Having flown to Amsterdam 4 times this year, myself and a couple of friends decided it would be amusing to drive there one weekend. I have done the drive a couple of times over the years, the last roadtrip being over 6 years ago.
5am Saturday soon comes around, we meet at my place just outside Bournemouth and after a quick passport, money and toothbrush check we hit the road full of excitement for what the next 48 hours or so have in store.
We arrive in Dover well ahead of our 9.50am departure time, so ahead in fact that we manage to get on the 8.30am crossing. So far so good, almost 90 minutes ahead of schedule and we’re on the boat enjoying a fry up.
The ferry arrives in Calais at 11am French time, it takes a while to disembark but we hit French tarmac just gone 11.20am. Stopwatch started and so begins the 230 mile drive to our hotel.
The first things that always strike me about driving on the continent is how good the road surfaces are and how much more considerate the drivers are compared to their British counterparts. Traffic is pretty light for a weekend, the only time we’re slowed up is when approaching Rotterdam. 3 hours 8 minutes later and we pull up at our hotel just outside Schiphol airport on the A4. Not bad going.
We check into the hotel and enquire as to when the next shuttle bus leaves for the airport, 10 minutes is the reply. We drop our bags off in the room and jump on the hotels free bus service. After the familiar train journey to Central station we burst out of the front doors and hot foot it down Nieuwezijds Voorburgwal. Steve, who’s never been to Amsterdam (and doesn’t smoke) has trouble keeping up with our fast pace, I think he’s wondering what the rush is all about!
First stop as always is Betty Boops, we walk in and David one of the BT’s welcomes us like old friends, which I suppose 2 of us are. I ask how the super silver haze is; he tells me it’s better that it was 8 weeks ago when we were last in town. David takes the lid off the container and passes it to me, none of this no touching or not being able to properly inspect the goods that I tend to come across in other CS’s. I like what I see and smell so take half a gram, 3 coffees and a lighter. Now some of you will be thinking, you drove over 400 miles for half a gram, WTF!?! I should point out that I only smoke in Amsterdam, I don’t smoke tobacco and as such a few puffs on a pure joint has the desired effect. I quickly roll the SSH up, and true to form a few puffs later I’m sat in one of my favourite places in Europe with a large silly grin across my face. The taste, the nice clear high, I really can’t fault the SSH. Kev, who smokes daily is more of an Indica type of guy so asks David for a recommendation, by this time I’m so high I have no idea what he purchased but I do know he enjoyed it. We enjoy another coffee and a mango looza, I grab half a gram of the Shackzilla haze, however I don’t share David’s enthusiasm for it, that said when I can buy half grams I’m not too fussed if I buy something that doesn’t float my boat. I can see that all this passive smoking has made Steve grin like a Cheshire cat, he looks at me and says I’m hungry....ahhhh the munchies.
We say our goodbyes for now and make the 20 second walk to Burger bar. Fed and watered we head up to Voyagers. The lemon haze smells sweeter than ever, 0.8 of a gram for 10euros seems good value for something so strong. Kev also purchases some SLBH as he can’t believe how good it smells. Personally I find it smells better than it tastes but its still an enjoyable smoke and dare I say it, bordering on too strong for my child like tolerance. By this time it’s starting to get dark and we’ve promised Steve we’ll give him a guided tour of the RLD. More to follow.........
Amsterdam by car
Re: Amsterdam by car
Yep, nice read. I do like driving across. The anticipation heightens nicely and to have the freedom to stop whenever for a meal or a coffee suits me well. Also, the ability to shop in Adinkerke for cheap baccy and spirits helps pay for the trip.
Matroos negenenvijftig
Re: Amsterdam by car
cont.......
after a quick lap of the RLD we make the trek to 1e hulp for a couple of games of pool. As usual rizla the cat is chilling downstairs. We grab some drinks and a gram of G13. 10 minutes later and a game of pool seems to take an age to finsh. The G13 seemed to have a less than pleasant taste, possibly not flushed correclty? I don't know what it was but it still got us high so it wasn't all bad. We wrapped another one from the lemon haze we purchased earlier at Voyagers for the walk back to the center.
