British lad gets drunk at funeral in London and ends up in Amsterdam

James O’Kane found himself back in Amsterdam.

It’s always sad to lose a friend, especially when they are far to young to go. However 22-year old James O’Kane from Orpington (Greater London) showed the best way to deal with grief. What started off as a funeral for a friend in South East London turned into an amazing adventure. O’Kane got absolutely smashed and next thing he knew was waking up in the Dutch capital Amsterdam. Since he booked a two-ways flight he had to stay in Holland for 3 days.

The adventurer himself states he has no idea how he ended up in Amsterdam. Neither can he recall how he took a taxi to Gatwick airport at 4 am after the wake. The British newspaper The Mirror tried to reconstruct what happened and came up with some interesting facts. For example that O’Kane could not remember his name that particular night. Also he was refused a ticket for an EasyJet flight. After which he did managed to buy a return ticket at British Airways for 232 Pounds (280 Euro’s).

The first thing O’Kane did remember was an air stewardess waking him up as the plane landed at Amsterdam’s Svhiphol Airport. “The alcohol made everything seem like a completely wicked idea. But when I got to Amsterdam it hit me about what I had done”, he said. “I was completely wasted but when you are drinking you are determined.”

In Amsterdam some practical problems occured since O’Kane was stuck their for 3 days while waiting for his return flight. His only possessions were the suit he wore to the funeral, his passport and 50 Pounds (60 Euro’s). His mother janice refused to pay for an earlier flight. “When I got to Amsterdam, I rang my mum and asked her to buy me a room in a hotel. She asked if I was in London. I said ‘Amsterdam’. She was laughing about it with my dad. For the next three days I wandered around in my three-piece suit and had to buy some flip-flops because shoes were hurting. I took about 60 pictures.”

This incident reminds us of another English lad that did some drunken traveling. Last November 19-year old Luke Harding from Oldham woke up in Paris. You got to admire their sense for adventure.

Micky Bumbar