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

Holland Flag Coat of Arms Holland Vincent Van Gough
HOLLAND (NETHERLANDS) PAGE 3 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.


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Monies in Aussie Dollars and Euro's

Tuesday 4th December 2007. Gramsbergen.
Approx.
4k's (Shopping) Average Speed kph Cycling time Hr. Min Max speed kph Max temp we recorded C

We remain in Gramsbergen... With heavy rain and high winds forecast for tomorrow we think we are where we should be :-)

Wednesday 5th December 2007. Gramsbergen.
Approx. k's Average Speed kph Cycling time Hr. Min Max speed kph Max temp we recorded C

We remain in Gramsbergen.. Washed EVERYTHING we own and repaired all we could find amongst our gear. Charged ALL our batteries even ones we had stored for a while. Replaced Lee's brake pads and tightened all four “headsets” + lots of general maintenance.



Washed our bikes down and “lubed” where necessary. Completely re-organised the packing of our bikes


We realise some may see us working on our bikes inside the accommodation. It is much warmer to do this and we are FULLY aware of the trust someone puts on us when we rent their building. I can assure anyone reading, we took all precautions and did NO damage whatsoever, in fact we left our accommodation cleaner than what it was when we first rented, as is more often than not the case, wherever we stay. Oh! And the shoes on the table have been washed, cleats removed, awaiting replacement....

Catchya Later...

Thursday 6th December 2007. Gramsbergen to Ommen
Approx. 22.94k's Average Speed 10.79kph Cycling time 2Hr. 07Min Max speed 24kph Max temp we recorded 7°C

We tossed up whether or not to ask for another two days, given the poor prognosis on the weather front. A bright – occasionally sunny – start to the day changed our mind. We packed and left the comforts of what was, our home for three nights. We got on the bike about 11:30am and it started raining, it did NOT stop for the ENTIRE ride to Ommen. We were soaked once again and facing the prospect of even heavier rain tomorrow and the next four days. Finding accommodation in countries that have closed down becomes problematic. We tried many campsites but all refused to either let us put our tent up or hire a “hut” or caravan. One guy checked first to see if there was enough money in it for him with “how many days?” I said “one, maybe two – depends on weather”... He hesitated and said “Hmmm - no we are closed, bye”. We cycled into Ommen town centre and went to the VVV.


Like two drowned rats, we asked for “super budget” accommodation. A really helpful lady tried hard to find somewhere open, to no avail. We settled for a B&B. As it is our first B&B, we really should not comment.. The “Couple” we are paying to stay with are super nice, but speak little or no English.



Without this “Link Languagewe miss a great deal and walk around rather clumsily, unable to talk. The rain (water) has got into my front bike light and it is completely shot. We called into the Local Bike Shop and had no choice but to replaced it. Catchya Later.....

Friday 7th December 2007. Ommen to Raalte
Approx. 23.84k's Average Speed 10.51kph Cycling time 2Hr. 16Min Max speed 28kph Max temp we recorded 12°C

We got up early for us, showered, packed and was eating breakfast at 0730. The rain was incredible, despite being ready by 0815 it was both too wet and too dark to start. It can be about 0930 before there is enough light to cycle without lights. Due to VERY heavy cloud cover, not to mention rain every day, our solar panel is barely able to fully charge two AAA batteries per day. We need to charge eight every two days to keep up if we use lights morning and night. A run of one thing after another... Our camera had to be replaced.. at €120 ($205.00).

We also had to stop it raining... The best way to do this was to replace our “wet weather gear”. Fantastic, now we have bought new gear, it will not rain - “Sod's Law” :-) Our old gear is no longer fully waterproof and we are getting soaked very soon after it starts raining... Only the first week of winter - it is certain we will need it.

UPDATE 6th August 2008 - We NEVER opened the wet weather gear packet and it NEVER rained again sufficient for us to unpack and use. (In Europe that is) after buying that wet weather gear.

  Signage is still a problem for us – no not for YOU, for us! We were following LF8 and came upon an intersection, we saw this sign



Not knowing whether to take LF8a or LF8b we called in a caravan - come “hut” complex.. A young lady offered to help. We asked if she could translate our cycling map and find out which way to go... She figured a & b “could” (She said it was not clear) mean the north south or east west part of the same route... When we pointed out that we were on route LF8 and neither pointed the same way we came.. ??? We asked. As a Dutch person, reading her own language, which way would she go?. She said back to the main road and follow the car signs... :-) Wonderful sense of humour – thanks girl :-) Our map is inconclusive.. Our best guess, is it means it's the same route, in opposite directions. BUT, which way did we come from and which direction do we go??? We followed her advice and cycled the two kilometres to the main road, rather than continue to be frustrated.

Caught with a “closed” country and the inability to camp or exercise ANY cheap accommodation options... Plus the constant insults, well they are not insults really, but, we are forever being “reminded” that €150.00 €80.00 €40 ($AUD255.00 -$AUD140.00 -$AUD70.00) etc are only “pennies” here in Holland and most people are paying a helluva a lot more for accommodation.... We must be cheapskates!!! We are SERIOUSLY considering leaving Europe to the rich and going to countries that are “open” and have more reasonable prices.

The rain has now surpassed that of “Noah's” flood,



so camping is all but impossible, except on the most well drained site... the roads are flooding in parts too


and a wet bottom is uncomfortable when our trike is forced to go through a deep spot.

