Journal · Schiphol · 10
Notes on arriving somewhere new
Briefer than the guides, and written nearer to the day itself. Each note looks at one thing that tends to happen on a first visit and says plainly how it usually goes.
Outcall onlyNo studio
To a central door40 to 60 minutes
- When a Message Says: I Am at Amsterdam AirportFour words that can mean a terminal, a hotel next door or a train platform. How the reply works out which one you mean, and why it changes the hour.2026-09-16
- The Hotel That Said Amsterdam and Was Not in the CentreA confirmation email says Amsterdam, the taxi drives past fields and offices, and the canals are nowhere to be seen. What that means for a booking.2026-09-03
- The First Evening in Amsterdam, Hour by HourA first evening in Amsterdam, from the aircraft door at five to a quiet room at nine, with a session placed where it fits rather than where it is squeezed.2026-08-21
- Paying in Dollars, Pounds or Francs on a First NightYou landed with dollars in a wallet and no euros at all. How the deposit and the balance work for a visitor who has not changed any money yet.2026-08-08
- Canal-House Stairs and Other First-Hotel SurprisesSteep stairs, key-card lifts, beds against the wall and doors that lock at midnight. The small surprises of a first Amsterdam hotel, seen from a booking.2026-07-26
- What First-Time Visitors Ask Before They BookThe questions that arrive before a first booking, from the name of the airport to whether a passport is needed, answered in the order they usually come.2026-07-10
- Rain, Wind and a Warm Room: Amsterdam WeatherAmsterdam weather changes by the hour and surprises almost every visitor. What it means for an evening session, from wet shoes to a room that is too cool.2026-06-25
- A Late First Arrival and the Night Trains Into TownLanding after eleven on a first visit means a quieter airport, fewer trains and a decision about where to sleep. How a session fits into that night.2026-06-06
- A Museum Day, Then a Session: Timing the EveningA full day on museum floors leaves the legs and the back tired in a particular way. How to time an evening session after one, and what length suits it.2026-05-14
- King's Day on a First Visit: Orange Streets, Quiet RoomKing's Day turns the whole city orange and the canals into a floating party. What a first-time visitor should know about booking a session that day.2026-04-18