Ossendrecht to Rotterdam

The Happy Pillion writes...

An uncharacteristic sleep in for both of us today - riding all day certainly takes it out of you even though you are sat all day. Last night's hotel was lovely. Surprisingly large for the location - the middle of nowhere - a shiny, modern affair with enormous flower arrangements and cabinets of spa goods. A stark contrast to the soft interior of the art nouveau style haven of the previous night.

The classic hotel breakfast awaited us - a ‘please-every-nationality’ kind of buffet where you require the tactical skills of Montgomery to efficiently get through to the other side.

Negotiating the optimal time to visit the toaster before the bacon vanishes is a skill. I leave it to Ed whilst my Earl Grey 'mashes'.

Into a new day we go.

A hazy, pollen-filled start straight into a paradoxical landscape. On our left a view of a vast metal army of static wind turbines and the miles of steel metalwork of portside industry. On the other the neat parallel lines of vineyards and orchards, and fields of peonies in full bloom, leaning towards a yet-revealed sun.

Quite a sight to see - one side so bleak, the other a more pleasant assault on the senses. I'm not adverse to an industrial landscape, even saying to Ed the other day that there's a strange kind of beauty to it, (to me it signifies hard work), but after yesterday's challenging ride through the centre of it all, as if in a cameo role for a Transformers movie, we've seen enough, and yield to the side of nature.

Orchards change to arable land, arable changes to marshland, marshland to dunes and beaches. Oyster Catchers and Common Terns gracefully dart amongst the grasses and shoreline waters.

The sun gradually burns away the haze and it's glorious. This is actually our only trip to the Netherlands where there hasn't been atrocious wind, rain or typically both.

We cut across long, low bridges with joyous ease. The sun has brought out every owner of a bicycle owner in Zeeland. Great to see but often stress-inducing due to us not fully understanding when and who has the right of way.

We enter into a new community for us - one of camper vans and lovers of sea and surf. A vast, sandy expanse of a place filled with campers so hardcore they have their own solar panels that are carefully moved around their mobile abode through the day. The wildlife is now bedraggled, windburned children, that dart between the dunes as parents relax under awnings with various beige snacks.

Onwards. We enjoy one neatly-turned out village after another. A couple of latte stop-offs where we contemplate the things that make us smile or challenge us in The Netherlands. In no particular order:

Robot lawn mowers- owned by, what seems like, every Dutch household that reliably trundle round gardens bringing about typical tidiness.

The Rule of Two. A law named by myself describing the number of matching ornaments in every window of every Dutch household.

Signs of a star fort. Something that cannot be appreciated at road-level but amazing to know where and why they are built.

'Let op drempels' - a sign which indicates varying levels of spine damage.

The Tom-Tom going rogue and directing us round what is basically a lay-by or someone's back garden.

The chilled out nature of the Dutch - their patience with our lack of language (although I have strived to speak some of the basics) and our many traffic violations.

I absolutely love these trips out on the bike. I can't believe we actually made it on this one. Back in December, when Ed had his accident, I thought this mini adventure wouldn't be possible. The last few days have been a great trip but, being a bit deeper for a second, the journey since late last year has been quite a thing. So grateful to God for the whole journey and that He has allowed us, in His grace, for now, to continue.

Een fijne dag verder.