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Amsterdam - 52° 24' 07" N 04° 53' 13" E

By Kate and Sean -
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In Amsterdam, near our marina, there is an old river cruise ship that is more than just a hotel or a boat . It's both! (side note: each letter of the sign is a rentable room !) But before we get to the Botel, let's go back a few days to where we had just left Elburg ... Holland is known for its old-fashioned windmills, but the new type are popping up EVERYWHERE. We are allowed to sail surprisingly close to them. After an uneventful but tiring eight hours of sailing and motoring, we arrived in Lelystad.  While we waited for the wind to ease, we dusted off the Bromptons to explore the town.  The bike paths are quite extensive in Holland.  Not surprising, I guess ... If you hold your chin while looking at art, people may think you are cultured. (Public art discovery during our bike ride in Lelystad) After a two night stay an a day of cycling the bike paths in early-spring conditions in Lelystad, we set off on a beautiful sunny morning bound for Amste...
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Elburg - 52° 27' 17"N 05° 49' 33" E

By Kate and Sean -
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The moat ... and a pub.  What a lovely place to pass some time! We were welcomed back to Elburg by blue skies, budding trees and a very long list of tasks. We opted to stay at the beautiful Hotel Elburg for the first couple of nights while we organised the boat to become habitable once again. As it turned out, this was a very wise decision. Staying our initial two nights in town at the Elburg Boutique Hotel was a good idea.  A soft, made-and-ready bed was the best way to deal with jet lag. After a good night's sleep, we walked the kilometre and a half to the boatyard to see how our girl was doing. Tucked safely at the back was Chinook! And just like that, we are back aboard! We both agreed that as much as we love the Mornington Peninsula and Canmore, we were excited to be back aboard Chinook ... even if she was in a cradle on the boatyard.  It isn't her natural environment, but it does allow access to her hull and bits below the waterline that need ...
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Canmore - 51° 05' 21"N 115° 21' 06"W

By Kate and Sean -
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Our brief stopover in Canmore has made us homesick, both for our friends and this remarkable part of the world in which we live.  It's a little odd being 'home' but not in our house.  Fortunately, our friends have the most wonderful guest rooms and have been very generous in offering them up.  We appreciate you all!  To the groans of the locals, winter returned with a blast and a big dump of the fluffy white stuff.  We frolicked in the novelty of the winter wonderland before the sky was filled with the telltale arch of a chinook, the wind picked up and the snow melted away.   As usual, our time was a whirlwind of life administration and catching up with friends - brunches, coffees, dinners, walks and bike rides. Sean and Pat (yes, our favourite autohelm - Auto Pat) out for a pre-snowfall bike ride In keeping with the tradition of 'Story Night' we delivered the presentation we did to Mum's Probus group on our trip through the Northwest Passage.  Or...
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Not everything in Australia will kill you - 38° 26' 42" N 144° 57' 30" E

By Kate and Sean -
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 ... but some things look like they will! Meet the Huntsman Spider!  These creepy critters are ubiquitous in the houses around Australia and are guaranteed to cause squeals from even the most hardened arachnophile when they appear in unexpected places. Most are about the size of your palm but they can get as large as 20cm - about the size of my outstretched hand. Yikes! Fortunately, these fellows are generally harmless and, unless threatened, will rarely bite.  They do not build a web but hunt for insects and such, which actually make them quite a handy thing to have in your home if you can bear the shock of them popping up unexpectedly.  And they are fast!  Often, they are just an interesting wall ornament but when they choose, they skitter as fast as a screaming arachnophobe can leave the room. A huntsman in the kitchen. Didn't really want a coffee afterall. And we certainly had our fair share in Mum's house.  Most in manageable places but the odd one cau...
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