Zoos, storms and a long long journey

---

Leaving Antwerp (after possibly defrauding the Belgian tram system but we'll never know) we headed through the rain to Heerlen and the best zoo in the world. Having managed to manhandle Seth past the gift shop (just) and awau from the people in front doing much weed, we took a tour through all the animals at record speed, Seth determined to see everything quicker than quick and get back to the promised land of the gift shop! At this zoo is a lovely central restsurant, eating area and play park. We've been twice before and both times Ash has been 100% fazed by the restaurant and how to order /buy food there. We will keep coming back until, on one glorious visit, we will all get what we wanted, Ash won't come out looking like he's just escaped from a thai jail and we won't end up with whatever he can grab first. This wasn't that time.... My 'anything salad like' was a cheese toastie, ash's was a cheese toastie and Seths pizza or sandwich was sausage and chips (admittedly in a very cool lunch box). Ah well there's always next time! After again dragging Ash away from the capybara, helping Seth spend his holiday pennies and walking the looooong slope back to the car or was time for Ash's other feared Dutch experience , the supermarket. On one occasion here he locked heavily pregnant me in a hot car, both times we've left with a very odd assortment of food and this time..... There was a crazy hard metal punk mini festival in the car park which could be hard from miles away, it even had a vip head banging 'stage'.seth's response was to ask what the noise was and then very astutely tell us 'i don't like that noise'. Food bought, bed picnic in the most lovely of hotels eaten and we were all asleep by 8!

Today was always going to be the day of the long journey. And it was, a loooooong journey. In the rain. Lots of rain...... 15 minutes into our journey we made what was supposed to be a quick stop at a petrol station. Half an hour later, iI was sat in the car wondering if Ash had been taken hostage, at which point he raced to the car, handed me a tea to hold and raced back in to pay, like a crazy person. Turns out even the german lorry driver couldn't work the tea machine and there may have been a few minor burns plus a lot of longwinded button pressing. I'm Starting to think i should be in charge of all food and drink related holiday errands..... More journey and we decided to abort the planned outside park in favour of something dryer-the german equivalent of the Crich tram museum and it was glorious. Seth was in his element, he did take some persuading to leave (and persuading not to take the model tram set with him) but we bribed him with sweets and toys! (#parents of the year) then followed 3 hours more of driving. Some hungarian odd ball at a rest stop tried, i think, to get us to give him 3 euros (or Seth, i couldnt quite decide) so we told Seth his wee would wait, bundled him into the car and left the crazy topless man in the rain asking others for money. Finally, well post bed time we got to the hotel. For a child that loves transport, the view we have over the main nuremburg station seems to be almost too good to be true! Room service pizza and chips (Seth is going to think all meals should be consumed on a bed if we're not careful) and a bit of peppa and finally it was time for bed. Tomorrow Austria.

Things I've learnt today
1)travel pants can work but I've no idea what made them work better today.
2)german toilets are so efficient they flush before you even sit down #gotabitwet

---