France - Sept 07

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Well after a couple of days fighting either cold or flu symptoms I finally managed to get on my way down to the ferry at Portsmouth to make the crossing to Le Havre and the start of my holiday to France, Germany and Austria. I took my usual route down to Portsmouth avoiding any motorways and allowing more time for stop, the run was quite pleasant and uneventful although it was damp conditions but with only occasional bits with heavy spray. I arrived at Portsmouth with 1 ½ hours to spare which gave me time to chill out and have a drink and pick up an electrical adaptor before boarding the ferry for the crossing to Le Havre.

Once off the ferry and heading out of the port, I was amazed at the queue of trucks trying to get away from the dock and glad I wasn’t in a car as I as part of a group of biker passed them all and turned onto the main roads of France. My first stop was to be the beautiful town of Honfleur which is a favourite of mine where I can have a light breakfast overlooking the harbour towards the carousel. Usually I’d take a walk around the town and look around the Saturday market but with a journey of about 240-miles in front of me to my next stop Charleville-Mézières I really needed to get going and it was a poor day weather wise to be sight seeing.
When I arrived at my hotel in Charleville-Mézières I was expecting something basic and that’s exactly what I got, a room that would accommodate 3-people with a single bunk over the double bed, a wash basin and a metal desk and chair with a TV above.

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