When the news broke that CCP Guard would be leaving CCP and that Evesterdam would be his last official Eve player event - we knew we had to go. We've talked about going to Evesterdam and Eve London many times over the years. So this wasn't an unusual thing. We even tried to make it to the London event back in November and only missed it because of an Ice Storm, power outage, and Air Canada's stupidity. (That's all.)
Luckily my Wife is a Wiz when it comes to making these trips work for us. I don't know how she does it, but she always finds the best deals and amazing rates for these trips. And all the pieces came together quickly for this one. So later this week we'll be landing in Amsterdam for the first time to attend the event. This will also be our first time in continental Europe, having been to Iceland three times doesn't count. So that is pretty exciting.
I wanted to be there to see Guard off and to do something special for him. Like making the trip across the ocean. That's a big part of this obviously. But we've talked about this trip for years, so the Guard thing was more of an excuse than anything else. Don't misunderstand, it's important. But it was more of a catalyst than it was a prime driver.
Going to Eve events is a HUGE reason why I'm still playing Eve. Since Fanfest 2015 we've been to two more Fanfests, Eve Vegas, and a few smaller events. And we've hosted our own Steel City Eve event three times, the fourth one is coming up this Summer. And this year we'll be going to Evesterdam, Eve Toronto, the Cruisers of Eve, and maybe something else later in the year. But meeting other players, making friends, re-connecting, and spending time together is a huge reason why we do these things. It's fun. And it brings Eve alive in ways that are unexpected and long-lasting. I highly encourage you to attend a player event near you. Even if you can't go to one of the big ones, check Eve Meet and try to hook up with some local players. Those are great too. And it makes a big difference.
The decision to go to Evesterdam happened quickly so we didn't have a lot of time to prepare. But I did manage to get some new swag made, which we will be bringing with us. And also all the remaining swag in the famous swag bag. Plus I have some surprises planned, but those are all OpSec for now.
We're both really looking forward to seeing old friends again and, as always, making new ones. Like I always say, don't be afraid to come up and talk. That's why we are there. And if I miss you, be sure to ask for some swag. That's why I make it. I really do want to meet you.
I'll have pictures and stories to share. And I hope to see you there.