After my trip in London, I headed back to Amsterdam in the hopes of sorting out my visa situation. Yet the post managed to loose my paper work for a further week, and it turned up back in New Zealand! So I knew I had some spare time to see more of the country.

I have moved into an appartment in Amsterdam and am all settled in, I quickly found a gym close by, and I am fortunate enough to have an incredible park very close to the house which is ideal for running. Amsterdam is an incredible city, vibrant and alive with people from across the globe. With the changing of the seasons the colours are memorizing although in the last week, the temperature has dropped significantly and the last of the leaves are falling from the trees with the whisps of wind that cut through the streets.

The view from my balcony is enough to bring a tear to your eye with the light from the sun bursting through the remaining leaves.

This weekend, I headed up to Schoorl with a friend of mine. It is an area that has the largest and dunes in Holland. And in such a flat country it is quite peculiar to see such a high hill of sand. The forest there reminded me very much of woodhill in Auckland, with sand under foot it was perfect for horse riding and mountain biking. I could barely get 50 meters without needing to stop and drink in the endless beauty of the place. With the setting sun (which currently sets at 4:30pm the golden light shone though the trees elevating the walking experience all the more.

I can’t be sure whether I am getting more sentimental, or if Holland just has an abundance of beauty, it might just be both.