After nine days of riding and 728 kilometres, we arrived in Amsterdam.

It was a gentle start to the day. Two coffees each before we hit the road and, being a Saturday morning, there were people everywhere, cycling, running and walking. It felt like the whole of the Netherlands was out enjoying their Saturday.

As we headed north the crowds gradually disappeared, and the riding became quieter. At Haarlem we made the right turn and set our sights on Amsterdam.

Arriving in Amsterdam on a Saturday afternoon took a little getting used to. There were people everywhere, bikes coming from every direction, and we had to quickly learn how to become part of the flow.

Then, almost as if by magic, we stopped beside a canal and realised we’d arrived. Home for the next few days.

Our apartment is a loft four flights up, so the first challenge was carrying all our gear upstairs before heading back down to ride the bikes to an underground bike park, where they’ll stay safely tucked away while we explore the city on foot.

For the next couple of days, the bikes can have a well-earned rest. It’s time to slow down, wander the streets and explore Amsterdam.

On Tuesday we’ll point the bikes back towards Hoek van Holland, with an 80-kilometre ride before catching the overnight ferry to Harwich, England, and then making the short hop to Latitude Festival for three days of music. Before that, we’ll use our time in Amsterdam and all the people to get used to being around crowds again after nine days on the road.