30.06.2007

We actually just slept about 3 or 4 hours, till we woke up again and decided to go on with our trip …
So on we started the van and went back onto the highway …
Few hours later we made a first stop to eat something - but this took us just about 15 minutes …

Actually after a long time we got closer and closer to Belgium
We made a last stop at the border, to fill up our tank again - but actually I found out later, that the fuel is not much expensive over there - just few cents …

It was quit funny at this gas station, because as I took the diesel tube and put in into the campervan a mans voice asked over the speakers for number 5 to come into the shop … - so I went over there and asked him, why he want me to come into the shop, before filling up my van.
He told me, that I’m not having a German or Belgium car registration number and so on I have to pay before filling up my van.
I didn’t know, how much I will need to fill in (because I just planed to fill up, till my tank will be full) - after I told him this he answered, that the police is standing right behind the shop and I should not have the idea to drive away without paying ;P
- crazy … - how ever - I filled up and went back into the shop to pay … - after paying the shop employee explained me, that the police won’t go over there behind people, which does not have a German or Belgium registration number, because they are not allowed by the law :P
So on they had in the future really often the problem, that people from Netherlands filled up over there and just drove away, without paying - because they known that ;P
I asked him, if they can’t just accuse them …
He told me, that they tried it couple of times, but they never won the fight and so one they just changed there system … - now everybody, who is not from Germany or Belgium have to pay first, before filling up there cars :P

We soon went back on the highway and got pretty fast close to Brussels and into a bad traffic jam.
Anna tried to phone a friend over there, to pick there up, but he didn’t go on the phone and so on we decided, to drive thought Brussels and visit the Atomium (pretty cool building :)
Brussels isn’t really big - not nearly as big as Vienna … - but a nice small city …
We drove a bit around - just for sightseeing - Anna showed me the house, she lived in a few (I think) years ago …
After this we quickly took a break at the Atomium - we didn’t go into it, but it was really nice, to stand under it - it’s a amazing building =)

Here is a beautiful photo of me in front of the Atomium:

and another picture from Anna - with closed eyes ;P

and just the amazing Atomium ;)

After making a few photos, I brought Anna to the main train station … - she already had known the time, her train will be over there - but as we got over there it took us couple of rounds around the main train station, till we fount a place to park …
- it also rained a bit and so on we searched for something pretty close to the door …
In Belguim it’s like in nearly each big city - it’s always hard to find a parking place in the centre …
Actually we found one and recognised, that we only had about 5 minutes left, till her train will go.
So we each took a big case and a suitcase and started running - we reached the train in the really really (really ;) last second - there wasn’t time left for Anna to by a ticket - she just jumped in and as soon as I dropped the cases into the train the door closed and the train went on …
Anna bought her ticket later at the train guard - and so one she soon got to her goal, which was Amsterdam :)

After this stressfully running I went relaxed back to my camper and started over there to install all my technical equipment, which I needed, to find out of Brussels ;)

Actually I found my best way really easy with the help of my navigation system iGO out of the city - it was much easier then I first thought it will get …
On the way out I stopped again at a gas station, to fill up again - I had enough fuel, but it was pretty cheap over there :P

So I now drove alone on into the direction of my car ferry - I fast got closer and closer to my goal and because of I felt at that moment pretty good (but I only had about 4 hours sleep ;) I decided to drive till I will reach my ferry …

After few stops for relaxing I reached at about 8:30 pm the boarder to France and about 10pm my car ferry harbour.
I asked over there, if I’m already allowed to drive in there special car-on-loading harbour, but they told me, that I have to wait till at least two hours before my ship will go …

I reserved my ferry form Dunkerque (in France ;) to Dover for 8:01am on Saturday 30th June 2007 :P So I had to wait like a lot of other cars on there big parking place …
Because I got tired till over there and it already have been after 10 pm I decided to just park at the truck parking place (which was a bit closer) - over there were already few other campers and I just parked my van next to them :)
Then I wrote quickly a SMS @ my home, that I arrived healthy at my ferry and went (pretty tired :) to bed.

Tomorrow you will here, how I slept one hour longer than planned (but I still reached my ferry) and how my travel went one in Great Britain ;)

Kind Regards
SEBI