I came to Netherlands towards the end of 2009. Since then, I have seen the Indian crowd only expand...exponentially would not be a wrong term to use!
Saturday 27 October 2012
Wednesday 24 October 2012
Time it takes
Considering your day of landing in Netherlands as Day 0, below is the approximate timeline chart from preparation to settling in Netherlands:
Short Stay
For a short stay, you can choose from either a hotel or a short stay apartments. Apartment will be furnished with utensils, microwave, washing machine etc and all you need to do, is buy your own grocery and cook.
Note: Since Jan 2014, I have transferred this blog to http://indiansinnetherlands.com due to better features. So for latest (and correct) notes, kindly click here: http://indiansinnetherlands.com.
If you are looking for single accommodation on sharing basis, click here and register with kamernet.
For the most popular hotel booking site click here. Very often they also have short stay apartments. Some things you can (should) check in the website before reservation are:
If you need help in deciding, leave me a comment.
Note: Since Jan 2014, I have transferred this blog to http://indiansinnetherlands.com due to better features. So for latest (and correct) notes, kindly click here: http://indiansinnetherlands.com.
If you are looking for single accommodation on sharing basis, click here and register with kamernet.
For the most popular hotel booking site click here. Very often they also have short stay apartments. Some things you can (should) check in the website before reservation are:
- 7+ feedback rating for the hotel/apartment is what I recommend.
- sometimes hotels include free breakfast in their rates (apartments generally do not)
- Cancellation policy: Click on '?' button in the "Conditions" column - very clear and generally good
- commute to/from the hotel
- if you are price sensitive (i.e if company is not paying your stay :) ), sort the listing based on price
- if you plan to rent a car, then check for free parking in the hotel
- if you have kids, check age limit for free stay
For stay near Amsterdam Airport (Schipol) I have had friends stay in these hotels with good feedback:
- Ibis Airport: They have free shuttle from/to airport every 15 minutes. From the airport, you have train connectivity to the rest of the country and also rest of Europe :)
- Park Plaza: They also have free shuttle from/to airport
Please note that listing above does not mean the others aren't good. It is just that I do not have personal contacts that have stayed there. For example, I know corporate travelers stay in Novotel, NH, Sheraton etc. You can click here for all options around the Amsterdam Airport
For apartment options, you can also check this link. Check if cancellation policy suits you.
If you need help in deciding, leave me a comment.
Saturday 20 October 2012
Sightseeing list for Europe
I have a list of 50+ places to visit across Europe. Click here to see the list. I have also shared my travel plan for the places I have visited.
Friday 12 October 2012
Public transport and OV chipkaart
All cities have bus and/or train connectivity. Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Den Haag (The Hague) and Utrecht also have tram and/or metro connectivity. Some places and islands are connected by ferry as well (OV chipcart does not apply here).
Wednesday 10 October 2012
Tuesday 9 October 2012
Eindhoven specifics
I moved from India to Eindhoven in 2009 September. Here is some information specific to the city....
Monday 8 October 2012
Amstelveen specifics
I do not live in Amstelveen myself. But here is some specifics from my contacts.
Note: Since Jan 2014, I have transferred this blog to http://indiansinnetherlands.com due to better features. So for latest (and correct) notes, kindly click here: http://indiansinnetherlands.com.
There plenty of Indians in Amsteveen. In fact so many that....there is a joke that Amstelveen should be renamed as Amstel Nagar :)
Amstelveen is very close to Amsterdam. Hence there is plenty to do in and around. However, information in this post is limited to Amstelveen only.
Note: Since Jan 2014, I have transferred this blog to http://indiansinnetherlands.com due to better features. So for latest (and correct) notes, kindly click here: http://indiansinnetherlands.com.
Amstelveen is very close to Amsterdam. Hence there is plenty to do in and around. However, information in this post is limited to Amstelveen only.
- Indian stortes: Kashmir, Spice Amstelveen, Masala express
- Indian restaurant: Sagar
- The cricket stadium of Netherlands is here - check for VRA. This is also a professional cricket club
- Albert Hein is open till 10.00PM Mon thru Sat; On Sundays it is till 18.00. Check ah.nl
- On Thusrday, shops in the centrum are open till 21.00
- Amstelveen is well connected with bus, tram, metro. However, there is no train station.
- popular taxi number - 0207777777
- During Diwali time, lot of Indians get together in the centrum and celebrate Diwali. Entry is free for all
- During Diwali time, sparklers are available in the Indian Stores
- Popular housing agency is Rots vast
- Sometimes hindi cinemas are screened in the Pathe theater complex in Amsterdam Bijlmer Arena
- The sports center of Amstelveen is in Spoortlaan. You can find swimming etc
Friday 5 October 2012
The medical system
The healthcare system in Netherlands is pretty weird and very difficult to digest for an Indian.
Thursday 20 September 2012
Visitor visa for UK
Note: Please click http://indiansinnetherlands.com for further reading. I have stopped updating here.
Thursday 17 May 2012
Money transfer to India
Note: Since Jan 2014, I have transferred this blog to http://indiansinnetherlands.com due to better features. So for latest (and correct) notes, kindly click here: http://indiansinnetherlands.com.
Thursday 8 December 2011
Tuesday 6 December 2011
Saturday 1 October 2011
Dutch citizenship
If you have a permanent Dutch Residence Permit and have been living here for last 5 years, you become eligible for Dutch citizenship.
Tuesday 6 September 2011
Housing
If you are coming to Netherlands for a short term, please refer my post on short-stay.
If you are looking for single accommodation on sharing basis, click here and register with kamernet.
Rental housing has 4 different phases: searching, moving in, living, moving out.
