Technical Note:

The blog has been a bit of a casualty with everything that has been happening; for a while the trip was in real danger of being abandoned. Coupled with the failure of “3” to provide any service in Germany, it's only today we've finally achieved a connection. We'll add a couple of photos later once we've settled down. Thanks for your patience.

Also note: because of the vagaries of how Blogger sorts it's pages, the following few pages are in reverse order. To read them chronologically use the index in the side bar to the right. Thankyou.

Monday 6 June - Hamburg to Copenhagen

Awoke surrounded by a sea of cars, not actually unexpected because this was the main car park for the town. Yet another lovely morning to take the dog for a walk, have breakfast, clean the toilet out. Oh the joys of motorhoming! Once completed we set off, destination Denmark with the ferry being around 90mins away but beforehand needing some shopping. As always seems to happen, up pops an Aldi just when we need it, so half an hour doing what we love best – not!

With TomTom taking the lead we were soon picking up signs for the ferry. We had been told it was a turn up and pay, which it was and a nice young German lad who only looked about 15 but spoke impeccable fluent English sorted us out, including a discount for a camping card we had previously obtained. Total cost, one way, around £100! But the alternative was little cheaper and we didn't expect this to be a cheap trip so you just say thank you very much, compliment him on his English and join the queue.

Which started to move shortly after we joined it, strangely because none of the hundreds of cars seemed to be going anywhere. But then a large angry German started waving his hands, suggesting that the driver of the (Swedish) van in front of us lacked intelligence (or something like that). Well we were just following him and didn't see the Stop sign. Managed to creep in reverse back to the queue........

But it wasn't long before the next boat arrived, they're every half hour, and things then progressed normally. Very efficient turnround and as the trip was only 45m we left Jamie in the van whilst going in search of Danish currency, drinks and, er, Danish Pastry. Well you have to don't you.

The only hold up was when we had to slow down so a Danish policeman could translate our registration plate into Great Britain, then onto the motorway heading for Copenhagen. As planned, we stopped at the first rest area to walk the dog, have lunch and make some decisions. Wanting to visit the capital city, which was around 90 mins away, we found a city centre campsite that promised to be within walking distance. Perfect.

Well perhaps campsite was a bit generous but it was a perfectly acceptable private aire-type site with full facilities, if a tad expensive, and ideal for our plans. So paid for two nights, the man gave us all the info we needed but we felt it was a bit late today, so we'll try for an earlyish start tomorrow.

Sunday 5 June - Neukirchen to Hamburg

Another warm sunny morning and, feeling on the mend, we decided to push on. Unfortunately the navigator wasn't with it and it wasn't too long before we found ourselves going round in circles. After one stop to try and sort it we gave up and programmed TomTom to take us to Copenhagen, which at least got us going in the right direction, and in fact was fine for the rest of the day while Nellie took a watching brief instead!

Travelling on a Sunday was nicer than weekdays as all the rest areas were packed with trucks – not allowed on the road on Sunday. As such, with just the occasional comfort stop plus a refuel, we made excellent time through generally flat but pleasant countryside. Nothing of real note but at least it meant the cruise control could be deployed to give us once again excellent consumption.

Late afternoon saw us clearing Hamburg so Bren sorted out another stellplatz for us, this time in the small pleasant town of Bad Oldeberg where part of a car park had been given over to space for 8 motorhomes and sanitation services, plus free electric hookup. Suffice it to say that we were not one of the eight but a couple of vans had set up right next to the designated area so we did the same. If we get chased, well tough but we don't think so (and of course we didn't).

After tea we took Jamie for a walk into this very pleasant town, where burgermeister elections had just finished and folk were clearing up; no idea who won. Back then to the van for a quiet hour before bed.

Saturday 4 June - Neukirchen

And in the early hours of the morning, the antibiotics kicked in with a bang! It was just as well Terry had decided to sleep on the side sofa to avoid disturbing Bren. Saved us having to change the bed too......

Feeling much better, if a little sensitive, we decided to stay over “to be sure”. With the sun now beating out of a cloudless sky we took the opportunity of getting everything out and aired, including our brand new recliner chairs which had been relegated to the new rear luggage rack. Surprisingly although they were in bags, they were barely damp and dried out in a few minutes – as advertised when we bought them!

