If you’ve been reading this blog for a while, you probably realize that I’m a Type-A Planner. I love to research, plan, book and keep track of the details. So it’s rather embarrassing that I really let the ball drop on something important for my upcoming trip.
Which ball did I drop?
I neglected to set an alarm on my calendar to get up in the middle of the night six weeks prior to secure tickets to the Anne Frank House in Amsterdam. There are no tickets available for any dates in the next 6 weeks. Tickets sell out in hours, and they no longer sell same-day walk-up tickets. Private tour companies cannot sell tickets to the house anymore.
How could I have dropped the ball like this? I don’t know. I’m planning multiple trips and working a lot at my other job. Still, it’s unlike me to miss this.
Thank goodness for reddit, where I researched my options. My best bets are:
- Keep searching for tickets on Ticket Swap for the date I need.
- Get up at 3 a.m. the Tuesday before the week I want to visit and try to snag tickets that come back online from cancellations.
So, I’ve put a reminder on my calendar for the week before, and I’ve got an alert set on Ticket Swap. We will see if I get lucky.
If not, it’s not the end of the world. Sure, I really want to visit the Anne Frank House. But, if I can’t get tickets, I’m not going to let it ruin my 2 1/2 week trip to Europe.
Have you ever dropped the ball on something important for your trips? Share in the comments.
I just did something similar for our recent Netherlands trip. I got the Anne Frank tickets, but missed getting tickets to the Corrie Ten Boom house in Haarlem, which was a big disappointment. Guess we will have to go back! We also went to Anne Frank’s neighborhood, where she lived prior to hiding-no tickets required.
@Andrea Yes, you will have to go back 🙂 I can’t get tickets to Corrie Ten Boom house either. I’m going to try for Anne Frank tickets tomorrow at 3 a.m.
So sorry you forgot!! I’m the trip planner too and we juggle a lot of balls, so at times one does drop. I just try to focus on all the great trips I’ve planned that have come together. I know my daughter-in=law wants to go there next summer and I’ve already warned her that she will need to get up in the middle of the night to book. Hope you do get the tickets, but I’m sure your trip will be wonderful either way!!
@Lynn Thanks!
Do a boat cruise in Amsterdam instead if you can’t get tickets! I had an amazing time on ‘Those Dam Boat Guys’. Highly recommend!
@bc Thanks for the recommendation!
I drop the ball all the time! It happens. And the older I get, the more it happens. 🤷♀️
@Jennifer At least I’m not the only one. 🙂
Just got our Anne Frank tickets on Tuesday for the end of June. FYI I did not get up in the middle of the night but checked in the morning when I woke up and there was still plenty of availability.
@paprents Thanks for the data point. I’m still crossing my fingers I will be able to get some tickets.
It happens to the best of us. It is tough to continuously keep track of all moving objects. More so for family members. I have myself dropped the ball many times. I just think it is a human thing :-].
@GBSanDiego I guess I’m glad I’m not the only one. 🙂 I am juggling a lot of trips right now. Fortunately, it’s not a critical error.