The morning went like clockwork. The night before, the TV wasn’t working and I’d spoken to a lady in the lift who had managed a room upgrade as a result. I negotiated breakfast in the nice looking restaurant. Unfortunately, it was everything that english food used to be twenty or more years ago.
Nothing tasted fresh, and apart from the toast – that I made – everything that was cooked tasted rubbery. No wonder they gave me a free breakfast.
The clockwork bit happened next. I followed the signs to the ferry, and had to act like a car and rode around in circles, passed immigration and checked in with a minimum of fuss. That meant I
was too early, but I spent an hour just people watching in the food court and waiting area.
When it was time to load the ferry, I met a Frenchman on a bike who knew the drill and told me everything I needed to do – very nice of him.
The ferry was largely empty, so we had front row seats on the very calm crossing. I didn’t realise that at one point, you can see both England and France. All was still going like clockwork until it was time to leave.
We were the last allowed off the boat and then we were stopped and told to wait for a car that would escort is off the premises. The port area is less than a year old and surrounded by high walls and razor wire. I guess the security is due to the refugee crisis of a few years ago.
We were escorted out of the port area an followed the roads to the city. Then I was off. I followed a Eurovelo route out of town and along the coast feeling excited about my first real ride in Europe. At the start it was unexciting but gradually the scenery became more rural and I made my way through some small rolling hills never too far from the coast.
It was very open on the tiny roads and the wind howled and the rain came, to make things about as unpleasant as possible – but it was still fun. After a month with NZ drivers in February, I was very wary here. I needn’t have been. These drivers are the best, and that would be reinforced in coming days.
There were a few walkers and a couple of cyclists, but it was very quiet on the roads. The rain returned for the last 10kms as it usually does and I was freezing when I arrived. Strangely, there were two groups of people in wetsuits wading through the surf about 20 metres out. It looked like a version of aquarobics but these people are made of far sterner than I.
Dinner was an absolutely beautiful Steak Tartare at a small restaurant where this was the speciality. I could easily get used to the food here.
Back to the hotel to warm up and dry out and plan the next couple of days.