During this long absence I remain in contact with my acquaintances from the Netherlands via social media.....Canadian guy has returned home....Swedish guy is now living in Katwijk and Dutchy local is still.....local!
It's been far too long and I'm scratching like a crack whore to get back!
(Please bear with me on this report, memories are hazy lots of gaps, not so many photos to jog my memory)
Plans made to catch up with Swedish guy and Dutchy, Canadian informs me he has a return planned but looks like we will miss each other....gutted! ah well!
Flights booked, accommodation sorted (only staying @the beach this time)
I frantically begin to plan and drool over the prospect of my return.
Day 1
Arrival this time is afternoon again and I'm still high from my home stash before departure (some Afghani sticky icky-icky lemon stuff!)
From Schiphol I head straight for Leiden (at this point I probably feel my most confident with getting around and seem to breeze through all my required stages of transport connections)
I load my blue o.v chipkaart with euro (kindly donated by Swedish guy last time) and make way for Leiden.
Out of the station and I'm heading straight over the bridge to the main stretch in Leiden, it's a nice mild day with a good warmth in the air (surprising its usually baltic!)
On my left is the windmill (still need to visit this!) And take a quick snap....I take a lungfull of Leiden air and soak it all up...ahhhhh I'm back boys!!
Destination....Double AA! (By this trip I figured stick to what I know and enjoy, after my experience with Le Palais last time I'm in no mood to gamble when it comes to herbs)
In Double AA I ask the BT to show me the Mr.Nice and Buddha..I opt for the later (5g's of course and head to De Eerste Kamer.....Mr Nice looks better her so I also grab 5g's!
I hop on the bus for Noordwijk swiping my travelcard feeling like a seasoned travel pro
During the run up to this trip I had planned a chilled and early first night at the hostel and have every intention of carrying it out..
Darkness starts to fall on my way to Noordwijk, by the time I arrive I barely recognise the main boulevard its pitch black! Almost missing my stop (again!
) I hop off and I'm back at last.Through the door and the bar area is quite busy, there seems to be a group of American girls drinking and having a good time...I check in give a quick wave to Dutchy through the smoking room window and head for K1 to dump my stuff.
Back to the bar and its getting lively..Whilst grabbing a beer one of the American girls catches my accent and comes over to introduce herself (those yanks love a good British accent
)She explains they've been here a month and leave in the week...after a brief chat she suggest I join them for a drink...I tell her I need to touch base with Dutchy but will join them for a drink after.
Into the smokeroom I head, filled with locals and a few faces I recognise....Dutchy offers me a stool and I join him with his friends.
Buddha ignited and beer goes down like a dream..I feel a thurst coming on so grab another beer and continue my catch up.
I message Swedish guy and let him know I've arrived, hes working so will catch up with me tomorrow.
Dutchy has to go home and I end up joining the American girls at the bar.
They are well into a good drinking session and insist I join them for Jaeger Bombs (oh dear!)
With my fate sealed..many drinks pass my lips but the mix with herbs soon catches up with me and I know it's time for bed...I pretend I need to go grab something and fall into bed downstairs with my stash in my lap.zzzzzzz
Day 2
Early morning and I wake up feeling a bit worse for wear, all I can taste is Mr.Nice, all I can smell is Mr.Nice and my stash is all over the bed!
Sitting up I feel really rough and a quick flash passes my mind that I had a dream about feeling ill...odd?
The stench of K1 is not helping my fragile state and I know I need some fresh air...up to hallway and wrap a doob of Mr.Nice and straight down to the beach.
Absolutely freezing this morning and unsure if the joint is a good idea I pace the beach and take in the sea air... I feel queezy but the effects of the joint and the fresh sea air seem to be having a positive effect.
By the time I walk back I'm feeling more myself but in need of some extra sleep..plonk into the bed again and I doze for a few hours.
Waking up a 2nd time I feel fine...make my way for breakfast and join the staff.
Today I plan on going nowhere but locally and heavily inulging in my chosen flowers...hostel feels quiet today it's a bit strange but nice at the same time.
A few hours pass and wanting to stretch my legs I head for the supermarket, stock up and then head back out for some photos.
The local area is very peaceful and a popular destination in the summer for holidays (somehow I still haven't managed to visit this place in season!?)
The sun starts coming out so I take a route down the bottom of the boulevard I've not bothered with before to take some snaps...down here there are quite a lot of qwerky sculptures and architecture including a lighthouse.
As it brightens up I turn onto the main road on the beach front...this stretch is filled with pretty big hotels (a few fancy looking ones too) but is tastefully done with decent buildings and landscaping.
The biggest hotel on this stretch is "Hotel van Oranje" quite grand it boasts 5 restaurants and as many bars (apparently popular with affluent dutchies and have been told it's used by Dutch football team sometimes)
On the beach front it has a statue of Queen Wilhelmina (apparently the longest ever serving Dutch head of state)
The wind picks up so I head to the main street...there seems to be a lot of ground or utilities work going on so its hard to snap a lot of things without having loads of construction bits in shot.
There's a bench I absolutely love here and I manage to take a snap but only after waiting for someone to vacate it
Temperature getting ever colder I head for the safe comfort of the hostel once more..
Straight to the high tables and time for some Buddha...one of the staff joins me and says "had a bit to drink last night?"
And I was like "yeah but was all ok"
She then replies with "were you not a bit sick" with huge grin on her face....
Suddenly a huge mirage of flashbacks flies through mt head....It all starts coming back to me...I hadnt dreamt I was ill I actually had been! Shit!
I had wokem from my drunken slumber during the night in a massive booze filled sweatathon and begun to heave, subsequently projectile vomitting onto the floor! Ffs! Then another flash back comes of me scrubbing thd floor with a towel...absolute mess!
I'm so mortified and apologise profusely to her..she laughs it off and says it fine "your good, thats not like you"
I have to shake the shame and just deal with it cant change what happend but so much for an early take it easy night
Sometime later Swdish guy pops by we have a quick smoke and catch up before he has to work again but arrange to meet the next day.
Not much going on in the hostel tonight I actually do the responsible thing and get an early one with a view to make the most of tomorrow.
To be continued.
