10 hours alone in Amsterdam (never again)

Hi there, and welcome to Healing Journeys Ep. 3 - join me on a spontaneous 10-hour layover in Amsterdam, a trip that turned out to be nothing like I expected—but not in the way you might think.

Having visited Amsterdam in the spring and summer, this was my first time experiencing it in winter, and let’s just say…it came with its own lessons. One of the biggest takeaways? Gratitude is an attitude—one that I’m still learning to master. It’s not always easy, but this trip gave me glimpses of hope and lessons I’ll carry with me for a long time.

Places I Visited:
📍 Zaandam (Inntel Hotels & surrounding area)
📍 Zaanse Schans (Windmill farms)
📍 Chun Café (Spuistraat location)
📍 Museumplein Christmas Market
📍 Episode Thrift Store

How to Get to Zaandam from Amsterdam Central:
🚍 Option 1: Take bus N94 or N19 from Amsterdam Centraal (stay on N94 if heading to Zaanse Schans).
🚆 Option 2: Take the city sprinter train from Amsterdam Centraal to Zaandam.

Hope you enjoy the journey—let me know your thoughts in the comments! ✨

00:00 – Introduction
00:31 – Arriving in Amsterdam
01:52 – Exploring Amsterdam Central
02:40 – Day Trip to Zaandam
03:39 – Visiting Zaanse Schans (Famous Dutch Windmills)
06:48 – Chun Café: The Best Sandwich in Amsterdam?
07:57 – Wandering Through Amsterdam’s Christmas Market
09:47 – Thrifting at Episode Vintage Store
10:47 – Outro & Final Thoughts
11:32 – Teaser for the Next Vlog

Follow Me on Socials 💌
📸 Instagram: @awaywithmanni
🎵 TikTok: @awaywithmanni
📝 Blog: awaywithmanni.com

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📝 Free Notion Template
🇯🇵 Japan Itinerary Template – https://www.notion.com/templates/japa...

📷 Equipment I Use:
📱 iPhone 15 Pro
🎥 DJI Osmo Pocket
✂️ Edited with CapCut

🎶 Music
All music in this video is sourced from YouTube’s Audio Library.

About Me✨
❓ What’s your Name ? Manuela but all my friends call me Manni.

🗺️ Where are you from ? I was born and raised in Germany with Ghanaian roots.

🍵 What do you love? Tea, cute cafés, and anime (oh and travelling, duh!)

✈️ How do you afford to travel on a 9-5 office job? I budget carefully and use travel hacks like deals, and rewards programs.

Tags: Amsterdam vlog, Netherlands, Holland vlog, mindfulness, healing, faith, country side, travel vlog, mental health, solo travel, exploring, nature, food, winter, Christmas market

#amsterdam #netherlands #travelvlog