I quite like 1e hulp. Definately on the list for our next visit.
A quick buy and fly at Utopia and its back to our favourite hangout, Betty Boops. I smoked some honey haze from Utopia on my last visit and wanted to give it another go. Lovely and smooth, good flavour and a nice high. I suggest to Kev that ripping a bong would be a good idea. He agrees. We load up the bowl with about half a gram of the honey haze. Kev rips it like a veteran, however you can instantly see it on his face that he now thinks it was a bad idea! (he tells me later that night that he hasn't been that stoned for about 15-20 years!) The funny thing at this point we had no idea what tomorrow had in store!!!
Back to the honey haze, the joint I'm puffing on has given me the proper giggles, uncontrollable, fits of laughter, and seeing the look on Kev's face has made matters worse, I was actually crying I was laughing so hard!
We called it night after this and headed back to the hotel.
I couldn't sleep, everytime my head hit the pillow the room would start spinning, sativas always seem to have this effect on me. A joint of casey jones (i think) sorts my head out and we all wake in the morning not looking forward to the drive back to Calais later on.
We shower, and we're out the door, dump our bags in the car and back on a train to central.
A less than great breakfast later and we find ourselves back at Voyagers, 5grams of SLBH for kev and .8 of kandy kush for me.
I'm a fan of the kush, more so than the lemon haze I think, I'm not sure, I'm stoned after a few puffs and am seriously considering staying another night so I don't have to face the drive home!
We both roll a joint for a trip to the old church (for old times sake). 10 years or so ago I pulled a whitey while puffing on some white widow outside the old church, none of us knew history was about to repeat itself (kind of).
We order some coffees and take a seat outside for some people watching. 20 or minutes later we notice Kev hasn't said much, he's as white as a ghost with his head in his hands. He then mutters those words that no one wants hear when you're wrecked......."I think I'm going to be sick! The old church curse strikes again!!
We sit it out for over an hour, normally this wouldn't be a problem but we have a ferry to catch and Steve wants to visit Anne Franks house. We're pushed for time so maybe next time Steve.
We make another trip to the burger bar and pop our heads in BB to say good bye to David and Brevin, I have a few bags left with a little weed in each, as usual I donate it them. Kev, however has other plans for his SLBH. We have time for a quick coffee, I was offered some SSH to skin up a little one for the journey, I accept the kind gesture and make one for the journey.
Back to the car, foot down and in no time we're around 70 miles from Calais. We pull over for a drink and a pee. I check all my pockets as I don't want to have anything on me that I shouldn't have. Damn it, I've got that unsmoked SSH joint. Stupidly we spark it up, I take a puff and realise that its not a good idea. Kev can't manage the pure one either so we bin in the carpark. I hate wasting anything, let alone weed!
We're now close to 50 miles from Calais and I only just notice the fuel lights been on for ages, the car claims a range of 28 miles! I tuck in behind a truck and sit in his slipstream for 20 miles, now the cars showing zero miles left in the tank! Luckily we are prepared and have a can of fuel in the boot.
As we pull into the ferry terminal it becomes apparant we aren't the only ones cutting it fine to catch the boat home. Through customs and we board just before 11pm.
Once in Dover a quick fuel stop and back to Bournemouth, I crawl into bed just before 3am, 5 hours later I'm at work....I wonder what happened to the 5grams of SLBH Kev bought?
after a quick lap of the RLD we make the trek to 1e hulp for a couple of games of pool. As usual rizla the cat is chilling downstairs. We grab some drinks and a gram of G13. 10 minutes later and a game of pool seems to take an age to finsh. The G13 seemed to have a less than pleasant taste, possibly not flushed correclty? I don't know what it was but it still got us high so it wasn't all bad. We wrapped another one from the lemon haze we purchased earlier at Voyagers for the walk back to the center.
