Throwback: 70.000 Tons of Metal 2018 part 1
Tomorrow we were meant to embark on yet another edition of the 70.000 Tons of Metal cruise – but this pandemic put quite a stop to it. So instead, I figured I’d spend the next couple of days talking about some of my favorite memories from the first cruise I ever attended!
But to be honest, I don’t even know where to start. Sometimes I lay in bed and just think about the boat and the feeling it gives me. That warm, love full feeling when thinking back about something dear to you. I’m going to try to write from a first comers perspective as possible, so excuse the overly romanticizing, haha!
As with everything that is your first, I’d dare to say that my first 70.000 Tons of Metal is the one that left the biggest mark on me. It started already in how I wound up to be on the cruise in the first place – for some reason the cruise started to make more and more appearances on my feed, and as I noticed the line up getting announced I felt a burning desire growing in me of going.
Battle Beast. Sabaton. Korpiklaani. Leave’s Eyes and lastly… Alestorm. You’d believe Sabaton was the main reason for forcing me to go, and while I won’t deny that they might have held the strongest of points, the thought of missing out seeing Alestorm live on a boat while they sing ”I’m on a ship, if you don’t know” was absolutely unbearable, so at this point I signed up for the waitlist for tickets (since it was you know, sold out).
I had figured that I might get a ticket by January, which is not a problem visa-wise since I had one currently approved, and financing wouldn’t be a problem by then either (this was in October some time) but mind my surprise when I wake up on October 31st in the morning and see ”70000Tons of Metal 2018 – Waiting List Offer”
At first, YAY! I got myself a ticket! But then I was absolutely mortified at ”Has to be paid in full within three days”. You know, just casually 1200 euros. But thanks to my father I was granted a little loan – which I did not expect considering this is a luxury – and it was thus a fact.
I was going to be on 70.000 Tons of Metal.
All of a sudden, as usual when it comes to me, I found myself having to sporadically plan a trip to the US, in the midst of the other little touring I was doing at the time. It was more complicated than it needed to be because of reasons, but eventually it was a go.
Not only was it going to be my first visit on the Boat, it would also come to be my first visit in Florida all in all! During 2017 I had been to California for a Lordi tour, first time I sat foot on American soil so I was excited to be back!
The first fun and ironic thing to add is that once on board the plane, a quick check on instagram pointed out that apparently Sabaton was on our plane. And we got very aware of that in customs line, when we ended up next to them. After this, off to the hotel we went to rest.
Some of my absolute favorite memories pre-cruise was strolling down the Fort Lauderdale beach and going through the George English Park.
We also took a major stroll around the Hugh Taylor Birch State Park. Incredibly beautiful place if you ask me, a place I’ve come to visit every single year since this first experience. Later on in the evening, we had a bit at a restaurant and headed back home to our hotel.
As complete newcomers, I had no idea what to expect of the cruise. And that became very apparent when as late as the night before departure, the 61st band of the cruise. Exodus was announced and I realized that this might be a ”anything can happen” kind of cruise. At least it was the feeling I had.
To be continued…
// Sara
Sara Hammerzmith 
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