The first half of my whirlwind spring break adventure was a nine-hour layover in Amsterdam. To get there, I was booked on KLM. Thanks to my obsessive need to make Diamond status on Delta last year, I was able to upgrade my $500 round trip ticket with significant stops in Amsterdam and Istanbul into a luxurious first class adventure.

Why don’t planes have pictures on the walls anymore? So classy!

I decided to wait and see what they were serving for dinner. For the main course, I opted for the chicken with apricot brioche stuffing. It was served with a mixed salad and a cheese plate. The chicken was good, the vegetables were over done, the cheese was fantastic.

Looks better than it tastes.

They had raspberry cheesecake for dessert, but I wasn’t really all that hungry after all the carrot sticks in the sky club and I was starting to worry I wouldn’t have enough time left to actually sleep. I was right to be concerned, according to my Jawbone Up by the time we landed I only had 2 hours of sleep and it wasn’t even 2 hours in a row… Probably because there was constant and ongoing turbulence. This is not a complaint, I’m willing to bet that was about 2 hours more than I’d have gotten if I’d been in coach! At least I was laying down!

Eventually I realized they’d turned the lights on and were passing out the breakfast trays. I was hoping for the caramel apple cinnamon roll, but ended up with the swiss cheese and mushroom strata. At least there was only one mushroom on the very top and the croissant they served it with was really good!

Tastes better than it looks.

They brought me a little parting gift before we landed, a little blue and white Delft house. She said something about putting it in my checked bag so I wouldn’t have to declare it. I didn’t have the heart to tell her I only travel with a carry on. And sadly, I had no idea it was full of gin! fingers crossed it makes it in and out of Istanbul…

We landed a little early and the flight attendants were so polite they even called out someone behind me by saying “Dear blond lady please sit down while we are still moving for your safety and the safety of everyone else” So polite!

Next up? A little trip to Haarlem!