Amsterdam

Last week I took a daytrip to run a Web Analytics course for an organization based near Amsterdam. While not strictly a day trip, as I travelled the afternoon before, it all felt rather rushed.

Problem number one (did you really think that this wouldn't be an endless whinge about everything?). Reasonable looking taxi from the airport that charged WAY too much to get me to my hotel - I didn't really feel like telling the thug (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:007Jaws.jpg ) (no, really, he had a mouth full of shiny steel that I don't think any orthodontist had anything to do with)

Anyhow, the freaky taxi dude dropped me off at the hotel (Green Park Hotel) at about six or seven pm. I present myself at reception where the very nice lady tells me that they don't have any rooms. Now, please bear in mind that I had a reservation and that it had been placed for a couple of weeks and that it was guaranteed for late arrival.

No room at the inn.

So, the lady in the hotel says she has made another reservation for me at their sister hotel which is only about twenty minutes away. Fine. Whatever. Just get me a taxi.

(I think we're up to problem number three or four here, but who's counting?)

(taxi journey uneventful)

Hotel #2. (The Grand Winston Hotel) (I won't link to them, they don't need it)

This looks like it's a much nicer hotel than the first one. They don't actually have any record of me, but that soon gets sorted. Classy. Inexplicibilly they have a thirty foot high picture of Winston Churchill looming over reception.

Food is okay - although the nice restaurant isn't open on Sunday or Monday nights.

At last I get to bed.

The bed from hell.

Why is it so hard?... perhaps it's upside down..... no... just as hard the other side.... perhaps it's me.... it will get better.... but it's so hard..... my hip hurts...... I think I'm getting pressure sores....... is the floor any more soft?...... no, but it's only a little bit harder than the bed...... I can't sleep... I can't sleep...... I need to sleep.... perhaps I'll have a glass of water and then it will be better ........ ... ... can I call reception and demand a better bed? ..... perhaps if I lay on one half of my sheet/blanket it will make it better.... yes - a bit.....

So somewhere at about 4 or 5 AM I get to sleep.

Next morning, when I check-out I ask that if I had paid more (it was still the original room rate from the first hotel) would I have had a nicer bed? No, I am told, it's our most frequent complaint.

So, despite people telling you that your beds are too hard you don't do anything about it?

Morons.

The rest of the day passes without event.