2245 GMT 03JUN09

Hi and welcome to our blog! The idea for this blog is to keep friends in touch with how the trip is going and also for other bikers/travellers to view where we have been, the places we've stayed and the sites we've visited and hopefully learn from our mistakes!

Very briefly the trip explained- The intention is to spend a month travelling around Europe. Leave June 18th 09 return July 18th ish? Ferry from Portsmouth to Santander, travel through Northern Spain into the Pyrenees continuing south until we hit the med turn left and follow the coast towards Italy. Head North over the Dolomites into the Alps through Austria, Germany and then North towards Blighty!

Ferry crossing was pretty rough but luckilly we had a cabin... definitely worth the £100 for our own space.

On into Spain and the campsite was good but the weather was wet. For about £15 a night we had a nice pitch with good amenities.

Biarritz has no campsites but the hotels are nice and not too expensive. Around £50 got us a nice room right in the centre of town and the surf was huge.

Heading south to the pyrennees with so,e spectacular roads and scenery with loads of motorbikes.

Now in south of France at Cap D Agde more to follow ... if we find an internet cafe!

Ferry crossing was pretty rough but luckilly we had a cabin... definitely worth the £100 for our own space.

On into Spain and the campsite was good but the weather was wet. For about £15 a night we had a nice pitch with good amenities.

Biarritz has no campsites but the hotels are nice and not too expensive. Around £50 got us a nice room right in the centre of town and the surf was huge.

Heading south to the pyrennees with so,e spectacular roads and scenery with loads of motorbikes.

Now in south of France at Cap D Agde more to follow ... if we find an internet cafe!

A campsite in Cap D' Agde (south of France)

A Hotel in The Provence region of France about 80 Euros a night!!!

A really nice road leading from Frejus to Cannes (south of France) D 6007

Lake Garda Italy- Really good scenery and a top biking Road

Border Crossing from Austria to Germany loads of BMW bikes due to the BMW annual meet in Garmish

Hotel Parking in Innsbruck Austria!

Brilliant scenery from Austria into Germany!

Lunch in Wallchansee in Germany- lovely scenery with one of the best biking roads of the trip

Views from the Munich tower showing BMW World

Ice surfers in a river in Munich!!!

After leaving Munich we headed NW towards Belgium

A camp site about 3 miles from Luxembourg costing 14 euros a night.

Into Belgium and a visit to Bastogne made famous by The 101st airborne in WW11

A couple of nights in Brugge finished our visit to Belgium.

A hotel in Brugge cost about 70 euros a night.

From Brugge we headed towards the ferry port at Dunkerque and eventually squeezed the bike and ourselves onto a ferry and headed back towards a very wet and cold England.

Special thanks to;

BMW in Bastogne for fixing the bike for a Euro!

Anna's mum for the constant internet connection and live web updates.

Martin and Petya for being top hosts and Munich Tour Guides.

Ocean BMW in Plymouth for the telephone advice in Italy.

Immodium who sponsored me in every country.

Italian drivers especially the white van man who hit us at the roundabout then left without stopping. Thanks! In fact all the European drivers who made the trip so interesting.

Toilet cleaners in France- If there is any?

A total of about 3000 miles covering 7 countries. Total cost about £2000 (too many hotels) 1 crash, more of a bump really. Petrol varied from 101- 140 euro cheapest being Luxembourg the most expensive being a service station in the south of France, stick to supermarkets much cheaper!

Apologies to all the restaurants who we never tipped- we were on a tight budget. Sorry.

Now in the planning stages of the next trip...... Africa.