Saturday 8th December 2007. Raalte to Dortherwag
Approx. 30.63k's Average Speed 11.41kph Cycling time 2Hr. 41Min Max speed 23kph Max temp we recorded 11°C

After a second night in a B&B (Again no English) this time less for more... A long talk about our options re: Europe and costs... Still not decided, however, we are close to a decision. A horrendous night weather wise – we are in an attic and the rain pounded ALL night... Looking out this morning it looks wet and calm with a few holes in the clouds... Well it's 9am and we were informed last night, THIS is breakfast time.. We are both packed ready, as we were warned that we are to leave due to family coming to stay and the owner leaving to do her job. Breakfast for those reading consists of drink of choice, 1 and a half slices of white bread and 1 and a half slices of brown, 2 and a half “transparent” slices of a “Ham like substance” and some cheese + a boiled egg. Desert, an apple. The total value of the food must surely be under one Euro.

No rain today as predicted... Good job “Murphy or should I say Sod” is an idiot, if you have been reading you will understand the feeble attempt at humour :-) As expected after so much rain, lots of water on the cycle paths



and as you can see they are not all sealed.. I felt sorry for the animals especially the “ruminants” foraging in waterlogged fields for grass that protrudes just above the water line. The ducks of course loved it :-)... A “Good Samaritan” took us through Deventer. Poor guy had a car accident over 20 years ago and is fighting brain damage and various other problems.



We were invited to his home for coffee and a chat about general things... Both of us truly wish him well, he is a great guy. 

Called Anja & Paul, a couple we have been corresponding with and hope to meet. They will be away this w/e, so we will see them Monday... Saw a sign for a YHA and (again no distance to it – turns out it is 9k's from the main road) cycled east instead of south in the hope it was open. We had a bit of luck, it was both open and they had one room left. The cost of a “dorm” bed in a four bed room is $AUD45.00 per person including breakfast, sheets and “tourist TAX”. Internet here is $9.00 PER HOUR. (I pay $9.95 per month in OZ for a “roaming” GPRS connection anywhere in Australia) They wanted approx $AUD34.00 for the two of us to have an evening meal – we respectfully declined. 

We have stopped “eating out” altogether due in part to price, but more importantly the VERY tiny serves you get for the VERY high prices. We made an exception to this from a food caravan run by an Ethiopian guy and his wife... nice cheap tasty food all for less than two Euro's... and great conversation too.... Catchya later

Sunday 9th December 2007. Dortherwag to Dieren
Approx. 36.26k's Average Speed 11.15kph Cycling time 3Hr. 15Min Max speed 19kph Max temp we recorded 13°C

After a night in our first YHA (At first I thought it looked like the Ettamogah pub in OZ – it doesn't) in the Netherlands.



we had a nice European breakfast then met a Lady called Hilda <sp>.



Hilda was staying over with her two children a Girl aged 9 and Boy aged 7.. The young girl, upon hearing we were Australians, wanted to see a Kangaroo. After breakfast we fired up the laptop and showed some of our Aussie diary's... Later in the day we saw the devastation caused by recent heavy rain with extensive flooding



In this picture you can see the cycle paths just covered in water..

In what has become a pointless exercise in our search for accommodation, we are exhausting the goodwill of the Dutch People. This guy found us a B&B and got his bike out to escort us to it....



He (Hans) said it is too difficult to find – and he was dead right, we would never have found it in the dead of night (5pm). Thank you. Ria and Hans

We went to the railways to find out our options. We can travel with our bikes to Essen at the border of Belgium for less than one nights accommodation. Not sure we will solve our problems but we will talk with Anja and Paul tomorrow, for their opinion.

Met a guy on a two wheel recumbent today...



He did say he will let us know his name via our guest book, ( UPDATE: His name is Jitze) but he said he is happy to have his pic on line. His bike can be seen here Big day today so tired now – BTW Jitze your email does not work. - please check guestbook....Catchya Later

Monday 10th December 2007. Dieren to Elleconm to Rheden to Dieren (Yes we got confused)
Approx. 19.72k's Average Speed 12.26kph Cycling time 1Hr. 36Min Max speed 26kph Max temp we recorded 6°C

After a deliberate late start – we were only going to Anja and Paul's home. We left our $AUD85.00 B&B accommodation and dreamt of Lee's homeland were prices are much more reasonable.. We often stay in the Nasa Vegas in Bangkok if we want a little luxury, at Thirteen Euro's (€13,30) PER ROOM Per night.. ($AUD22.00) (None of this crap “per Person” and “single supplement” if you go alone – How we as a species allowed this deception is beyond me) For longer stays we usually go two/three star, for much MUCH less money. Up country “Resorts(Swimming pool – fantastic food etc...) cost a little more TWO PEOPLE can stay here in Thailand's third largest City for €23.00 TOTAL per night... (In most of Asia you pay for the room – the hotel determines how many people it can accommodate – UNLESS you book with a European/US/Australian travel agent – then they will attempt to rip you off) NEVER go to Thailand with a hotel booked from your home country ...... It's an unfair world Catchya Later...

Tuesday 11th December 2007. Dieren
Approx. 0k's Average Speed kph Cycling time Hr. Min Max speed kph Max temp we recorded °C

After spending time with two truly exceptional people Anja and Paul,



we are amazed at what they have achieved. Much can be seen here and here Meeting them has also been an experience, their warmth and hospitality shines through... Like me, they both will not see 50 again, yet, look and behave like a couple so very much younger... Both have an incredible thirst for life and have visited (Cycled) countries, some may class as insane. In every sense of the word they belong to that unique group of people called “adventurers.

You have been an incredible inspiration to us both ... For this we thank you.

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