers and fields, and of course the wind, it’s times 10 for the wind there, after all that is a location for windmills right. As I told a friend just now, man made things die (like the windmills) but nature never dies (like the wind kept on blowing). But in the end, what makes the whole trip worth it was the journey of getting there, then exploring it and coming back, all on two wheels.

As I always say, “It’s the journey that counts”