Call me crazy! A 20-hour layover with vivid memories of Amsterdam still remains in my mind. Instead of sitting in a cramped seat for 8 more hours in addition to my already 11 hour trip from Kenya, I took a chance and made a quick stop into Amsterdam before heading home.

I stayed at XO Couture Hotel, an overpriced but nice hotel in a residential area. A 15-minute train ride and a 15-minute walk from Schiphol International Airport, checkin was via computer and I was able to easily rent a bike from the hotel. Biking through beautiful Vondel Park on a day filled with sunshine beats self-medicating with cheap wine to ease the leg pain on a full flight back to the U.S.

I headed to an interesting burger joint called Vegan Junk Food. I had a hipster kinda experience with paper drinking straws made to look like bamboo, a vegan burger with fake cheese that looks real, and an elderflower drink without sugar. The guy taking my order had a cool mustache and was really laid back and comfortably chatty.

Finally back to the hotel with limited channels and great internet. Morning brings a different perspective, in this order: check out, find a breakfast place that’s open, make my way to the wrong train station, find the right train station and finally check-in to get my flight on time. Still, it was all well worth the adventure. Next time if time permits I’m going to the Rijksmuseum. Maybe you can add this to your trip if you get in at the right time. Front Image: Hung Tran