You got on at Zwolle?
I was paying off a ship in Delfzijl, northern Holland. Me and my mate Tom were given 2 x 50Euro notes to get the train to Amsterdam where we'd catch the ferry back to Newcastle. Simple yes?

The agent drops us at the train station, its a Sunday and deserted. Ticket machine only take coins and we have no idea how we get 100 Euros changed into enough shrapnel to get us to Amsterdam. We're only vaguely aware that Amsterdam is the other end of the country.

We get on the train anyways, figuring we can just buy a ticket once we're moving. As the stops fly past we're starting to realise we may have a free ride! Already counting the beers this 100 Euro is going to buy us on the ferry we are suddenly being talked to by a forrin, in a uniform. Our puzzled O's means the nice lady switches to English and asks in a lovely sing-song voice if she can see our tickets....uh oh.

"oh we didnt know how to get one so we hoped we could buy one once onboard", I explained. Nice lady enquired where we had got on.....brain engages, we've been on for about an hour and stopped paying attention to stations a while back.

"erm Zwolle", is the last stop I recall....not knowing if it was even a station the train stopped at.

"you got on at Zwolle?" she looks bemused, but proceeds to give us a 2 tickets anyways. They cost around £40 in total.....! I still dont know if the train did stop there.

Once into Amsterdam Centraal, we dodge trams trying to kill us and look for the bus to IJmuiden. Its meant to be waiting outside some hotel but its not there. So we ask a taxi how much...."taxi is 50 Euro" the cabby says. There is no way we're spending our train profit so wait about, getting more panicky until at the final hour the coach turns up. We thought it left at 5, but in fact it only arrived then!

Once on the Ferry we spent all our money (and more) on pints of grolsch and Blue Lagoon chasers. Every time we got too drunk we walked up to the bow and stuck our heads in the wind, it was a force 8 gale and it was sobering. Back to cabin to reapply some gel then back to the bar.

We were the last 2 off the ferry the next day, worst hangover of my life and dragging 4 months worth of gear behind us in our bags. 2 Officers stop us, see our big bags and smile "been stocking up have you boys".... We just about manage to explain we're cadets who've done a 4 month stint and they just laugh and move us on.

My bag had been full of cheap spirits I'd bought before leaving my ship....! lucky

Best journey ever
(Monkeystrumpet monkey. Monkey, MONKEY!!!, Fri 15 Jul 2011, 10:04, Reply)