Carnivore Chris

Can you fish in Amstelpark lake? Just saw some huge Koi carp in the margins. I'd catch them easy with a little stalking rod! @SirBalon 69

Very true to be honest.

Yeah, I filled one out and printed it before I came but they didn't ask for it. Cafes and bars are as normal from what I've noticed. But the odd coffeeshop is take out only. Not been down the red light area yet and today I've done nothing but sit in parks getting stoned and eating shit food from McDonald's. Too warm to walk around.

Masks throughout the flight but you can take it off to have a drink or snack, no temperature checks at all and they didn't even ask me for the health declaration form . On the train to the airport, I was the only one on the train between Bolton and Manchester airport. The busiest train route in the north west was a ghost Train. The airport was quiet compared to normal and the flight took about 20 mins less than normal. Only need masks here on public transport, other than that I haven't seen anybody wearing one really. No more than you would pre covid where the odd Chinese person has one on.

Only reason I'm here is because the 2 fellas I work.with are off this week and I didn't want to be sat at home. Lovely weather here. It's like May in Spain.

There's still flights from Luton for today mate!

It's pretty much normal here in the Dam. In fact the quality of weed is better and cheaper. There's tourists but I've actually spoke to mainly Dutch people on this trip and it feels more like a Dutch city. It's not over crowded. It's how all cities should be and tourism needs cutting down. Spain need to do the same! Only things not open are nightclubs but I'm.too.old for them anyway. I'm definitely bringing a rod next time. Spoke to a fella yesterday fishing and it only costs 4 quid a year to fish all the canals. It would be an interesting 5 hours or so one day. @SirBalon 69 Only downside to this city, as always, is that money just goes. You can spend 100 euros before even reaching the hotel

Yeah I saw that. I'm hoping it should be fine for the Netherlands though as they aren't recording as many cases as it stands. It's the other way I'm worried about, and the Netherlands reimposing a 2 week quarantine on Brits just before going there . It can also quickly change as there doesn't seem to be much social distancing happening in Amsterdam now judging by those live cameras, although at the same time it doesn't look near as packed as usual. I've noticed with Amsterdam also that there is one flight a day from Manchester at the moment and 0 from Liverpool, while there used to be 3 from Manchester and 3 from Liverpool, so that means less people are travelling there atleast. There also hasn't been any on Saturdays, which is usually a day in which there would be a lot flying there. This is why I decided not to go to Spain as you could see it coming. It's where everyone goes at this time of the year and not to mention, they are always much more strict there than in most other countries in Europe so you'd have more chance of ending up stuck in some hotel somewhere there, and if you go out, the guardia civil end up smashing you with batons . Netherlands is more relaxed, so it's less risky in this regard.

Negative!

Yeah, I'm surprised at how bad your dollar is considering the country you are. Australia is considered the best country to live in along with Canada in terms of living standards. 700-800 a month? That's some blow! There is a chance I might not be able to go now. My workmate's son has been coughing so has had to go for a test today, if that comes back positive at 7am tomorrow, then I'll have to go for a test myself to be sure, since I've been working with the fella for 3 weeks now(he is in contract with his son everyday) and we travel together in cars. If I've caught it then I wouldn't want to travel even if I could because it's disrespectful. Saying that, as it stands, it's only a what if! I actually feel better than I have in months right now.

Wow the exchange rate is terrible.

Cuba would be amazing, even if just to see the beaches. One thing I like about Cuba is all the old skool US cars they have.

It's the best way mate because you only live once and there is a planet there to see. Did you ever manage to go to Colombia by any chance? As that's the one that is mainly on my mind now, but then Jamaica and Mexico after that. All in the Americas either way. I find that part of the world the most fascinating. This time next week I will be in Amsterdam, that is better than nothing I suppose as I've never had a bad time there.

To be honest, I haven't tried everything, but a lot of it seems based on sea-food puts me off as I've never been a big fan of sea-food at all. In terms of food, I think Argentina would be the place for me, if those restaurants I've been to in Amsterdam and Barcelona are anything to go by. The steak is incredible and I'm guessing it'd be even better in Argentina itself. Jamaican food actually as well. You've been everywhere to be honest. I need to up my game in the coming years. Did you ever go there on your own?

To be honest, once i finally "come out of my shell" and do a few countries in the Americas, then I may even end up having Thailand on my list. It's not that it doesn't interest me, just that other countries interest me more so I don't really think about going. Freshwater Fishing in Thailand would be amazing though(the best in the world) and obviously it's pretty much paradise there. Some of those beaches are incredible. The only thing is the food, I've never been huge on Thai food(or even Chinese in terms of Asia), but there is always something to eat wherever you go so I would live. I was actually speaking to a scaffolder today who has done Mexico and Jamaica and he said he wants to go to Thailand next, then he randomly said "And, in terms of those lady boys, no, you wouldn't have to ask me twice. Have you seen them? I've been watching videos of them on youtube" Only on building sites do you come across such people. Thing is, he goes away with his wife as well.

But you can make a new home in Jamaica since home to you is pretty much the planet itself anyway

In the end, we might just have to go to Jamaica since Colombia, Mexico and Thailand don't look to be "opening" anytime soon

This country really does take the piss doesn't it? "Pay-rises for people in the public sector" they say and then you find out that this doesn't include nursers, carers or supermarket workers(or anyone in the food sector in general), etc. The people who really kept the country going through shite times. Just a kick in the balls that. Police have been in the media for weeks for kneeling on people's heads, tazering innocent men at garages who are with their families, stopping people in nice cars because they are black, etc and they get a pay rise? Wow, what a country.

It'll probably be a while then I'd have thought considering how contagious the virus is. They won't want to take chances unfortunately. Have you paid for it all as well?

I was sure I saw it on a list last night along with Jamaica and Barbados .

@nudge I just noticed that Thailand is on the list of countries. Does this mean you're fine as it stands? You will have to put those photography skills of yours to use

To be honest, this even pisses me off as there are no s everywhere and they should use them. It's especially worse when it's tourists as you should always have respect for locals before anything else. I might even buy a day licence and go lure fishing on the canals for a few hours for Zander and Perch. I know where there is a huge fishing shop, or Hengelsport as you say over there. I just never got around to actually going there due to it being a bit out of the way. I'll see if they rent tackle out, as I don't want to take any with me and I might have a go. Urban fishing! I'll be stopping in Amsterdam so it would only be a day out to Haarlem or somewhere either way. But both look like nice chilled out spots which would be something different.

That'd be a good option aswell mate as Manchester's a decent city and as a Southerner it'd be something different.

I'd be surprised if I could go to where I'm planning even in 2021 as it's not just about covid but airlines, as many could go bust, making it more difficult to reach such destinations. As it stands I will take risks going to other European countries. Getting stuck there wouldn't be as much of a nightmare as being stuck in Bogotá or somewhere else on the other side of the world You actually have alot of options due to the size of Australia and also the likes of New Zealand, if they are allowing you in. One downer is that I twisted my ankle AGAIN today and was struggling to work all day after that. It's always me who gets injured

I honestly wouldn't mind catching a Zander out of I've of the canals thinking of it. I've never caught one before I bet you'd reel in a fair few bikes though! Yeah, that's where I was referring to but forgot where you said it was exactly. I will definitely have to go there mate, it looks nice and chilled.