The ride to the ferry yesterday evening went OK, but I selected to use a route that I had planned for the Garmin two years ago when I went to Norway. However, I don’t remember it taking me on so many small back roads that were unfamiliar but I think the sat nav was just trying to make it more interesting for me as I was on a motorcycle. In fact, I was so concerned at one point that I had perhaps selected the wrong route,I pulled over to I zoom out on the map to check it was indeed heading for where I thought. Well although I could not see a name, it did show the destination being on the east coast so I guess it must be right!
Got to the port of Harwich in good time, which meant a long wait to board but this was OK. Once boarded, I strapped the bike down and took the one bag I needed to my cabin.
It was not long before I crashed out, not even keeping awake for the initial sail away.
Next morning I was awoken by the sound of whistling, then a tune in the background.
I looked at my phone to see the time. 5:30am, but then came an announcement ‘Good morning, it’s 6:30am’. Of course, I was now one hour ahead. However, we wasn’t going to disembark until 8am, so I was in no rush to get out of bed.
Once I rode off the ferry, it was the usual long queues for passport control before breaking for the freedom of the open road.
The sat nav eventually got me onto the 210 that I had planned but after a while I noticed that I had got onto a main dual carriageway and seemed to stay on it for ages, not something I would have planned but now I think the sat nav had its own idea of where I should go. I still had this mornings wake up tune in my head, so this helped take away the monotony of the boredom, though even that got annoying after being on repeat!
Eventually I was back on the smaller roads and put this down to the fact that I had not put enough waypoints in the route which gave Mr. Garmin the opportunity to make up part of the route just to annoy me!
After a few hours I noticed the temperature had got cooler, then a bit later the rain started so I made a quick u-turn and headed back to a McDonalds that I passed a few kilometres back. It was good to stop and stretch my legs as well as getting something to eat and drink. Plus making use of the free WiFi was a bonus too!
Back on the road when the rain had stopped but this didn’t last long, so a quick stop to put my waterproofs on and continued my journey to the campsite.
At the campsite I got checked in, shown where I could put my tent, and so, the process started. A little different than previous due to a different luggage arrangement, but once I got everything it was only 20 minutes before I was in the tent, sheltering from the fine drizzle. Inside the tent I realised that I had lost my bike keys, which were eventually found outside on the grass near the tent.
I was by this point wishing I had booked a hotel.
Now, about that song I have had in my head all day. After some googling I discovered it was of course, part of the song, ‘Don’t worry, be happy’ by Bobby McFerrin.
Click here, https://youtu.be/d-diB65scQU?si=YkAVuczmYjKptkaV
then you too will have it in your mind like I had all day!
Here are some photos of the day…
Graham I feel you missed a trick hete. Rather than faff about for 20 mins putting your tent up you should have just climbed into the wine barrel. It's warm, waterproof, windproof (depending on how many Mc Donald's you've consumed) and the alcoholic fumes would have ensured a good nights sleep. Happy travels...