Day #3 Amsterdam to Hilversum.

   I promised myself that I would try and ease into this walk, let the bones and muscles gently take up the strain, but ended doing over 35 painful kms today, on the road between Amsterdam and down to Hilversum. After an early start on the quiet and empty streets of east end Amsterdam just after 7.20 am, I picked up the route and (many) thanks to Google maps was able to follow the complicated pedestrian routing correctly. Holland is a maze of major and minor canals, drainage ditches, small lakes and it is a real challenge to ensure that one finds oneself on the correct side of the waterway. On the wrong side of the waterway, and complications would rapidly emerge. Sometimes Google is somewhat difficult to interpret, and I had to seek confirmations from friendly and helpful locals. Communication is not a major problem in this country, as most young people and professionals are fluent in English even the ladies at the supermarket checkout counter.
           I don't know how I would have coped before computer assisted mapping came to pass. Directions are never simple for the road walker, as the omnipresent street signs have been designed with drivers in mind, and usually tend to guide them onto the fastest possible road- either restricted to the hiker, or perhaps too deadly to contemplate.

Shows 3 lanes: pedestrians, cylists and vehicles

          The transportation system in the Netherlands is totally unique. There is 100% segregation of cars/trucks and all other modes, motor cycles, bicycles and pedestrians. Each mode has its own dedicated lanes and traffic signals. For the new visitor here, it all appears to be chaotic & quite confusing. The Dutch themselves have it well worked out and everything seems to function very smoothly and politely. Don't think I heard a single vehicle horn sounded all day.
          Planning a hot bath and to hit the sack not long after 8.00pm. Hopefully I will not suffer tomorrow from from excessive mileage on my legs today.

35.7 kms. walked today per pedometer:
Cumulative kms. walked: 35.7
Type of overnight lodging: Hotel in town centre.
Cost of lodging: 85E