Dedicated to a wonderful Mother Jean Noble 31/5/1929 - 20/8/2007 - may we never take our mothers for granted. - Goodbye Mum

HOLLAND (NETHERLANDS) PAGE 2 DECEMBER 2007

Holland (Nederland) (Netherlands) has a place close to the heart of ALL Australians. Abel Janszoon Tasman was the first European to “discover” Tasmania, he also mapped much of Australia. Holland is inextricably tied to the United Kingdom via William III king of England, Scotland and Ireland..

Its place in Europe is one of Legend and respect. It is also one of Europe's most densely populated nations. Further it is one of Europe's countries most at risk from rising sea levels, due in part to global warming. We both, have never been to this country and look forward to learning more about it's people, culture and customs... As always we will report as we see it – without fear or favour.

Saturday 1^st December 2007. Ter Apel to Emmen
Approx. 29.02k's Average Speed 9.6kph Cycling time 3Hr. 1Min Max speed 16kph Max temp we recorded 12°C

First day of summer back home, but of course it's not summer here... Ferocious headwind today, in fairness we have not had one for a while. We sit here in our tent with the prospect of “gales” sweeping in from Britain tonight. We are in one of the few “all year round” campsites @ €8.00 About $AUD13.50 per night for NO facilities, apart from soggy ground and filthy shower/toilet some half kilometre away.(Well that's how it seems). We found the VVV in Emmen and were helped by a wonderful lady.

We are now armed with Maps and places to stay and camp.. Hopefully this will reduce our reliance on hotels. Hotels in the main are useless to the touring cyclist. UNLESS THEY ARE RICH. There is no kitchen, no laundry and they have very few facilities. We need these basics to maintain our hygiene, with clean fresh clothes and cooking facilities to take advantage of fresh, usually cheap, local in season food. Most camping grounds have these minimum standards (this did not) Hotels do not. We pick up a lot of veggies that have fallen on to the road, from farm trucks. We even munched on a raw sugar beet the other day – delicious. We NEVER take from a field or any private property. Lots of chores to do so Catchya later.

Sunday 2nd December 2007. Emmen to Coevorden (Stieltjeskanaal)
Approx. 32.96k's Average Speed 10.32kph Cycling time 3Hr. 12Min Max speed 19kph Max temp we recorded 7°C

Filthy weather today – not a cold start but gales and sleet later in the day, as the temperature plummeted.. Both of us got soaked and both were disappointed in the VERY POOR signage... Some signs look like this

We were going to Coevorden, so followed the arrow ... We then came upon a four way intersection another of these sign's was there, BUT NO COEVORDEN... Countless times this happened to us (Like Norway) We should have clocked up 19 k's to Coevorden but ended up doing 33k's. If you live in Holland and speak, read and write Dutch the maps are fantastic.. If you are an Australian or any language speaker, other than Dutch – forget it. The price for your few days passing through will be prohibitive. The LF Maps were about $AUD58.00 – unreasonable for a few days passing through (unless you are rich of course)... All other maps seemed to be in very small $AUD14.00 segments – quite expensive even to go in a straight line. Where it not for the overwhelming generosity of the Dutch people we would never have made it to Coevorden

Thank you sir, we don't know your name but your help was invaluable... Another couple with their kids in the car, had us follow them for 5 k's to make sure we are on the right road..... Wow. Sadly it was too wet and dark to get a picture.

There are times when people get a “low point” in their lives.. Right now Lee is feeling low. Cold and wet most days, no Sun and a diet that is totally alien to her. We know about tough going, the Nullarbor was tough. We will work on this and may even take a week off soon and just “chill out” or maybe “Warm out”. :-)

Setting up our tent tonight was one of the hardest since we began... A real gale, heavy driving rain and COLD. We eventually got it up and moved our gear in... A complete change of clothes and a hot drink made all the difference. Of course we only carry three COMPLETE changes of clothes so three days in a row wipes us out... We have ONE complete change left as I type. The rest of our gear is wet and heavy. Heavy rain tomorrow means we stay in our tent. We have no facilities here, we are camping beside a canal in a howling gale, as fishermen are allowed to camp free beside the canal – I fish sometimes :-) Need to watch the battery so Catchya Later...

Monday 3^rd December 2007. Coevorden (Stieltjeskanaal) to Gramsbergen.
Approx. 20.14k's Average Speed 9.20kph Cycling time 2Hr. 11Min Max speed 17kph Max temp we recorded 9°C

We woke early in the dark... Torrential rain left us lying in bed chatting about our options. At 07:20 we decided to pack up and hope for a “window” in the weather to dismantle our camp. One hour or so in our tent working, packing sleeping bag, mattresses, making breakfast, etc... we were ready... a short break in the rain and we dashed to our bikes.. only to return to the tent minutes later as another torrential shower engulfed us... A few more episodes like this saw us pack our trailer and panniers and by now it was 09:30... We met the owners of the land (it was not free as we had been told) and offered them money...

They refused – it turns out they have relatives in Byford, a suburb near ours in Perth Australia. We set off with black clouds looming. Intermittent heavy showers and a gale force wind met us head on.

The picture shows the Green Trike has “jack-knifed” on the trailer as the wind has blown it backwards.....

The now black clouds were almost upon us when we spotted a bridge... We cycled like mad to get there before the heavens opened... It started about 200 metres before the bridge so we were only partly drowned... We waited out the heaviest downpour of sleet and rain we have seen, since yesterday!! It was now getting critical with clothing.. Our new day had just begun and we were wet again... we could not use our “Poncho's” as the wind was too strong. So we decided we will find somewhere to lay low a few days... 

We cycled into Coevorden to look for the post office – to buy a “sim card” for our phone as luck would have it we met a terrific guy called Corinus Otten. On hearing of our journey he gave us a phone....

We had heard the Dutch people are fantastic... Since we have been here they have been simply incredible... Thanks Corinus. Thanks also to “The Phone Shop” in Coevorden Tel: +31(0)52-452 47 68 Fax: +31(0)52-452 50 97 www.phonehouse.nl

The signage does not help our journey – it is atrocious. However lack of “linking” signage was overcome somewhat in the knowledge we had to follow a canal and railway line... We reached the next town and began a search for accommodation... A sign loomed that showed “huts” and tent sites plus C/van parks (two).. but NO DISTANCE to them. We decided we would give it a “few k's” but saw nothing and wasted over an hour... As we got near the town centre we saw another sign for “huts” underneath was 300M – the FIRST time we have seen a sign showing how far it was to the accommodation... These simple fundamentals that we took for granted in Australia, are huge problems for us here.

When we got to the “Huts” we found out they are “luxury” accommodation... the absolute base unit price was €190.00 ($AUD320.00)... A long chat and a receptive manager saw us “Do a deal” with a luxury 6 room apartment, lounge three bedrooms, Kitchen, dishwasher, fridge, washing machine, dryer satelight TV, microwave... PLUS the complex has “tropical” indoor swimming pool, and a variety of other attractions thrown in... Well you gotta have a win sometimes :-),

THREE nights for €129.00 ($AUD220.00) Just what I need for Lee... Fantastic... at least for the next three nights we will be warm and cosy. We'll let you know :-) Catchya Later....

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