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The Flying Pig Hostels Amsterdam Pig MultmediaWICKED INDOOR SNOWBOARDING
-Page 9- So I had been working at the Flying Pig beach hostel for 3 months and heard lots of stories about the wicked snowboarding in The Hague. But had never put my arse into gear to go over there. Probably because I spent too much time being a beach bum. Then one week we had a few people who were really enthusiastic to go, so we organized a beach hostel snowboarding mission for a few days later. I had visions of an awesome snowboarding day carving up the snow and then back to the hostel to chill with a few beers. Well the bestlaid plans often go astray. The night before the snowboarding trip was meant to be a ‘quiet one’. You know, to get ready to hit the slopes and all. I am not a very good snowboarder to start with so I didn’t think being hung over and tired would help. But as all nights at the pig the drinking just seems to happen. A couple of drinks with new friends and shit before I knew it I was wasted again. Then the 1 euro shots came out and it was all over from there. Get up and go! I woke up the next day to Jos -the boss- telling me to get my lazy ass up and go snowboarding. I rolled over in an attempt to go back to sleep and ignore the whole thing, yeah right. 10 Minutes later I was effectively dragged out of bed and told to get moving. I put on some warm clothes still pissed and stumbled upstairs to be greeted by a bunch of sorry asses, and half pissed backpackers ready to snowboard. So we all piled into the van, smelling of pure ethanol and drove over to The Hague. When we got there I decided this might turn out to be a bad idea as I felt so horrible and couldn’t even pull my boots on. Myself and another Aussie laid around on the couches for half an hour feeling sorry for ourselves, boots mid-way on, before we got our butts into gear. Hit the slopes! Finally we hit the slopes. Once I breathed in that ice-cold air I could feel my headache and hangover begin to fade. We started of on the ‘kiddies’ slope first, to get on our feet so to speak, with directions from Jos, to be like a leaf, floating like a leaf. It looked so graceful and easy.... Hmm but there was nothing graceful about my descent. The first hour was really funny. Watching 1st timers falling on their ass and laughing so hard for 10 minutes before they could attempt to get themselves up without looking like a beached whale. Eventually I thought I was ready for the deep end. So I waited in line to get on the lift only to fall off twice before I got halfway up the mountain only to stack it again. Then I got a little cocky and tried to pull a few turns since it looked so easy. But bang the front edge was in and there I was sprawled all over the snow. It really begins to hurt after you do it over and over. Not to mention the cold wet jeans and ass. But man it was worth it. I started to get the hang of it and was cruising down the slopes, okay maybe not cruising and floating! But all in all it was an awesome day. It was great to board with new people I had met at the hostel and touch up on my own skills. The headache in the morning was definitely worth it. As was the party the night before and the sore ass the next day. Can’t wait to get back there again. This time I may stay up all night drinking then I could carve up the slopes like a pro. Hmmm we shall see. << The Flying Pig organizes snowboarding trips the whole year on. Ask at the reception. back to top kitesurfing: 4 real daredevils Imagine breezing over the water, wind blowing through your hair, using the power of a kite to launch yourself skyward with your board secured firmly to your feet. Introducing o n e of the newest and fastest growing extreme sports to take flight.....literally! Of course, we are talking about ‘Kite surfing’. It’s a bit like wake boarding, it’s a bit like wind surfing, but still it’s an entirely different experience. You can make 720’s, 30 feet high jumps, you can wave ride or just cruise along with speeds that can go up to 35 knots. This extreme sport has everything to get your adrenaline through the roof. The coast of Noordwijk is a perfect spot to get some air and with a south west wind pounding the shores, we have one of the better kite spots in Europe. Perfect for the advanced player but with a wide range of courses also fit for a beginner. The Flying Pig Beach Hostel -as a surf hostel- it is the perfect place to settle down for a while to get to know kite surfing. At our reception you can book several courses and we have a cool bar to meet fellow surfers and exchange the secrets of the latest tricks, and if you are not that advanced learn about how to get started. -Be careful in the bar because it tends to get late and hangovers are not uncommon-. Besides kite surfing, The Noordwijk shores have more surfing possibilities to offer. Via the hostel you can rent surf boards and body boards to enjoy the onshore break, skim boards to have fun on the waterline and if you have the opportunity to bring your wind surfing gear, you definitely have to get out here. For some additional information about the surf club and the weather conditions you can ‘surf’ to www.ksn.tbo.nl So whether you just want to get your feet wet or soar like a flying pig, kite surfing is one unique sporting experience you can’t afford to miss. So, surf lovers get your act together and get your lazy butt out here!!
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Tips: 1. Do not forget you will have to ride back as well!! Raise your hand and find out from which way the wind is blowing. 2. Scared of getting lost? Don’t worry. It is almost impossible to get lost in the Netherlands. There are white/red signs everywhere to tell you where to go. 3. If you’re in the countryside at night, sneak into a field of cows and push a cow while she’s sleeping. This is called cow tipping and very popular among drunk teenagers in the countryside of Holland who have nothing better to do. The cow will fall to the side. Never done it myself but the brothers of my neighbour’s cousin did it all the time.....
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What is that sum-sum-summertime vibe without beautiful sunsets, the feeling of sand between your toes & great beach parties? Over the years Noordwijk has become a more and more popular & trendy beach destination. Lucky for you we’ve set out some of the numerous beach parties scheduled for the 2005 season... On the 23rd of July SUNSET DANCE will be the biggest dance-event right on the beach of Noordwijk. Picture a tropical evening, 15.000 beautiful, scantily dressed people together on the beach, bare feet in the cool sand, the sound of breaking waves in the background and a sound system spreading dance music through the air. Sunset Dance holds a guarantee for happy people, a good vibe and great music; the perfect ingredients for a memorable night. Scattered around the dance floor will be platforms where the crowd can show off their extravaganza. The orange and yellow lights illuminating the dance floor blend in perfectly with the explosion of colour, naturally painted by the ocean sunset. All combined with International DJ’s spinning their beach-house-beats. That’s not all: Throughout the entire season several beach bars have scheduled smaller DANCE EVENTS and LOUNGE NIGHTS for which they invite well known DJ’s and percussionists. SENSATIONAL FIREWORK shows will explode on the beach of Noordwijk on July 28, August 4, August 11 and August 25. Admission for all these events is free and for accommodation you can check out availability at The Flying Pig Beach hostel in Noordwijk. -of course these dates are conditional and subject to weather conditions- If you don’t have time to spend the night at the beach but you’re in for some beach-dancing; Bloemendaal is a good alternative for people with accommodation in Amsterdam. CLUBS&PUBS NOORDWIJK -BEACH HOSTEL- De Bob Grent 14 www.debob.nl Het Koffiehuis De Grent 32
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