Alarm set at 06:30 (Anne says to point out that this was my decision, for once); first into breakfast; packed and checked out by 08:00; arrived ferry port 12:30; boarded 15:30. Phew, just in time! We actually knew the journey time estimate was well sandbagged, but missing the ferry was not an option. Navigating was not a problem as Anne ignored the route she'd insisted I lay into the Garmin yesterday and followed the signs instead. These took us a different, but probably no worse route slap through the middle of Amsterdam's cycle rush hour, and boy, do you need to keep your wits about you! As 9 o'clock passed and we hit the outskirts the other 2-wheel traffic abated and we had a relaxed ride, in fine but cool conditions, taking the scenic route to Ijmuiden. This was broken only by a coffee-and-cake stop after Haarlem. We looped into Ijmuiden through the coastal sand dune area and then whiled away the first hour of our early arrival in a beer garden. We spent a while chatting with another cycle-touring couple before eventually boarding the ferry (that charges for carrying bikes but has absolutely no facilities to restrain or even park them!). So now we have a sunny and calm crossing and a dash to the railway station in Newcastle to look forward to.
49.1 km; 16.1 kph avg; 3:02 moving time; 116m
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