I quite like 1e hulp. Definately on the list for our next visit.
A quick buy and fly at Utopia and its back to our favourite hangout, Betty Boops. I smoked some honey haze from Utopia on my last visit and wanted to give it another go. Lovely and smooth, good flavour and a nice high. I suggest to Kev that ripping a bong would be a good idea. He agrees. We load up the bowl with about half a gram of the honey haze. Kev rips it like a veteran, however you can instantly see it on his face that he now thinks it was a bad idea! (he tells me later that night that he hasn't been that stoned for about 15-20 years!) The funny thing at this point we had no idea what tomorrow had in store!!!
Back to the honey haze, the joint I'm puffing on has given me the proper giggles, uncontrollable, fits of laughter, and seeing the look on Kev's face has made matters worse, I was actually crying I was laughing so hard!
We called it night after this and headed back to the hotel.
I couldn't sleep, everytime my head hit the pillow the room would start spinning, sativas always seem to have this effect on me. A joint of casey jones (i think) sorts my head out and we all wake in the morning not looking forward to the drive back to Calais later on.
We shower, and we're out the door, dump our bags in the car and back on a train to central.
A less than great breakfast later and we find ourselves back at Voyagers, 5grams of SLBH for kev and .8 of kandy kush for me.
I'm a fan of the kush, more so than the lemon haze I think, I'm not sure, I'm stoned after a few puffs and am seriously considering staying another night so I don't have to face the drive home!
We both roll a joint for a trip to the old church (for old times sake). 10 years or so ago I pulled a whitey while puffing on some white widow outside the old church, none of us knew history was about to repeat itself (kind of).
We order some coffees and take a seat outside for some people watching. 20 or minutes later we notice Kev hasn't said much, he's as white as a ghost with his head in his hands. He then mutters those words that no one wants hear when you're wrecked......."I think I'm going to be sick! The old church curse strikes again!!
We sit it out for over an hour, normally this wouldn't be a problem but we have a ferry to catch and Steve wants to visit Anne Franks house. We're pushed for time so maybe next time Steve.
We make another trip to the burger bar and pop our heads in BB to say good bye to David and Brevin, I have a few bags left with a little weed in each, as usual I donate it them. Kev, however has other plans for his SLBH. We have time for a quick coffee, I was offered some SSH to skin up a little one for the journey, I accept the kind gesture and make one for the journey.
Back to the car, foot down and in no time we're around 70 miles from Calais. We pull over for a drink and a pee. I check all my pockets as I don't want to have anything on me that I shouldn't have. Damn it, I've got that unsmoked SSH joint. Stupidly we spark it up, I take a puff and realise that its not a good idea. Kev can't manage the pure one either so we bin in the carpark. I hate wasting anything, let alone weed!
We're now close to 50 miles from Calais and I only just notice the fuel lights been on for ages, the car claims a range of 28 miles! I tuck in behind a truck and sit in his slipstream for 20 miles, now the cars showing zero miles left in the tank! Luckily we are prepared and have a can of fuel in the boot.
As we pull into the ferry terminal it becomes apparant we aren't the only ones cutting it fine to catch the boat home. Through customs and we board just before 11pm.
Once in Dover a quick fuel stop and back to Bournemouth, I crawl into bed just before 3am, 5 hours later I'm at work....I wonder what happened to the 5grams of SLBH Kev bought?
Re: Amsterdam by car
Great time ah? Drive 's a bit of a killer though. Much better with 2 drivers.
Re: Amsterdam by car
I love the drive, had plenty offers to share the driving but I do enjoy driving in Europe. I'm flying out in dec, feb and April but we're doing another road trip early May as we enjoyed it so much!Mack 10 wrote:Great time ah? Drive 's a bit of a killer though. Much better with 2 drivers.
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banshee beat
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Re: Amsterdam by car
Oh my god the curse of the old church!!! This happened to a mate of mine on our first trip to dam in 09!! Never been back since - bad juju...
Edit: Never been back to old church, that is..
