Badger in 2015 - Preliminary report.

Packing
Packing always takes time and thought. Our elderly B Merc is a little smaller than the previous Ford and we have to fill every crevice, however at least we could expect to have enough room to buy Belgian beer as we did not have to transport the liferaft.
11th May

We broke our journey to to Dover in Sussex to visit Bateman's, Rudyard Kipling's last house. This was simply lovely and we could have moved in instantly except that the furniture was in period, 18th C. Guests are recorded as saying there was not a comfortable chair in the house. The exhibition in the house was fascinating and I was particularly moved by the Lama's pen-case which occurs in Kim but actually happened to Kipling's father.The garden was excellent too and I want to buy the garden chairs used by the NT restaurant.

We stayed the night almost overlooking the Folkstone terminal of the Channel tunnel but mercifully hidden by a cliff. The high quality B&B was nevertheless in deep country with tiny lanes and a very real country pub a short way away. We would never have found it but for the excellent instructions given.
12th May
After a massive breakfast we drove the sort distance to Dover, failed to find sandwiches for the ferry crossing but succeeded in buying Fuel set to deal with diesel bug. The ferry wait was the usual pain but the crossing brought us a sandwich each and beer while watching up and down sea traffic. The short drive to Veurne in Belgium brought us to "The Old House" comfortably. This hotel seemed just a little down at heel and the owner rather more stressed than previously. Something of the same sort seemed to be happening at Oogappel, our favourite restaurant in Veurne so we fear for both establishments.
We stayed an extra night in Veurne to enjoy the market the next morning. As always one is envious of the fruit and vegetables available in continental markets. There is also excellent fish meat and cheese, none of which could we buy.
14th May
Leaving Veurne, as always with regret, we took the motorways to Sint Niklaus to a large mall to buy Belgian beer. The mall was shut - disaster! Eventually a passer-by told us that Belgium was shut; it was Ascenscion Day. I had really boobed.
Inconsolably, we drove on to the Antwerp ring, amazingly busy and to Otterloo in Holland. We were welcomed to Carnegie Cottage hotel. I went off to the only local supermarket to find that shut too. However it was sunny, we had a late lunch at the hotel and relaxed though the minute private garden attached to our room was too cool for comfort.