Last stage... and a stage it was

After arriving in the pouring rain in Nice, we set of for a 2 day trip towards Anne’s aunt and uncle in Saux, France, close to Cahors. In Corsica Anne’s bike started having trouble with the starting engine, but we managed to push start is pretty easy. But the starter trouble was just the beginning of the problems. It was harder and harder to keep the bike running, even after the engine was warm and running for a long time. But on the highway it ran, so we kept on going. But then after a regular stop, we had to push start the bike, and the clutch started slipping… making it almost impossible to start. When we finally managed, Anne drove away, and couldn’t get above 80 km in 3th gear… 4th gear was slipping…..
We had enough…… we got of the highway at Arles, which turned out to be a very beautiful roman/medieval town where the Dutch painter van Gogh lived and lost his mind in the process. So did we…

We found a great little hotel in centre of town, in the old post distribution centre Hotel Relais de Poste, and called our insurance to inform them about the slow death of the bike…
The owner of the hotel was very helpful passing calls and messages from French salvage crew and garages and the Dutch alarm service ANWB.
The bike good not be fixed quickly for the trip back and it was send on a big truck back to Holland.
Since we had some days waiting for this news, we visited the old town, found van Goghs house, the roman amphitheatre and theatre, and had some great meals with some Rohne wine… very nice..
Anne left for Cahors by train, and I set of by bike, a good 500 KM. In the afternoon I arrived and was warmly welcomed by Hanneke and Kees with a very necessary beer.
We spent a few days relaxing and getting spoiled in the wine area of the Cahors.



After two days I set of on the bike again direction The Netherlands. A good 1100 Km.
The plan was to ride it in two days, stop around Orleans, and arrive a day later when Anne would arrive by train. So I left not at all in a hurry at 9:300. Since I arrived at Orleans already at 3 o’clock I continued for a bit, so at 6 o’clock I was 200 Km underneath Brussels, and that feels like you are nearly there… so after dinner I set off again for the last 400 Km. Finally after some slippery moments around Antwerp in the rain… those roads in Belgium are crab !!!!!!!!!!!!!!. I arrived at 22:30 in Vught. My arms and legs so cramped and cold I nearly fell over with bike and all when stopping at the driveway of Anne’s parents. I was warmly welcomed with a nice glass of red wine and a warm bath. And slept for 14 hours straight.
Anne arrived that afternoon, by train also after a 13 hour journey.

So back in Holland, what do we do….. well try to get a job… fix Anne’s bike….. and play with the nephews..

So all in all a great holiday, great biking, great food, great wine, and our heads clear.
During the trip we came to the conclusion that we missed Amsterdam, friends and family and a normal live, with time for things like cinema, great bars/cafes, concerts, motor trips, everything we did not do anymore on the Islands the last few years, due to the long working hours, or because it was just not possible. So we decided to go back to Amsterdam, get a normal job with lots of time to enjoy what we missed the last yeas.

So see you somewhere in Holland the next couple of years !!