Edit: Never been back to old church, that is..
Off is the new on
Re: Amsterdam by car
Absolutely agree with MM. The drive down the west coast via the Delta works is my favourite drives. There is a foot ferry in Breskens and you can park up grab something from the snack bar walk on the beach and smoke your last few joints before crossing into belgium.markymark wrote:I love the drive, had plenty offers to share the driving but I do enjoy driving in Europe. I'm flying out in dec, feb and April but we're doing another road trip May as we enjoyed it so much!Mack 10 wrote:Great time ah? Drive 's a bit of a killer though. Much better with 2 drivers.
Have also had a few close calls getting to calais in time. You ever got flashed by a speed camera in france? There is one about half an hour from calais that always almost catches me out. Lol
Re: Amsterdam by car
Absolutely agree with MM. The drive down the west coast via the Delta works is my favourite drives. There is a foot ferry in Breskens and you can park up grab something from the snack bar walk on the beach and smoke your last few joints before crossing into belgium.
Have also had a few close calls getting to calais in time. You ever got flashed by a speed camera in france? There is one about half an hour from calais that always almost catches me out. Lol[/quote]
Haven't been caught yet (touch wood). Any idea what happens if you do get flashed, surely you can't get any points just a fine? Thats the assumption I work on, hence why I drive a bit quicker than I do in the UK.
Have also had a few close calls getting to calais in time. You ever got flashed by a speed camera in france? There is one about half an hour from calais that always almost catches me out. Lol[/quote]
Haven't been caught yet (touch wood). Any idea what happens if you do get flashed, surely you can't get any points just a fine? Thats the assumption I work on, hence why I drive a bit quicker than I do in the UK.
Re: Amsterdam by car
Not a peep. Only got a 1.4 so was only just above the speed limit anyway. Try and keep a steady 80mph and do the european thing of pulling over if something faster comes up behind. I also tend to leave the eurotunnel just after 9 so miss most of the rush hour traffic and arrive in the dam about 12ish. Love that feeling of crossing into the Netherlands and knowing I am literally a couple of hours away from a good burn.
Re: Amsterdam by car
Where do you park when you drive there? We stay at the Van der Valk A4 hotel as it has free parking but ideally would rather be closer to the center. I've always felt nervous about leaving my car anywhere other than a secure hotel carpark, probably just being stupid.Bifton wrote:Not a peep. Only got a 1.4 so was only just above the speed limit anyway. Try and keep a steady 80mph and do the european thing of pulling over if something faster comes up behind. I also tend to leave the eurotunnel just after 9 so miss most of the rush hour traffic and arrive in the dam about 12ish. Love that feeling of crossing into the Netherlands and knowing I am literally a couple of hours away from a good burn.
Re: Amsterdam by car
Generally stay out of Amsterdam when driving because of parking issues. Either Zandvoort (Penthouse aan Zee) or more recently the Golden Tulip Gaasperplass (free parking and metro ride into centraal station). Mainly only drive when staying in Rotterdam or going to say Moto GP at Assen. Used to drive more often but petrol prices are too high now and with the border towns closing their doors to tourists it is easier and a lot cheaper to fly. Shame as I liked my top gear style road trips and have seen some really nice parts of the Netherlands.
Re: Amsterdam by car
Bifton wrote:Generally stay out of Amsterdam when driving because of parking issues. Either Zandvoort (Penthouse aan Zee) or more recently the Golden Tulip Gaasperplass (free parking and metro ride into centraal station). Mainly only drive when staying in Rotterdam or going to say Moto GP at Assen. Used to drive more often but petrol prices are too high now and with the border towns closing their doors to tourists it is easier and a lot cheaper to fly. Shame as I liked my top gear style road trips and have seen some really nice parts of the Netherlands.
I'll pm you if I have a spare space in the car in 2014. Planning on doing a couple of road trips (first one in May). I too love the convenience of flying but the drive is a welcome change of pace.
Re: Amsterdam by car
Cool I can roll while you drive lol