Up early. Charge devices. Pack. Check forum. Check email. Check weather.
Flight is at 4.30. What to do until then?
Chat on the forum. I'm very much aware that several ACDers are already in town and that I'm missing the fun.
Drive to the airport. Arrive early. That's not normal, I'm usually late for everything! I find that Bristol Airport offers free WiFi for one hour so I get the tablet out and chat for a while.
The flight actually departs early and the crossing is fast. As the plane descends over the Netherlands, the sun comes out on the colourful fields below.
Netherlands
Emerging from Centraal Station, I pause for a moment to enjoy that homecoming feeling, and then it's across the tramlines towards Central coffeeshop.
The lovely people at Amsterdam Stay have booked me into an apartment just off Zeedijk, overlooking the very end of Oudezijds Voorburgwal. It's on the third floor, so lots of Dutch stairs to climb, but the view is amazing.
On a quick expedition to the Albert Heijn supermarket on Nieuwmarkt I snap several pictures of coffeeshops. I notice that The Bassment is closed and start getting photos of licence stickers on the surviving shops.
[I have over 1000 photos from this trip, including about 50 licences. These have become the start of my trainspotting project]
With the apartment set up it's time to get to Voyagers to begin the main objective - getting stoned! Straight to the counter, grab a gram and look at the Volcanoes. One is switched on but, as I rummage though the bags and bits, I find that one filling chamber is broken and other parts are missing. I ask one of the guys behind the bar about it and he says that the nearest working Volcano is at Green Place. That's not really an option at the moment because I'm supposed to be meeting people here so I roll a joint.
The first familiar face to walk in is Drugsbunny. Haven't seen you since 2013. Scandalous Monk then comes over and introduces himself. Last saw you in 2014 but have to confess I didn't recognise you so thanks for saying hello. I have a brief conversation with them until the joint hits me.
Behind the unusable Volcanoes we can see right into Batavia across the canal.
Batavia from Voyagers
More people arrive: Macky, Gapie, Occasional Bowl and Trashcanman. Macky gives me a bright red sweatshirt with 420 patches sewn onto it. Thank you. That will make me more obvious! I'm sure that will appear in photos later.
We decide to move the party over to Batavia.
We get beers at the bar and then head downstairs. It's quite busy. Trashcanman grabs a seat at the large table next to the window. Gradually the other people around the table leave so we are able to commandeer the whole space for our group.
There is a nice view of Voyagers through the window behind me.
Voyagers from Batavia
More forum members arrive and a serious session develops. There are about a dozen of us around the big table with bongs, dabbing rigs and joints flying around all over the place. It's great to meet DeLeuksteNUGS16 and OneHighMofo, who are sitting close to me. I wave at Mr & Mrs Treetop who are sitting at the far end of the table.
Conversation is limited as I descend into stupor. It's that first night in Amsterdam dazed feeling as several beers, joints, bongs and dabs take their toll. At some point Drugsbunny gives me a "special" rice krispie cake. Thank you sir. I think I'll save that for later.
Edible
Eventually people begin to drift off. A guy comes over and shakes my hand as he's leaving. Later I'm told that was Elasticband. Sorry I didn't recognise you. Later another guy says hello. I think that was Mack 10. Same apologies to you.
The full list of people I think were there in Batavia that night are:
DeLeuksteNUGS16
Drugsbunny
Gapie
Macky
Occasional Bowl
OneHighMofo
Papi
Scandalous Monk
Mr & Mrs Treetop
Trashcanman
Elasticband
Mack 10
Lemming
If you know different, please let me know.
Off to a good start. I'll sleep well tonight.
