28 Oct 2009
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Registered Users
HUBB regular
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Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: South Wales
Posts: 32
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Wednesday August 12th:
The last leg.
Up for breakfast at 8.30. Check all our belongings are secured to the bikes. Said our goodbyes then we’re off.
Gloves on exhaust – bad idea – they shrank.
Weather is good so we’ve decided to pop into Luxembourg, just to say we’ve been there, so it’s A and B roads all morning. Brendan and John asked why we wanted to go to Luxembourg as it’s a sh*thole.
They were right, but at least petrol was down to 1.11Eu or under £1 a litre – so we filled up anyway – 11 litres between us. Finally gave up on trying to un-shrink my summer gloves, binned them and dug out the winter gloves – I’d expected to need them once we got back across the channel anyway.
Well Luxembourg took about 12 miles and 15 mins. Then on into Belgium then France, the roads getting better all the way.
We were booked on the 18:30 crossing out of Calais, but I had lost our booking advice and for some reason I thought our boat was 16:30! So once we got to France – time to get a bit of a move on. Oh, A26 – peage – we’ve heard the stories about them using the timings to work out if you’ve been speeding so stuck at 80.8mph (130kmh). We get to the toll booth at the other end – relieved of 3.80 Eu each. Signs showing about 40 km (25 miles) to Calais – and the fuel light is just starting to flicker on and it’s 3pm. Let’s go for it. 100 mph + all the way and we’ll dive into the last petrol station in Calais. No petrol stations, we get to the port and to the check in – ‘I can put you on the 15:50 for a tenner’, ‘OK’.
We meet a couple on a Harley who are complaining that  is too expensive in France – we tell them its reasonable in Germany, cheap in Czech Republic and cheap in Poland. Onto the boat, we are parked right at the back of the lorry deck – its going to take ages to get off!
Up to the restaurant for lunch / tea – 1 look at the prices – no way!
To the bar – a and a bun (a small baguette), only slightly less painful.
We sit at the pointy end and Pete nods off.
The White Cliffs loom into view and it isn’t raining.
Down to deck 5 and unstrap the bikes, wait for all the lorries to go then out into the fresh air. Miraculously HM Customs don’t suspect us of carrying 75 kg tobacco, 300 litres of spirits, 2kg of crack cocaine and more weaponry that the Army are allowed to have in Afghanistan and they let us through. Still praying the bike will keep going on fumes we get to the petrol station. 25 litres between the 2 bikes – the biggest fill all trip.
Out onto the A20 then M20 – feels like we are still in Europe – all the cars are driving on the right – hey I can play this game – inside lane all the way at 95mph.
Wrong turn – you know how the M20 goes towards Central London and the M26 goes west bound to join the M25, so do I but I’d forgotten until I noticed the fork in the road and I was still in the outside lane – at 90. Pete had spotted it and I saw him disappear off on the correct route. OK more head down a*se up. 8 miles to M25, I know he will ease off a bit so should catch him up eventually, or he’ll wait at Reading services. Much lane splitting later I caught him on the M3 and told him he was leading at least until the M4, but with the roundabouts and traffic lights around Bracknell and Wokingham we got a bit mixed up and I nearly took out a Ducati Multistrada who was sort of keeping pace with us.
Reading Services – last fuel stop. I tell Pete I will turn off the M4 at Jn24 so we shake hands and thank each other for a great holiday.
A tear in my eye we rejoin the M4, clear run, no rain and soon I’m waving goodbye to Pete, then home.
Miles 528.5
Trip totals:
Miles: 2709.4
Fuel: 213.77 litres costing £239.79
MPG: 55
Countries: 9 – Borders: 12. Passports checked only at Dover and Calais.
Disclaimer: All statements made here are as viewed through a dead-bug-stained visor and an active imagination, so should be viewed thus and not as concrete facts.
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Check the RAW segments; Grant, your HU host is on every month!
Episodes below to listen to while you, err, pretend to do something or other...
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What others say about HU...
"This site is the BIBLE for international bike travelers." Greg, Australia
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Lots more comments here!
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Every day a journey
Refreshingly honest and compelling tales: the hights and lows of a life on the road. Solo, unsupported, budget journeys of discovery.
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New to Horizons Unlimited?
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Membership - help keep us going!
Horizons Unlimited is not a big multi-national company, just two people who love motorcycle travel and have grown what started as a hobby in 1997 into a full time job (usually 8-10 hours per day and 7 days a week) and a labour of love. To keep it going and a roof over our heads, we run events all over the world with the help of volunteers; we sell inspirational and informative DVDs; we have a few selected advertisers; and we make a small amount from memberships.
You don't have to be a Member to come to an HU meeting, access the website, or ask questions on the HUBB. What you get for your membership contribution is our sincere gratitude, good karma and knowing that you're helping to keep the motorcycle travel dream alive. Contributing Members and Gold Members do get additional features on the HUBB. Here's a list of all the Member benefits on the HUBB.
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