Roadster’s Dutch Dash!

The Dutch Dash! (Travel & Review)

Page 22: The Journey Begins

Roadster’s Dutch Dash!

In December ROADSTER! undertook a mini road trip with a difference… it included crossing the sea!

ROADSTER! Sam joined the other members of his family for a day trip to the city of Amsterdam, the capital of The Netherlands in Europe. In all, there were six people travelling, so we had to hire a car capable of carrying everyone and their bags. The trip included overnight journeys across the North Sea by car ferry, a coach transfer into the City of Amsterdam, and plenty of walking and sightseeing around the city itself. Come with us on our ROADSTER! Dutch Dash!

The Hire Car!

• Caption: The 1.6 Kia Sorento Hybrid car we hired for the weekend...

• Caption: Fully loaded! ROADSTER! Sam is in the back somewhere...

Sam's Review

We hired a brand new KIA Sorento to transport us to the Port of Hull for our ferry crossing. We only had the car for a short space of time and were only really in it for the outward and return journeys - much of which were in the dark! This meant we didn’t get a chance to do a proper review.

The car was a turbocharged petrol hybrid, so it had a powerful petrol engine and electric motor which made it more economical and kinder to the environment. It also featured regenerative braking, using kinetic energy to recharge the battery!

Driving features included a head-up display, safety features such as 360 and blind spot cameras, a large instrument cluster, a LCD infotainment screen and 12.. (12!) different speakers! The car offered lots of interior space, had wide door access for the grandparents in the middle, and sliding middle row seats which gave the kids in the back easier access. The Sorento had a lovely modern interior with ambient lighting, and an amazing panoramic sunroof which stretched the full length of the car, making it lovely and bright inside.

We were driving in wintery weather, with lots of snow. A special “snow” mode adapted the car to suit the conditions, making driving easier.

Sam’s View... (The Car)

I loved this car! I found it pretty comfortable and roomy, but my big sister thought it was too cramped for her legs! Even in the very back of the car I could control the air conditioning and we had cup holders for drinks. With all seats up, coats, mobility aids, weekend bags for six people and souvenirs, we found there was not a lot of room for all our things.

The Ferry!

We were travelling on the Pride of Rotterdam, a car ferry from Hull which offers a fun and quirky way of travelling to Europe. Below the passenger decks it is like a giant floating car park, with space for 250 cars and 400 lorries… it is huge! As the journey takes all night, the ship has lots to offer passengers. There is lots of space to walk around, varied entertainment options including a kids play area, comfortable seating, a yummy restaurant, a cafe, a cinema and shops to explore.

There's even a place at the back of the ship to feel the sea breeze on your face - as we were travelling in December it was a bit chilly! The ship has 546 cabins. Our cabin had bunk beds that folded up when not in use, a bathroom with a shower and even a place to make tea or coffee in the morning!

Sam’s View... (The Ferry)

I’ve been on planes and trains but had never been across the sea so I was nervous. I had no need to be! It was so much fun! The cabin was small but had everything we needed such as a toilet, beds, a wardrobe and sockets! My bed folded down but the ladder was sketchy!

The ferry itself was really spacious. There was a big dining area. They did really nice breakfasts and as it was Christmas they were serving ALL YOU CAN EAT Christmas Dinners! I had so many Yorkshire Puddings because they are my absolute favourite, but I didn't have any sprouts! In the shop I bought a giant tube of Mentos! I liked the bar at the top of the ship as it had a ship’s wheel you could spin. We played card games with drinks and listened to a man playing guitar. I also liked the arcade. They had a few car racing games which I love! I hardly felt the ferry moving. You get used to it quickly.

Amsterdam!

The coach transfer took about an hour. We past by the industry of the port, famous dutch windmills, the huge Schiphol international airport, and the city outskirts. Nicknamed the "Venice of the North" because of all its winding waterways and canals, Amsterdam started out as a tiny fishing village, but hundreds of years ago it became an important port city. Back then, the Netherlands was a leader in trading, science, and art.

Sam’s View... (Amsterdam)

The coach journey to Amsterdam had some badly behaved grown-ups and the coach stopped too far away from the centre for my Nana. It spoilt it a bit. We had a rush around the centre of Amsterdam - there was lots of walking! My favourite places were the Tony’s Chocolonely shop and the Lego Shop! Amsterdam was a really pretty place. There were lots of canals, tall, thin buildings with pointy roofs, and bicycles everywhere! We stopped for lunch at a pancake house and we also tried lots of really nice cheese and stroopwafels! A fun but busy day!