Possible Meet in August!

[Rhonya]

Hello orcsies!

I've been pondering a little on this, and since I was already trying to convince some people to come, might as well make it an open thing. Every year in August in the Netherlands we have a fantasy fair called Castlefest. www.castlefest.com
Now, if you want to know what exactly it is, I'd suggest take a look at that site(you can put it to english), or find some trailers on youtube! Basically it's a combination of a market and a music festival, with a lot of people also dressed in the most amazing fantasy costumes. Things being sold like armor, LARP stuff, food, lots of alcohol, books, clothes, whatever.

The point of this thread, is to ask you all...if any of you might be interested in coming with me (And Ed)! And of course some others, should we get some people willing to come. So perhaps make a guildmeet of it, or if many can't come, a smaller sort of meet. I will go anyway, so doesn't really matter to me, but I thought some of you might find it fun to come too!

Now, what is there that you really need to know? The event is held on 1,2,3 of august, and it's held in Lisse, at Castle Keukenhof.
I live +/- 1,5 hours from there with the train, so it's not that nearby for me, but I always go three days anyway.

What can I offer?

I can offer a sleeping place for maximum 5 or 6 people. It will be very full in the house then though, and one or two might be needed to sleep in the kitchen. I have a three room appartment in Almere. I can offer one sleeping place on the couch at least (or two, if anyone dares sleeping on the smaller couch as well.) Probably can manage to get two airbeds, I have two thinner camping airmats, and two sleepingbags.

What are the costs?

Well. That depends on should you want to come one day and then do something else, or if you want to come three days for the full fun! (I live nearby Amsterdam, so staying one night and then moving on is fine too if peeps want to see a bit more of it all, though I won't be coming then. )
Basically, one day ticket to the fair costs â,¬19,95.
If you buy a ticket for 3 days, you get a wristband. Those cost: â,¬ 47,25.

Now, that does not include the food/drink and train ofc. The food system there goes with coins that you exchange, though of course it's a fair so it's not that cheap. The food they have though, is very good, mostly medieval like, and not too small portions. But for one portion you can easily pay like â,¬5,- or such. Of course we can buy some things at home in the store, like some drink bottles and some bread, if people want to save out a bit.

The train! Yes, the train is the tricky and fun part, since it's hilarious to see peoples faces if you're with a big group of dressed up people. (not needed ofc, many people come without costumes too!) Anyway, the train is pretty expensive. I can -try- if I can get some discount tickets, but for now I'll just put the full prices here. Ed and me have a discount pass, with which we can bring a total of 6 -extra- people with 40% discount.

If we go by those 6 extra people, a ticket for the whole day is â,¬12,60. x3, if we go 3 days of course.
Then we'll need to go a small part with a shuttlebus, which is for a day, â,¬4,-. x3 ofc for 3 days!

This is all counted from my house, so of course if people want to come and be more comfortable and more nearby, there should be hotels and such nearby Lisse too, which makes it perhaps cheaper.


Now, this will be the end of my rant, I just wanted to ask around for interest, and give a general idea of the possible costs and such. Details with things we can figure out later, -if- people want to come and are sure they can make it.

So! Let me know, it's still half a year away, but then at least I'm good on time with mentioning it!

[Therak]

I want to go. But depends on vacation and the like. Won't know until later.

[Rhonya]

I have two spots reserved already on almost certainty, for Oguur and Shrika. (Can maybe shove some with room here and fit in 7, but.. That's gonna be -very- cozy.)

[Grekthar]

I wont be able to attend unfortunately. At the time this is happening, I have plots to attend Bronycon up in Baltimore USA, assuming that PIAB gets a panel there this year. Again this is also dependent on if I can get holiday time booked for that timeframe as well >_<

[Rhonya]

aw. Well, the idea's continue here, with the eventual possibility if it turns out cheaper, to perhaps rent a van/car (depending on the amount of people) so we're not stuck to difficult train times etc. At least then we can decide for ourselves when we want to leave and such and are not bound to the shuttlebus/last trains.

Even the possibility is open that people can arrive a few days earlier, I'll just keep the two weeks around the fair free (Should I have a job by then.) We'd probably ask a small fee then for help in paying the food, but that shouldn't be a problem I think. Then we can even say that we go a day to Amsterdam or do something else fun with some people if they want to. (Ed thought of paintball... Though ofc that also brings some extra prices. xD he says he just wants to shoot Rarg. So, rarg, hereby you're forced to come. )

But these are still all idea's, so! I'm just throwing them around xD

[Rhonya]

And more spots have been claimed by Caruk and Grogona and Rarg.

Even if you're almost certain you can come, please let me know if something changes and you can't come anyway, then I can free a spot again. (Not that I want to, but you know! )


If we get many many more who want to come these coming months, I can always help with trying to find a nice hotel nearby or such. Since we won't be home much anyway, apart from the few days before/after the fair. The fair is the place to meet up, so!

[Oguur]

There's also the camping close to the castle! So that could be something for more people too

[Rhonya]

Aye, the problem with that being I think is that you'll have to bring all your own camping things yourself, and from further away with the plane and all that might be a bit more problematic, but indeed, it's an option. (They don't hire any tents or caravans there, it's basically the most basic festival camping ever.) Information about the camping and such should also be on the site.

[Rhonya]

And the last spot I can offer has been taken by Therak So should more be interested, just post it here and perhaps I can help figure out a nice hotel or such! (I want a bigger house.. xD)

[Thrash'Nak]

If this goes well, maybe we should talk about a second meeting at the meeting. xD And we could split between renting a place for a weekend or something? Though lets get this meeting done first. xD OH! And Nadine, we should do some larps just for the heck of it.

[Kozgugore]

I would have made both myself and my place available if I could, but I'm frankly not 100% certain if I'll be available at that exact time. If I am though, I might have another extra two to three spots left in my very small place. It's in Nijmegen though, which means you'll need to bare with another two hour train trip to the festival itself. On the other hand, it's conveniently close to airport Düsseldorf-Weeze, to which a lot of other airports are connected as well.

[Rhonya]

Sadly I got the news Grogona can't make it after all, so we've got one spot free in my house, should anyone still be interested. Let me know, first come first serve! Only those that are quite certain they can come, though, so I can start making some real plannings soon.

[Jarilo]

How would one get there from sunny ol' England?

[Rhonya]

From England? Well... There goes a boat, a plane, a train (To France, but then you can step over to the Netherlands), if I'm not mistaken.. :3 From England to the Netherlands, that is.

[Kozgugore]

Depending on where you'll be coming from in England, you can go to the Hook of Holland too, from which it shouldn't be all -that- far to Lisse (the location of Castlefest). Depending on the ferry, it could be a tad pricey is all. >_>