Having been home for nearly 3 weeks now we have been thinking of our next adventure.
We planned to tour America either by bike or car but we have decided to put that on hold as we enjoyed the mountains and the greenery so much so we have decided the next trip will be Scandanavia.
We have always planned to see the Fjords somehow and what would be better than to do it on the bike and enjoy the views, the freedom and the fresh air. Might even try to get to the Arctic Circle, and even nip into Russia - the ideas are endless.
Anybody been?
Ideas most welcome.
Saturday, 13 September 2014
Friday, 29 August 2014
Day 19 Brussels to Zeebrugge
Last day in Europe today. Didnt have to be out of the hotels til twelve so we had a long lie in and then a leisurely breakfast. After breakfast we took our time packing and then took our luggage down to the bike.
The hotel kindly let us leave the bike in the underground garage while we went and had a last coffee in the town and a last look at the views then it was off to the ferry.
It was another sunny day so we took our time riding to the ferry as we were only 68 miles away and stopped off for coffee at one point and sat outside enjoying the sun
Got on the ferry about 1700 and got settled in well I say that there was nothing but kids running up and down the corridor from the time we got on the ferry til about 0200, dont use P and O ferry the staff do nothing to enforce the quite after 2200 hrs rule, use the Channel Tunnel
Once we dock in the morning we have a straight 120 mile run home there will be nothing to say as its a straight boring run along the motorway
We have visited 6 countries and travelled 2800 miles, we have sunbathed in Italy and stood in the snow at the top of the mountains its been fantastic
This is the end of this adventure and we are looking for ideas for our next one so any comments or ideas are welcome
Thanks for reading
The hotel kindly let us leave the bike in the underground garage while we went and had a last coffee in the town and a last look at the views then it was off to the ferry.
It was another sunny day so we took our time riding to the ferry as we were only 68 miles away and stopped off for coffee at one point and sat outside enjoying the sun
Got on the ferry about 1700 and got settled in well I say that there was nothing but kids running up and down the corridor from the time we got on the ferry til about 0200, dont use P and O ferry the staff do nothing to enforce the quite after 2200 hrs rule, use the Channel Tunnel
Once we dock in the morning we have a straight 120 mile run home there will be nothing to say as its a straight boring run along the motorway
We have visited 6 countries and travelled 2800 miles, we have sunbathed in Italy and stood in the snow at the top of the mountains its been fantastic
This is the end of this adventure and we are looking for ideas for our next one so any comments or ideas are welcome
Thanks for reading
Thursday, 28 August 2014
Day 18 Brussels
Free day in Brussels today. Decided to head out of town (only 5 miles) to see the Atomium.
Dont know how they managed to hide this massive building but you dont really see it until you're almost on top of it. It's really impressive though, very futuristic considering when it was built and definitely worth a visit.
Back to Brussels for a stroll around the shops and buildings in the afternoon. We made our way to the Grand Square which is quite beautiful, it has this effect on you where you just want to stand and stare at the buildings, people were just mesmerised by it.
One side of the square was being refurbished and had scaffold up but they had cleverly disguised it by fixing a massive screen print of how the buildings should look to the scaffold so as not to spoil the view.
Decided to have some lunch in the square to enjoy the view then on to more streets to look at the shops.
Dont know how they managed to hide this massive building but you dont really see it until you're almost on top of it. It's really impressive though, very futuristic considering when it was built and definitely worth a visit.
Back to Brussels for a stroll around the shops and buildings in the afternoon. We made our way to the Grand Square which is quite beautiful, it has this effect on you where you just want to stand and stare at the buildings, people were just mesmerised by it.
One side of the square was being refurbished and had scaffold up but they had cleverly disguised it by fixing a massive screen print of how the buildings should look to the scaffold so as not to spoil the view.
Decided to have some lunch in the square to enjoy the view then on to more streets to look at the shops.
Saturday, 23 August 2014
Day 17 Cologne to Brussels
Today was another motorway slog to get from A to B or it would have been if someone had not wanted to visit an Haribo shop in the opposite direction adding 50 miles on to the journey
When we got there it wasnt a shop it was an Haribo supermarket and it was as busy as one complete with large car park and shopping trolleys, soooo tempting but were on the bike with not an inch of luggage space left - oh well.
We then set off for our next, and last, stop Brussels it seemed like such a long journey because the motorway was flat straight and boring it was also very windy
We arrived at Brussels to find that the 4* hotel we had booked had moved us to a 5* at their expense as they had soom issues with our room that could not be rectified in time for us
So we booked in and had a quick walk around the city. The place is quite dirty and grubby and there are loads of the old eastern block imigrants begging everywhere and they spoil the place as there are some fantastic old buildings to enjoy but as we have found with a lot of mainland Europe there is graffiti everywhere
We also discovered that it is the Belgium Grand Prix this weekend no wonder its so busy
After our meal we had another little walk and took some pics while it was quiet
When we got there it wasnt a shop it was an Haribo supermarket and it was as busy as one complete with large car park and shopping trolleys, soooo tempting but were on the bike with not an inch of luggage space left - oh well.
We then set off for our next, and last, stop Brussels it seemed like such a long journey because the motorway was flat straight and boring it was also very windy
We arrived at Brussels to find that the 4* hotel we had booked had moved us to a 5* at their expense as they had soom issues with our room that could not be rectified in time for us
So we booked in and had a quick walk around the city. The place is quite dirty and grubby and there are loads of the old eastern block imigrants begging everywhere and they spoil the place as there are some fantastic old buildings to enjoy but as we have found with a lot of mainland Europe there is graffiti everywhere
We also discovered that it is the Belgium Grand Prix this weekend no wonder its so busy
After our meal we had another little walk and took some pics while it was quiet
Thursday, 21 August 2014
Day 16 Shopping in Cologne
Another lazy morning with us not waking up til 0930
We decided to spend the day shopping in Cologne but on the way out I had to make a complaint about the air con in the room not working again !!!
