Belgium 6 - The trip begins

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Back to work again today. Started early with a swim before arriving at work ready for a catch up on e-mails and gossip. At least time flies and it is only a short time before we set off on the first real trip of the year. More last minute packing. It is hard to know what to take as far as clothing is concerned. Checking the long distance weather forecast for continental Europe and watching the BBC weather maps it seems that Northern Europe is suffering with the rain as we are. Perhaps more jumpers will be required rather than T shirts. The better weather seems to be down on Lake Garda where it will be around 23 degrees.

Still nothing from the geotagging company. They advised us that they refunded money usually very quickly but it could take up to 30 days. It looks as though they will stretch it out for the full 30 days. We have also still got ongoing issues with the company we bought Suzy from. We asked them to check the winterisation kit on the water tank and it seems most pipes and tanks are lagged with the exception of the cold water pipe. We cannot see the logic of lagging most things but leaving the most important unlagged. The oven door has been taken off and stored and we find this is the best option rather than have it open all the time when we travel. We have given the serial numbers and are waiting to see what happens next. Apparently there is no fault with them but if we give them the serial numbers they will order a replacement hinge. I feel like the Simpsons DOH!!! The offending opening bathroom door has been fixed by a bit of DIY but the lockers are still ongoing. If we don’t hear anything by the time we get home perhaps we will take the van up there and do a sit in by reception refusing to move until such time as they do something.

Thursday D Day -2

All plants moved around the house. Cactus placed in a cool room and we hope for the best. All others put outside to fend for themselves. Plants and motorhome holidays don’t go together very well. We are still having freezing rain and bitterly cold winds. It certainly does not feel like May which usually can be quite balmy. The hedgerows are looking green and that could be to do with the amount of rain we have had of late. Will it never stop? The streams are swollen and the banks full of bluebells and white wild garlic plants. The air pungent with the smell of onions. Even the Lilac trees are beginning to blossom and fill the air with their heady scent. Fronds of yellow laburnum and pale mauve wisteria are showing signs of opening. May can be such a lovely month if you get the weather.

D- Day Friday and Warwick Racecourse

Got up early with none of the normal rush to get to the airport or to the tunnel. We were able to take our time making last minute checks knowing we only had to travel 2 and a half hours to the Racecourse for our first overnight stay. We contacted Trackstar to tell them we would be leaving the country and gave them train times and dates of departure. Before we left I went swimming, probably the last swim for four weeks. We hate the start of our journey. It takes such a long time to by pass Wrexham, Oswestry with its Iron Age fort, Shrewsbury, crossing and recrossing the River Severn before getting to the M54 and Telford. There were problems yet again on the M6 and we were relieved that we were not in a rush as we crawled in traffic for mile after mile. They are upgrading the motorway to a managed motorway whatever that means and are causing havoc. We could not see much sign of upgrading just lines of cones and men standing about doing very little . The jams seemed to be caused by plain old fashioned volumes of traffic probably made worse by the Bank Holiday weekend coming up.

When we arrived at the Racecourse it was quite full again and there seemed to be a lot of hustle and bustle in readiness for the May Bank Holiday race meeting on Monday. We got the same spot as last time and hooked up and settled in for the night. It was lovely to be able to have the heating on, to make a cup of tea or coffee and not be stuck in a Campanile. There is so much more freedom having a motorhome. Enough tea and coffee for endless cups, a bed when you want it and a view that can change every day.

Costs so far £21for an overnight stop

Saturday and a trip under the sea

Woke early after a chilly night. Breakfasted and showered before we set off for the M40. It seemed that one junction of the motorway was closed near to Oxford – an place I would love to visit at some time to see its dreaming spires and this detour took us all round the houses. The detour cost us quite some time and we were glad that we had given ourselves extra time on the journey just in case. We listened to Sounds of the 60’s on the way down. This programme with Brian Matthews is one our staple Saturday morning shows bringing back memories of when we were younger. We stopped part way down for breakfast and found a Roadchef. The best part was that they had designated wider and longer parking spots for motorhomes and caravans. However what did we find cars parked in them. We cannot park in car park spots so why on earth must car owners feel the need to park in the only spaces available to us. I am not sure if they just don’t realise what they are going or just plain don’t care. Probably just don’t care. We ordered two full traditional breakfasts for £11, the bacon somewhat stewed due to being left under the heating for too long, the sausage non descript, the egg freshly cooked and beans – well beans are beans and the meal filled the gap.

Arrived at the tunnel early. I had to hang out of the van window to advise of our arrival and found it difficult trying to put the numbers into the machine due to the height of the van windows. Everytime I tried to put in a 4 I hit a 2 and had to keep cancelling the registration. Eventually I was offered an earlier crossing by over an hour and a half and accepted it knowing that we would be in France earlier. They did not check the gas but accepted our word that it was switched off nor did they check our passports. We easily found where we were going to board the train. In fact, it felt easier than in the car. Loading was easy as the gap onto the train was much bigger than the car loading bays. The journey went by quickly and before we knew it we were in France.

Belgium – and the never ending cold and rain

Our journey through Belgium was slow and felt never ending. I wanted to take a photo of the EU sign for Belgium but failed miserable as it turned out obscured by the interior mirror of the van. So much for a plan. First lesson to be learned – in some petrol stations in Belgium the pumps are dead and you need to go to the kiosk to pay first. Upon paying the cashier unlocks the pump and you are allowed to fill the tank with the prepaid amount. A silly idea but guess at least you cannot go without paying.

We had reserved a pitch for the night at Camping Blaarmeesen just outside Gent. The lady in the office was very obliging and helpful and directed us to our pitch which unfortunately was at least 50 metres away from the electricity supply. However, for a deposit of 30 euros we were able to use their longer 50 metre cables. Reminder for ourselves that although we have 25 metre and 10 metre cables it looks as though we need a longer one again. The weather was just like back home cold and miserable and the rain set in later in the evening. We walked to the restaurant on site and had Flemish Stew for tea. This appeared to be steak cooked in beer with frites. Tasty but hardly original and at least we didn’t have mayonnaise with the frites. At 34.20 euros for two it seemed rather expensive for what it was. Upon returning we spoke to our neighbour an English guy who had bought his motorhome a few years when he retired. He was heading for Aarchen the following day and he and his wife enjoyed walking and bike riding. The site was fairly quiet although busy. Amenities included a car wash, shop and buses into Gent. The shower blocks were not as clean as they could have been and the water was timed which meant it came on and you needed to keep pressing the controls to make it work. It veered between freezing cold and scalding hot. With 255 pitches it must be hard to keep everywhere pristine and it showed. The pitches were divided by neat little hawthorn hedges which meant that everyone had a pitch and kept to it. .There was plenty of room to pull out awnings if the weather had been better. The site was full of blackcurrant bushes and wild strawberries which grew under silver birch trees. In the morning we kept hearing a disembodied voice and it took a while to realise it was the practicing session of the rowers on the nearby river.

Costs for the day = 6 euro charge for the pitch plus 4.50 for each adult = 9 euros , 25 cents for a litter bag, 1 euro 25 connection to electricity and 1. 75 euro electricity used.

Would we use the site again – probably on the way to somewhere else and possibly if we ever wanted another day in Gent but beyond that probably not.

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