The last time I've written about the possibility of an IRL Hive fest was after @roelandp was testing the waters to see if there would be some interest in doing another fest in Europe.
I'm not going to repeat myself about what I wrote there exactly, but I'll say that I was a bit sad because it would make it a lot harder for me to attend, now that we live in Mexico. From Ireland, it would have been just a car or plane ride away. But hey, I've made my choice to move to one of the worlds' most amazing countries, and now I shouldn't complain, so I won't.

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The Hive Fest Announcement

Yesterday, Roeland came with the announcement I've been waiting for for three years. Let me tell you: there isn't one person on the Hive blockchain that wants to go to this year's Hive Fest more than me. Not even kidding.
I love it more than anyone else hehehe.

Although at first, I didn't see myself travel all the way (back) to Europe for it,
after I thought about it a bit more, I realised that I really didn't want to miss it.
Three years is a long time.
Especially because the last Steemfest in Thailand was so amazing (the other two I went to were as well but this one topped them all), these 3 years have been hard, knowing that it could be a long time before I'd see all these amazing Hivers again.

When I left Thailand, I thought it would 'only' be a year of waiting but we all know what happened...

After the first 3 Steemfests being in Europe, Amsterdam (I wasn't there), Lisbon, and Krakow respectively, I started guessing where it might be this year.
I guessed Barcelona, Berlin, Croatia, and even Dublin passed my mind.
But never in my wildest dreams, I would have guessed it would be in Amsterdam again!

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Of course, in retrospect, it's a very logical choice, since Roeland lives there and I'd say it makes things a lot easier for him that he doesn't have to travel away from his family for weeks on end to organise things.
I probably would have done the same.

My second thoughts were: "There's NO WAY IN HELL that I will be going to my own country of The Netherlands, to attend a Hive fest."😆
My reasons for this are that I've never felt at home there, I'd left for a reason.
I've been back a few times but there was always a good reason for it,
like a reunion of sorts, and unfortunately a funeral...

But then I started thinking: It's Amsterdam! It's the city where my father was born and raised.
Where I spent many summers and weekends visiting family.
Where later, as I entered adulthood, I spent a day or two there almost every month, if not more, partying in one of the famous nightclubs, attending festivals, Queen's day, or just to go shopping.
It's a city where still some of my very good friends are living.
I knew the city like the back of my hand back then...

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My Considerations

I would love nothing more than to see all the beautiful people that attended the other fests again...
It would give me an opportunity to see family while we're there too, and I might be able to do a stopover in Ireland to sort a few things there while I'm at it...
Going to Europe with empty suitcases, and fly back with full ones, filled with Dutch and Irish goodies...😊

When I still had it in my head that it might be elsewhere than Amsterdam, I was playing with the thought of going by myself, bringing the cost down by a couple of thousands...
But, of course, when the kids heard it was going to be Amsterdam, they were flying across the room in happiness. So there's no way I can tell them: "Sorry, but I'm going by myself. I'll bring back stroopwafels..."

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Another thing to consider is that we'll probably be in the middle of our residency application.
I heard today that the first available appointment is in August, and it will take 3 to 4 weeks to process.
Which would put the end date past our trip to Amsterdam, making it impossible for one of the two to happen.
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And on the other hand, I could postpone the application to October or November, and get the needed paperwork for the kids (birth certs with Apostille, which is a pain in the butt in the Netherlands) in person, rather than trying to get it all sorted from a distance.

In all fairness, it's a lot to think about, and I will have to keep in mind that this time around, it may just not be possible, however much I want to celebrate @howo's birthday early this year 😆, and we'll have to find the equivalent to a tuk tuk ride @stoodkev & @robinron... and whatever I could come up with for @anomadsoul, @goblinknackers, @starkerz & co. (and yes, @jeffjagoe & @theycallmedan and others will be invited LOL) to 'show' them in Amsterdam because I know that city even better than Bangkok...🙃 (psssst, it's a secret that stayed in Bangkok, but they'll have an idea lol). I can live with not going but it'll be a terrible week for me missing out. The FOMO will be strong for this one!

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I've come to one conclusion: Maybe we will, maybe we won't.
Miracles happen every day, and if it was meant to be, I will be there.
I will leave this up to the universe to decide for me.
If not, then I will live, and hopefully next year will be different.

Meanwhile, while I'm at it: What about a little Hive meeting in Mexico a little later in the year? Anyone? Let me know. I have a few ideas...

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