Now to that payment machine! A set of very clear instructions didn't cover what we actually wanted to do and Terry ended up putting €20 onto a services card that then couldn't be used to pay the basic parking fee and was far too much for what we needed. Following the “refund” instructions was no bother – except that refunds were limited to €15........! Thinking about it later it would have been better to use up as much as we could for services and then got a refund. But idiot here went for the voucher option and discovered there was nothing we could use it for. At this stage Terry gave up.

So another quiet afternoon watching the storm clouds build again to another entertaining half an hour, only this time there was a fete or something going on around the corner...............

The clouds cleared as it got dark so we settled down to another cool peaceful night.

Friday 3 June - Gravelines to Neukirchen Vluyn

We'll give it a try. Terry was feeling well enough to give it a go so with the previso that we could perhaps drive for one day then take one off, and if nothing improved we were still not too far away to return. In retrospect we should have perhaps made for a medical centre – but lets see how the story unfurls.

With a route aleady planned we returned to a very busy motorway system and headed for Germany along roads we've used before. France quickly became Belgium, having seen nothing of the industrial unrest supposedly “paralysing” France. Belgium was, well, Belgium; dull and boring. But the weather started to improve quite quickly which always makes a big difference to everything, so we pressed on. Holland next but we're not staying for long and shortly we crossed into Germany.

Although we had taken a couple of comfort stops and a sandwich break, teatime was approaching and we had both had enough of travelling. Bren sorted out a likely looking stellplatz (German equivalent of the French aire de camping car) and navigated us there to find a delightful spot on the edge of the town of Neukirchen Vluyn. Eight hedged pitches on hardstanding with all facilities next to a hotel which offered bar, restaurant and other services. But the automated payment system was too much for Terry..... but more of that tomorrow.

It was now very warm indeed and extremely humid, which inevitably whistled up a thunder and rainstorm, but as is with these things calmed down to a pleasant evening.

Terrys symptoms seemed to be coalescing into something he has experienced before, a urinary infection. Normally this would involve a visit to a doctor for antibiotics but luckily following a tooth abcess just before we came away, (too much information!) his dentist had provided him with an extra course of treatment in case of a relapse. So we decided that we would give this a try, staying here for 2 nights to see what happened: if no good we would return home.

Thursday 2 June - Gravelines. Here endeth the trip?

A wet and miserable night with strong gusty winds didn't make for comfort and it was soon obvious that we were going nowhere today. Fortunately we're fully supplied, gassed up and fully serviced so Terry spent the day in a bit of a daze, trying different medications while Bren tried to get some sustenance in.

But it was going through both our minds – here endeth the trip.

Let's see what tomorrow brings.

Wednesday 1 June

Feeling a little better, we packed up in good time and headed for Folkestone. Needing a new dog gate, we ordered one last night from Argos in High Wycombe, which was on our route (well we wouldn't actually have driven through the centre but, heigh ho!). That done we debated the merits of chancing the fuel situation in France to refuelling in the UK before we cross – we had enough to get across but not much further. We left it for the moment while we negotiated the M25, south-about this time so no tunnel to worry about and although extremely busy past Heathrow as normal, we suffered no holdups.

Once clear of the M25 we decided to refuel in the UK, having plenty of time until our booking, so went off at Ashford to Sainsburys, where we had to drop in in January after suffering appalling consumption on our run down. This time however was quite different, despite our “detour” which later turned out to not involve much mileage increase, and we were pleasantly surprised at the economy. This also in view of the minor engine warning and odd misfire we've suffered twice already this trip. Hmmm!

Onto the tunnel and we were offered an hour earlier, which gave us time for a quick bite before moving through the formalities. Another smooth uneventful crossing let us out into a dull cold and wet France and with nothing to stop for we headed east to Gravelines where we knew there was a nice aire that had also been recently extended. No worries because we were the only van there!

Unfortunately the day had taken its toll on Terry who was now not at all well; perhaps we should have stayed UK and put back the tunnel. Never mind there is no rush from here so we'll take it one day at a time. Light refreshment, a quiet evening and early to bed. Thank goodness Bren is now fully recovered.