brodie mcculloch » Rotterdam

Vienna to Rotterdam to see the ms Eurodam

Brodie McCulloch — Sun, 13 Jul 2008 13:29:39 +0000

So luck came by way when I got an email from Holland America Lines wanting to interview me for the position of Manager On-Board Marketing. So I had a phone interview which went well and they asked me to fly from Vienna to Rotterdam to visit their new ship the ms Eurodam.

While I flew to Rotterdam Ryan flew to Greece, Eos to party down for a week.

ms Eurodam

I flew to Amsterdam and got the train to Rotterdam. I staid where I was a month before when we were cycling through Rotterdam, it was just across the river from where the ms Eurodam was docked. That day I went and watched the opening ceremony (it was a long day) then the next day I went on board for a tour and interview with the existing On-Board Marketing Manager and the Seattle Office Manager. So I looked around the ship which is shiny and new talked about the position.

the ms Eurodam opening

Anyway all went well and a few days later I got an email saying I got the job and they wanted me to start immediately. This was a problem as my medical was not valid and I still had another month of traveling to do with Ryan.

But once I have got all this stuff I will be boarding the ms Eurodam for 20 days training in the North Sea and then will be flying back to the Mediterranean to board the ms Noordam where I will be until I cross the Atlantic to the Caribbean.

Not sure when I will be home. Maybe February.

Rotterdam has strange buildings

Brodie McCulloch — Sun, 15 Jun 2008 17:30:16 +0000

We were close to the centre of Rotterdam which was completely destroyed by German bombing during WWII. There were many interesting buildings and sculptures there because the Artists and Archetects were given licence to do what they wanted with the city and make it sort of a cultural capitol for the Netherlands.

So we got to see some other buildings compaired to the ones that we had seen on the ride in. We also had McCdonalds for the first time this holiday, it was for a lack of finding anything else, but Rotterdam had a Macas on every corner.

I then went to sleep in an effort to rid my self of the flu before Amsterdam, Ryan went to drink in the park with some of the people in our room (hmmm alco).

No time for rest….

Brodie McCulloch — Sat, 14 Jun 2008 17:26:25 +0000

When I went to check into the ROOM Hostel in Rotterdam I looked a bit worn ( flu, dried salt, dirt and all that good stuff), I have been drinking lots of water but the flu is annoying. Anyway at room there is a bar next to reception and there have been many Australian’s everywhere we have been, but when I looked across and saw Blair ……

Who I plaid Hockey with and was the year below me at school I new that sleeping wasn’t going to happen.

It is random running into people from home so far away and in a random place like Rotterdam (most people skip it straight for Amsterdam). He has been away for about 2.5 months and has been driving around Europe (ask him about his story, it is crazy).

Also the friend he is travelling with Shawn, had his sister and her friend fly in that day and they were heading to Barcelona, Is sister is Niel Vaughns ex-girlfiend, random I know.

Small world hu.

Breda to Rotterdam and Hello to the Netherlands

Brodie McCulloch — Sat, 14 Jun 2008 17:06:37 +0000

Lucky for us there was no backpackers in Breda and we got a cheap hotel for less than what a hostel would cost us, this was needed after the moral crushing day we had prior.

strange dutch people…..

The ride from Breda to Rotterdam was one of the more interesting we have done. As we left Breda there was a lot of unexplained stuff on the GPS such as river crossings and routs that needed to be taken.

Go Team

We set off and had a very scenic ride; it was cold but not raining and had some sun patches that were nice. We went through many small towns (it was the southern end of the Netherlands) and then went far into the country side.

more good weather…….awsome

We asked in one of the towns if there was a river crossing ahead as there was a blue line on the GPS which I hadn’t seen before. They said it was a ferry across the river (caal really) so we headed in that direction. The ferry was only 90c which was nice, and it cut about 1 hour of the alternate route time.

booyah….this just saved us 2 hours of riding

Once across the signes to Rotterdam got much clearer and we could follow them almost into the city (they disappeared a few times but it didn’t delay us for to long). The weather got a bit worse but what can you do. Once entering Rotterdam we headed for the Hostel ROOM (name of hostel), we had two nights there before we headed for Amsterdam so it should be a good chance to rest after the two days of riding.

downtown riders in rotterdam

photos are on Flickr.