I've returned to the Netherlands countless times, but almost always by plane or by train. For the first time I've realized that the insulated life perpetuated by car travel in the U.S. - well, it holds for this side of the world, too.

I saw the "Nederland" sign zip by on the dark highway, and that was my only indication that a border had been crossed. No unsmiling passport control officers greeted me; no hoards of Dutch tourists fought with me during luggage retrieval. In fact, I didn't even hear Dutch spoken until somewhere in the next few days.

When the sun rose again, and I found myself on the street, I was caught off guard by the red, sloppy remnants of firework celebrations. I blinked in surprise and realized that I had completely forgotten about what time of the year it is. This never would have happened if I had struggled with my luggage through the Central Station and into the heart of Amsterdam.

Car travel has its luxuries, but it certainly doesn't help with re-acclimation. It even took me some time before I was able to gaze at the beauty of the canals, spectacular even in the dead of winter. If you're new to the Dutch way of life, I'd heartily recommend mixing up your travel options, in order to compare.