If you are looking for single accommodation on sharing basis, click here and register with kamernet.
car and driving
This post has:
- Licence requirements to drive in the Netherlands
- How to get a license in Netherlands
- Driving rules book in English (driving-license-traffic-regulations)
- The major road rules in the Netherlands
- To Rent/Lease/Own a car in Netherlands
- Licence requirements to drive in the Netherlands
- How to get a license in Netherlands
- Driving rules book in English (driving-license-traffic-regulations)
- The major road rules in the Netherlands
- To Rent/Lease/Own a car in Netherlands
Thursday 1 September 2011
Processing Visitors visa.
Processing visitor visa is very simple. Even if you go thru a travel agent, except the submission of the visa application form, you will have to do everything else yourself. From my experience, visa applications are approved in all normal cases.
Tuesday 14 September 2010
Privacy policy
Privacy Policy for www.indiansinnetherlands.blogspot.com
If you require any more information or have any questions about our privacy policy, please feel free to contact us by email at madhuka74@gmail.com.
At www.indiansinnetherlands.blogspot.com, the privacy of our visitors is of extreme importance to us. This privacy policy document outlines the types of personal information is received and collected by www.indiansinnetherlands.blogspot.com and how it is used.
Log Files
Like many other Web sites, www.indiansinnetherlands.blogspot.com makes use of log files. The information inside the log files includes internet protocol ( IP ) addresses, type of browser, Internet Service Provider ( ISP ), date/time stamp, referring/exit pages, and number of clicks to analyze trends, administer the site, track user’s movement around the site, and gather demographic information. IP addresses, and other such information are not linked to any information that is personally identifiable.
Cookies and Web Beacons
www.indiansinnetherlands.blogspot.com does use cookies to store information about visitors preferences, record user-specific information on which pages the user access or visit, customize Web page content based on visitors browser type or other information that the visitor sends via their browser.
DoubleClick DART Cookie
.:: Google, as a third party vendor, uses cookies to serve ads on www.indiansinnetherlands.blogspot.com.
.:: Google's use of the DART cookie enables it to serve ads to users based on their visit to www.indiansinnetherlands.blogspot.com and other sites on the Internet.
.:: Users may opt out of the use of the DART cookie by visiting the Google ad and content network privacy policy at the following URL - http://www.google.com/privacy_ads.html
Some of our advertising partners may use cookies and web beacons on our site. Our advertising partners include ....
Google Adsense
These third-party ad servers or ad networks use technology to the advertisements and links that appear on www.indiansinnetherlands.blogspot.com send directly to your browsers. They automatically receive your IP address when this occurs. Other technologies ( such as cookies, JavaScript, or Web Beacons ) may also be used by the third-party ad networks to measure the effectiveness of their advertisements and / or to personalize the advertising content that you see.
www.indiansinnetherlands.blogspot.com has no access to or control over these cookies that are used by third-party advertisers.
You should consult the respective privacy policies of these third-party ad servers for more detailed information on their practices as well as for instructions about how to opt-out of certain practices. www.indiansinnetherlands.blogspot.com's privacy policy does not apply to, and we cannot control the activities of, such other advertisers or web sites.
If you wish to disable cookies, you may do so through your individual browser options. More detailed information about cookie management with specific web browsers can be found at the browsers' respective websites.
If you require any more information or have any questions about our privacy policy, please feel free to contact us by email at madhuka74@gmail.com.
At www.indiansinnetherlands.blogspot.com, the privacy of our visitors is of extreme importance to us. This privacy policy document outlines the types of personal information is received and collected by www.indiansinnetherlands.blogspot.com and how it is used.
Log Files
Like many other Web sites, www.indiansinnetherlands.blogspot.com makes use of log files. The information inside the log files includes internet protocol ( IP ) addresses, type of browser, Internet Service Provider ( ISP ), date/time stamp, referring/exit pages, and number of clicks to analyze trends, administer the site, track user’s movement around the site, and gather demographic information. IP addresses, and other such information are not linked to any information that is personally identifiable.
Cookies and Web Beacons
www.indiansinnetherlands.blogspot.com does use cookies to store information about visitors preferences, record user-specific information on which pages the user access or visit, customize Web page content based on visitors browser type or other information that the visitor sends via their browser.
DoubleClick DART Cookie
.:: Google, as a third party vendor, uses cookies to serve ads on www.indiansinnetherlands.blogspot.com.
.:: Google's use of the DART cookie enables it to serve ads to users based on their visit to www.indiansinnetherlands.blogspot.com and other sites on the Internet.
.:: Users may opt out of the use of the DART cookie by visiting the Google ad and content network privacy policy at the following URL - http://www.google.com/privacy_ads.html
Some of our advertising partners may use cookies and web beacons on our site. Our advertising partners include ....
Google Adsense
These third-party ad servers or ad networks use technology to the advertisements and links that appear on www.indiansinnetherlands.blogspot.com send directly to your browsers. They automatically receive your IP address when this occurs. Other technologies ( such as cookies, JavaScript, or Web Beacons ) may also be used by the third-party ad networks to measure the effectiveness of their advertisements and / or to personalize the advertising content that you see.
www.indiansinnetherlands.blogspot.com has no access to or control over these cookies that are used by third-party advertisers.
You should consult the respective privacy policies of these third-party ad servers for more detailed information on their practices as well as for instructions about how to opt-out of certain practices. www.indiansinnetherlands.blogspot.com's privacy policy does not apply to, and we cannot control the activities of, such other advertisers or web sites.
If you wish to disable cookies, you may do so through your individual browser options. More detailed information about cookie management with specific web browsers can be found at the browsers' respective websites.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)