We caught the tram into the city centre it only took about about 10 mins and we were right at the heart of the shopping district
There are absolutely hundreds of shops and the city is very lively with loads of street entertainers everywhere some of them really good.
We had a bit to eat at a little cafe , coffee and caramel croissants, then the long walk around the shops began. It was a lovely warm day and we eventually made our way through the shops to the cathedral. I think this particular cathedral is one of the best we have seen, the stonework was so intricate.
Underneath the cathedral there were workshops repairing parts of the stonework, you could see that some gargoyles and statues had had to be totally recarved. There were piles of stones waiting for repair.
We tried to take a photo of the whole cathedral but had to keep moving further and further back, think we got most of it in the end.
Back to the shops and we spotted a Dunkin Donuts - couldnt resist so we got a box of six. It was nearly 3 oclock by now so we decided to return to the hotel with every intention of coming back into the city later for a bite to eat but when we got back to the hotel we found we had been that we had been upgraded to a room on the 6th floor with roof garden terrace with a view over the city there was also a bowl of fresh stawberry blackberries and raspberries waiting for us to enjoy
We decided to eat at the hotel and ordered room service so we could eat on our terrace making the most of the view across the city
On to Belgium tomorrow
We decided to spend the day shopping in Cologne but on the way out I had to make a complaint about the air con in the room not working again !!!
We caught the tram into the city centre it only took about about 10 mins and we were right at the heart of the shopping district
There are absolutely hundreds of shops and the city is very lively with loads of street entertainers everywhere some of them really good.
We had a bit to eat at a little cafe , coffee and caramel croissants, then the long walk around the shops began. It was a lovely warm day and we eventually made our way through the shops to the cathedral. I think this particular cathedral is one of the best we have seen, the stonework was so intricate.
Underneath the cathedral there were workshops repairing parts of the stonework, you could see that some gargoyles and statues had had to be totally recarved. There were piles of stones waiting for repair.
We tried to take a photo of the whole cathedral but had to keep moving further and further back, think we got most of it in the end.
Back to the shops and we spotted a Dunkin Donuts - couldnt resist so we got a box of six. It was nearly 3 oclock by now so we decided to return to the hotel with every intention of coming back into the city later for a bite to eat but when we got back to the hotel we found we had been that we had been upgraded to a room on the 6th floor with roof garden terrace with a view over the city there was also a bowl of fresh stawberry blackberries and raspberries waiting for us to enjoy
We decided to eat at the hotel and ordered room service so we could eat on our terrace making the most of the view across the city
On to Belgium tomorrow
Wednesday, 20 August 2014
Day 15 Commenwealth War Memorial
Today was the first full day of 3 night stop over in Cologne
After a nice lie in this morning we rose the brilliant sunshine so we decided that today was the day to go and carry a personal task on behalf of my Mum.
We travelled 80 miles to Kleve on the Holland / German border to visit the Reichswald Forrest War Cemetery to visit the grave of my uncle who I was named after he died in the last months of WW2 when he was clearing a minefield
I am the 1st person in my family to visit this location and it was quite a moving experience, on entering the cemetery there was a sense of calm and tranquility words could not explain the feeling of such a senseless loss of life of people so young
I only wish my mum would have been stong enough to be there as well as she was 11 yrs of age when her brother was killed she always spoke about him.
After we had laid flowers at the grave and taken some photos to show to my relatives we left and had some lunch.
As it was such a nice day we decided to explore the countryside and found a different route back towards our hotel in Koln and came across a 500 year old windmill , we've never been so close to a windmill before and it was interesting to have a good look.
We eventually arrived back at the hotel where we showered and changed and went out for dinner.
After a nice lie in this morning we rose the brilliant sunshine so we decided that today was the day to go and carry a personal task on behalf of my Mum.
We travelled 80 miles to Kleve on the Holland / German border to visit the Reichswald Forrest War Cemetery to visit the grave of my uncle who I was named after he died in the last months of WW2 when he was clearing a minefield
I am the 1st person in my family to visit this location and it was quite a moving experience, on entering the cemetery there was a sense of calm and tranquility words could not explain the feeling of such a senseless loss of life of people so young
I only wish my mum would have been stong enough to be there as well as she was 11 yrs of age when her brother was killed she always spoke about him.
After we had laid flowers at the grave and taken some photos to show to my relatives we left and had some lunch.
We eventually arrived back at the hotel where we showered and changed and went out for dinner.
Tuesday, 19 August 2014
Day 14 Stuttgart to Cologne
Another A to B day today
240 miles on the motorway with a sunny start and a wet ending
The traffic was awful very heavy and lots of roadworks
Got to the hotel mid afternoon and went for a lie down after that ride in awful traffic conditions
Had a late meal at the hotel with free cocktails as there was a small problem with our room
Bed time now we have plans for the next few days as we are here for 3 nights but it depends on the weather
240 miles on the motorway with a sunny start and a wet ending
The traffic was awful very heavy and lots of roadworks
Got to the hotel mid afternoon and went for a lie down after that ride in awful traffic conditions
Had a late meal at the hotel with free cocktails as there was a small problem with our room
Bed time now we have plans for the next few days as we are here for 3 nights but it depends on the weather
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