Off to France

Tuesday, May 20, 2008

It is 11:19pm on a day that started at 7:00am. Heading to the harbor, after packing up my camp, and a quick trip to the Post Office again, to buy my ticket to France. Upon arriving the nice young lady behind the desk tells me it is 17 pounds to get across. The she states that the Ferry leaves at 11:00pm getting into La Havre at 8:00am the next morning, check in is at 6:00pm. I smile.

Now what to do for the next 12 hours? The bike is fully loaded, I’ve lost my bike lock, so the bike has to stay with me. What a conundrum! Cruising the town again in hope’s of finding a shop that sells locks. Looking for a coffee house that has an outside place to sit. Well here is Danny’s Espresso Coffee Cart. I do have a kryptonite “U” lock, but lost my cable lock. After Locking the bike behind the cart I’m ordering my coffee when Danny asks me if I’m from down under?

We talk while I drink my coffee. He tells my he once worked for IBM as a tech then bought this coffee business seven years ago, has never looked back. We talk about biking through France, which he has done several times. Now, however he and the misses jump on the motorcycle, on quiet weekends, and go to Paris. “Couldn’t do that working for IBM” he says. He then tells me about how he teaches his help how to make the best cup of coffee possible. Also he collects old electric appliances and repairs them. His collection make’s his home look like at antique store. By the way it really was one of the best cups of coffee I’ve had in a long time. http://www.dannyssnacks.co.uk/page5.html

After purchasing another book to read I head back to the harbor. Burying my head it the book keeps my mind at bay. The reason it has taken me so long is that I’m afraid to get on the boat. As the time gets nearer, the more nervous I am getting. The Ship is now pulling out and I am scared and my stomach is in my throat, vertigo is already setting in. “Breath, keep breathing it going to be OK” I think to myself. “We are not going to sink.”

Before boarding I meet a fellow from Devon who is also going to ride his bike in the south of France. He tells me that he has wanted to do this since retiring five years ago. Things just kept coming up, but this year he is going to do it. I smile, then tell his that I happy he is doing it not waiting any longer. It is time to board and I’m thinking, “I’ll just forget about this and head home.” Then I look at this fellow; no we’re getting on this darn ship together. Our bikes are tied up and we part company as he has a sleeping compartment, while I get chair like in a airplane, only with a lot more room.

This Ferry has seven decks, four for cars, trucks, motorcycles, bikes, motor homes, Lorries, and just about any other vehicle you can think of. It is one big sucker, we are not gliding out of Portsmouth Harbor, and just passing the campground I stayed the past three days because I just did not want to get on the ship. My hope new it that I can fine my bike tomorrow morning as it is five decks below me. Then find the strength to get off the ship in a country that does not speak English.