Kevin's Travel Blog

so, after I was making plans to head south, I got online and was chatting to my brother when he suggested I visit his wife's sister, Grainne in Utrecht, so change direction and go north of a bit.

Arrived in the afternoon after a nice journey with a few detours,
one to see the town where the third stage of the TdF is finishing, Valkenburg. It was just down the road from my campsite.
Two when I passed by a windmill and decided I had to get a picture of it...

Three when I decided to stop for Lunch and the nearest town was s'Hertogenbosch. Nice to just pull off, drive straight into the centre of town and have a walk around.

So, joined Grainne for dinner and slept over.

Was leaving this morning, according to plan, only problem was that I hadn't made a plan for the day yet. So I stayed. Nice day for it. Had a lovely brunch and then decided to see one of the city's most spectacular monuments, the Dom Tower,

over 110 m high and you get to walk almost to the top. So, with a great weather day I decided that it had to be done. Great view.

That's all for the last two days. Good night!

Today I decided to see Mastricht, so not riding anywhere just browsing around loads of old buildings and churches. Had a great walk around this morning, and then lunch, a baguette, sitting in one of the squares.

The last couple of days have been a bit of a learning curve, a lot more forward planning required when you are traveling light and on your own, and to a budget. Arriving in Maastricht last night thinking that I would stay in a hostel, just to try it out, and was told at the tourist Info that it had closed down, and the new one was not open yet (forward planning?!?), so it was off to a camp site again. Not any average camp site, 4 star, with a swimming pool and bar. Did a few lengths, had a few pints.

I plan to head back into Maastricht this evening after carbonara pasta round the gas cooker, it looks like quite a festive place, so may have a couple of drinks with the locals.

I plan to head south east tomorrow, one of my biggest treats would be to do a lap of a very famous F1 race circuit, the Nurgurgrink. It is open to the public and you take your own car, or bike, and can just cruise around the 13km circuit. It has been something I have always wanted to do and it's only a few km down the road, so maybe tomorrow... but you know what they say about plans...

day 2: it took me forever to get going. pack this into that, pack that into the other, strap it all to the bike, oh, forgot that, unstrap, repack, restrap. Eventually got going and headed towards this 'beautiful little town' that a guy on the ferry had told me about, Maastricht.

Brussels was on the way but I have been there before so was not that keen to see it again. Well, try telling that to 'good thing' (the bike). Not on your life, 'good thing' hasn't been to brussels, so we went! tried to do the ring road but ended up driving straight into the centrum. I couldn't get out for about an hour. I have a compass strapped to my handle bar. I was going west, turned left, went west, turned left again heading west??? West is the direction my steel handlebars are facing, from a compass' point of view. The compass now has a different home!

Arrived in Maastricht for the evening.

Right, day 1 was all about finding my feet, getting used to the different side of the road, at the same time as getting accustomed to all the extra weight on the bike, oh and not to mention that it was by far the longest journey I have ever made on a bike, about 180 miles. I finally reached a suitable destination for the evening, a campsite just outside Brugge. Not much to write home about, but then it was only 7 euro, and for a flat piece of soft grass and a hot shower, it was a bargain.

Well, today was Monday, my first day of traveling. I travelled down to Worcester Park Post Office, I travelled to a couple of outdoor shops in Kingston, took in some of the local sights...

Yeah, you may have guess that I am still here! The insurance Cert didn't arrive over the weekend and dispite my kicking and screeming at the post office this morning They just wouldn't give me a tax disc without it, so, well I kinda knew that I needed an extra day to shop for camping gadgets anyway, so not entirely waisted time. And I got to thank my hosts for their hospitality by cooking a lovely three (well three ish) course meal. (Just putting in a good word in case I have to come stay with YOU on my return).

Anyway (and you may notice this is the way i always start the last paragraph), I am sure you want to hear all about foreign places, experiences and cultures, and you will, because I got the Insurance Certificate in the post today so I'm off tomorrow!! Till the next time...

K

It's Friday, the status so far:

• the bike is bought, a 1 year old BMW 650 Dakar, go you 'good thing'!
  
• the learner plates are history, I PASSED MY TEST! Watch those minor speeding violations Mr Kelly!
  
• the move is complete, everything I own fits into a 5 X 5 storage room, luckily.
  
• the resignation went in a month ago, today I am jobless, scary!
  
• the prologue check list is large and I am still trying to leave on Monday, so better get cracking... off to buy some camping equipment...