The Netherlands 3 Geertruidenberg - Day 2 , an early train/the aire is closed /one way street/standing at the gate and an unexpected pizza

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"Life is a pilgrimage. The wise man marches on " Swami Sivananda.

I am standing in front of a locked gate outside the marina at Gertreidenberg in the Netherlands. I can see motorhomes inside but there is no sign of life. No-one about to ask how to get inside .I look at the gate and the numbers on it , two keypads , one to open the big gate and the other the pedestrian gate but no clue how to get in. A lady appears . "Hello " she shouts . "Are you wanting to park up ? " " You need to ring the number on the gate " But then she opened the gate and let us in. "Go over to see the harbourmaster " " Down the steps, pay him for one nights stay " The harbour master was not about and his office closed so easier said than done . I rang the bell and waited . Eventually he arrived " Hello " he shouted ""15 euros , park anywhere you like over there." "Showers one euro , water free, dump free and here is the code to get in and out ". Relieved to be sorted out I headed back for Gabby. We had intended to stop here but the day had proved particularly trying with one thing going wrong after the other. Nothing catastrophic just those irritating things that set you back a little and require changes of plans . We had originally planned to stay at Rutphen . 18 euros a night with no facilities . But everything from that point had gone belly up.

Let's go back to the beginning . We left the Star early with the intention of calling in for fuel before boarding the train . Silly Sat nag had a hissy fit and decided she wanted to insist on going back up north despite the fact that we were south of the Thames . We dont know what had got into her head but felt disconcerned when she took us in the direction of the Dartford Crossing . Eventually she woke up and we ended up on the right road heading for the tunnel . A road we knew well . We stopped for diesel and the pump decided to play up only giving us £56 worth of diesel which did not even put us back to where we started . We give up trying to fill her with more juice and headed for the tunnel . "Just the two of you " said the nice young lady on the booth . "Any pets " She put us on the earlier train . A good hour earlier . We only just had time to get parked out , removed the contraband - the dairy products from the fridge before it was time to board . We were called and we moved to the next stage - British customs . We get through that quickly and move to the point where we have to have our gas checked . Then onto the french customs where they stamped our passports . The crossing was smooth taking only 35 mins and we arrived in France .

Of course Silly had another hissy fit and went into I am driving you in the middle of field mode . Luckily we knew where we were going . To the end of the road , turn right , head for Belgium and the allotments . Eventually she caught up as we drove out of France into Belgium . You know you are in Belgium when you see the signs for Jabekke and hear the de dum de dum of the awful roads . Being a Sunday we made good progress . The fields were looking Autumnal , the sunflowers brown and the sweetcorn ready for harvesting . Storks , geese and swans in the fields . NO FARMER, NO FOOD , NO FUTURE - the sign was up in a field reminding us of the importance of farming and how we should not neglect it. Silly decided to have another temper tantrum around the Antwerp ringroad .Not the best of places to run out of guidance . We came across our first toll of 6 euros . A sum that will pale into insignificance when we reach Denmark and Sweden .

We arrived at what should have been our overnight stop at Rutphen . Barriers blocked the road to our campsite stop. We could see it but despite driving down narrow lanes and streets avoiding the cyclists who have priority over us we failed to find it . Change of plan . We found a motorhome dealer the other side of town who offered 48 hours free parking . The was on an industrial estate . We joined one van in what appeared a quiet corner . Quiet until they switched the radio on . We moved to the opposite side which turned out to be next to a old and battered van . The occupants took to lying on the floor . Drunk or drugged up. We did not wait to find out .

Third stop a marina which offered stopovers . More narrow streets, more cyclists and the marina was full. Cars parked in motorhome spots and even boats parked across them .

Fourth stop the second marina - the one where you can see me standing in front of the gate . Getting there was fraught . Narrow streets . More cyclists and we even ended up going up a no through street . The sign was there but it was above a cycle sign which in all fairness confused us. We could not make our minds up if we were allowed up, if only cyclists could use or none at all . So we went for it . We must have missed the one way sign too and came up to a barrier . With heads down we had to reverse back down the street . Why the three cyclists coming towards us earlier up the street did not stop and tell us we were going the wrong way I have little idea . Nor can I understand why the two behind did not indicate we were doing something wrong . I started praying to anyone who could hear me that there were no police about on a Sunday and that there were no cameras clocking us . Perhaps when we get home we will get the ticket for going up a no through road the wrong way . Nothing we can do about it but pay the fine if it arrives .

The town was rather lovely with its fortifications and its historiche markt . We walked down streets that still felt as if they were clinging to the past . Het Shippes Huis - The Ship House , a ancient water pump and market hall and a church far bigger than the town warranted . Dedicated to Saint Gertrude sadly it was locked up. The bells rang out - some kind of folk tune every half hour. We sat in the evening sun in the Pizza and Pasta Market . A cafe full to brimming . Ordered an Italian beer and a glass of wine . The wine was lost in translation becoming a pretty bottle of still water . A case of the opposite of water turning to wine . The Margarita pizza was a pleasant surprise . one we were not expecting and an excellent end to a rather fraught day .

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