grez
Registered user
Final, the trip begins. Set of from Manchester on the Friday afternoon around 2:00 pm for Folkestone. A simple trip of 6 ½ hours due to traffic standing on the motorway and families getting out of their cars leaving doors open and kids to play in the road. Final got to the hotel and after a quick bite to eat off to bed.
The day started early with rain. Got stuck behind a muppet in a BMW who took 15 mins to get past the first check point, he seemed surprised he had to part with money to use the tunnel. Got a slightly earlier train and off I went. France, more rain. Decided on a less than direct route for some reason through Belgium before passing through Luxemburg and arriving at Trier in Germany. Heavy rain all the way and multiple hold up on the roads. Hostels and cheap hotels all full so ended up in Weinhaus Becker about 2km east of town. Only a double left at 95 Euro which I got for 85 and by that time was wet and cold. Very nice hotel with the interesting feature that the toilet and shower are next to each other and share a clear sliding glass door. I guess for couples the mystery of the relationship will be gone when one of you is cleaning their teeth and can see the other one taking a dump. On the plus side you can see straight into the shower from the bed, a shame I didn't have a woman with me. Although considering some of the women I have known perhaps not.
Next day headed for Salzburg. Very heavy rain all the way with lots of road works and traffic jams. Fully expected one of them to be to allow Noah to get his Ark across the road. This is the part where the camera drowned as putting it in a waterproof jacket only works if you remember to zip the pocket up. Also discovered my boots are not as waterproof as I thought.
Had booked the Hotel Kirchenwirt in Halleiner for the night at £50 which was ok. Ended up staying 2 nights so I could get new tyres on the bike and buy another camera. Hotel is fine although the front rooms are facing the road which can be a bit noisy and the church across the road chimes every quarter hour. Less noisy than my snoring if reports from Morocco are to be believed. Hotel staff great, sorted the tyre place for me and the food is reasonable.
Next stop over to Bled and down the coast to Albania. Although judging by what has happened and my complete lack of planning it’s anybody’s guess where I will be next.
The day started early with rain. Got stuck behind a muppet in a BMW who took 15 mins to get past the first check point, he seemed surprised he had to part with money to use the tunnel. Got a slightly earlier train and off I went. France, more rain. Decided on a less than direct route for some reason through Belgium before passing through Luxemburg and arriving at Trier in Germany. Heavy rain all the way and multiple hold up on the roads. Hostels and cheap hotels all full so ended up in Weinhaus Becker about 2km east of town. Only a double left at 95 Euro which I got for 85 and by that time was wet and cold. Very nice hotel with the interesting feature that the toilet and shower are next to each other and share a clear sliding glass door. I guess for couples the mystery of the relationship will be gone when one of you is cleaning their teeth and can see the other one taking a dump. On the plus side you can see straight into the shower from the bed, a shame I didn't have a woman with me. Although considering some of the women I have known perhaps not.
Next day headed for Salzburg. Very heavy rain all the way with lots of road works and traffic jams. Fully expected one of them to be to allow Noah to get his Ark across the road. This is the part where the camera drowned as putting it in a waterproof jacket only works if you remember to zip the pocket up. Also discovered my boots are not as waterproof as I thought.
Had booked the Hotel Kirchenwirt in Halleiner for the night at £50 which was ok. Ended up staying 2 nights so I could get new tyres on the bike and buy another camera. Hotel is fine although the front rooms are facing the road which can be a bit noisy and the church across the road chimes every quarter hour. Less noisy than my snoring if reports from Morocco are to be believed. Hotel staff great, sorted the tyre place for me and the food is reasonable.
Next stop over to Bled and down the coast to Albania. Although judging by what has happened and my complete lack of planning it’s anybody’s guess where I will be next.
We are driving a wobbly box and trailer back home after the Serres rally so all info gratefully received.
