Wednesday, a week away from last blog. Why ? Thursday I prepared, checked bike etc. Put my bike in bag in people carrier in Tescos car park. Then bought some water & bananas. Friday off & collected Martin (beans) from Quinton & left car at Richards & off we went to the Tunnel sous La Manche. 35 minutes later in France, 30 minutes later in Belgium, soon in Zwevegem. Changed and out for a spin up a canal and along through some towns. Then into Kortrij for steak and chips and wine and beer. All in for 12 Euros ! Good steak !
Off on Sat along to lunch at Diksmuide via some cobbled tracks. back along canal-side to Ypres, under the Menin Gate (British memorial to 55,000 unknown Empire battlefield dead), along the roads back to hotel. Watched the finish or Het Volk on telly, into town for a pancake, then into a Thai restuarant in Kortrij. Much Thai food, some wine & beer, 20 Euros. Then into bar with Mark to finish off the hotels supply of draught Hoegaarden (HURRAH) and Mark is a thirsty lad too !
Up next morning, wet, had some salami with my breakfast, maybe not a good idea. Out in cold &wet, down canal to border with Wallonia, odd crossing the bridge & everything is in French. Stopped in a deluge under a bridge & we turned back. Did 30 miles in cold & wet & I felt miserable. Showered & off. stopped to get chocolates, eat some & stomach felt sick. Eat a meal at transport cafe & felt better. Under tunnel, stopped & had a coke. Took beans home. Dumped wet stuff in bath & bike in garage. Feeling bad. Bed early, then off with diahorrea and vomiting. The dark green stuff.
Impressions of Flanders - The military cemetries, all the villages seem to have a British WW1 cemetery, the larger towns like Diksmuide and Ypres even more. Sad. The Isjer cross, a big Flandrian nationalist tower. Ugly brick thing, Fladrian Volkists meet there.
Monday - ugh.
Tuesday - less ugh.
Today, back in Leamington, meeting at Qad Friday, prepare for bad news ?