2015 JUN LUXEMBOURG - WE FINALLY FLEE BRUSSELS, BYE BELGIUM

Thursday 18th June 2015 (day forty-five)

Brussels to Luxembourg (train)

Lyn & I had requested a hotel wake up call at 7am, but I had been awake way earlier than that after a very restless night. Looking outside it was dreary and cloudy, it had been raining also. We had booked a taxi for 8am, which after collecting us would stop down close to the apartment to pick up the rather large bag Lyn was travelling home with. I have tried to go down to the bare minimum now that I will be travelling alone, so my excess stuff was put into Lyn’s bag to head back to Australia.

The taxi was waiting as I checked out of the hotel and minutes later we were loading the big bag and waiting for Sarah as she was coming to the airport to see Lyn off too. The 52 euro drive was about 30 minutes so we made it in loads of time. I had asked if there would be someone at the airport to assist Lyn and they said yes but of course there was not. How the hell would she have been able to cope by herself with an arm in a sling and a huge bag?

There was a major problem at check in also as the insurance company had actually booked 2 seats as requested but the computer system would not allow an empty seat to be checked in. We hung around for an hour while they tried to sort it out, which they couldn’t but told Lyn it would be fixed by the time she reached the gate. They also told us the flight was almost empty so she would probably have a whole row to herself anyway.
Sarah did speak up and try for a business class seat upgrade, but was told there were no empty seats in business class and no first class on this flight.

I had found a wheelchair for Lyn to sit in and after we had a boarding pass she was allocated a young man that would wheel her thought immigration and to the departure gate.

We did a quick teary good bye and it suddenly hit me that my travel mate was gone. I miss you already! 

Sarah & I caught the train back from the airport to Midi station and while we were there purchased train tickets for the remaining 4 bikers to leave Brussels today too. We got tickets for us and our bikes on the 12.33pm train to Luxembourg. A train ride of about 3 ½ hours.

It actually took closer to just over 4 hours but there was a problem on the track at some point. I didn’t really watch much of the passing scenery as I used this time wisely to try and chat up on a bit of blog writing. Sarah used the time for a mega nap, as did the Lemons I think.

Although the sky looked grey the rain held off and it was dry when we finally arrived in Luxembourg Central Station. Of course the bloody lift off the platform we come in on was out of order so we have to scramble down the steps with our loaded bikes. Is nothing every going to go our way?
We are going back to camping tonight and the campground is only about 6km from the train station. After a false start we did finally find the correct way and besides being stuck in the middle of peak 5pm traffic and riding on not so bike friendly roads, we did find our way to Kockelscheuer Camping Ground. Here is a nice grassy pitch with a picnic table for us to use for the bargain price of 14 euros for 2 adults in 1 tent.
First up, Toni got some beers in – much welcomed. We had not ridden that far but it was still getting us into the swing of things again. We set up the tents – Sarah and I are sharing one now as you pay per tent and my tent is plenty big enough for both of us, finished our beers, cooked and ate dinner, then attached the hot showers. Yes, they were hot, but we are back to the push button showers that Lyn & I experienced in France during our last trip. They are ok, just a pain to have to keep pushing the button.

It’s now ten to ten and still bright daylight outside but we are all tucked up in our sleeping bags and tents ready to crash for the night. It feels like it may be a cold one so we have all rugged up in our warm sleeping gear.

Lyn should be touching down in Abu Dhabi just about now, hope her flight was not too uncomfortable.

Tomorrow we ride back into the city of Luxembourg to have a nosey around.

Friday 19th June 2015 (day forty-six)

Luxembourg City

Brrrr, it was cold in the tent last night. Even though we were all rugged up with every bit of sleepwear and coverings it was still cold. Guess we have gone a little soft after being indoors for so long?

It was about 11am by the time we’d had breakfast and were ready to cycle back into the city to have a look around. The weather look cloudy and overcast but it was not too cold, hardly any wind so bearable.

The ride back into the centre was pretty easy without any weight on the bikes – man what a difference. Almost makes the riding enjoyable. The distance of only 6.5km was easy for us and we were soon in the thick of the city traffic and riding into the centre.

We found a safe place to lock up the bikes and spent the rest of the day walking around exploring. First up we picked up a self-guided walking tour brochure from the tourist office and with Toni as narrator again we spent the next couple of hours walking the sites. Wish I had remembered to wear my step counter as we walked miles today.

By 5.30pm we had enough and were ready to ride back to the camp ground. Sarah had spotted a supermarket on the way in this morning so we stopped there on the way home to get dinner supplies. Stocked up it took us less than 30 minutes to ride back to the tents. Unfortunately, close to home Sarah had a gear malfunction, well actually the lever on her handlebars kind of exploded into several pieces. So now her gears are stuck in 5th gear, which is going to make riding very difficult.

Back at the camp site I discovered that the camp shop sold cheap wine, 3.95 euro, so a bottle was purchased and Sarah and I shared it, then washed it down with a couple of beers. So by the time it come to dinner cooking we, or I at least, was happy.
We set a new record tonight by saying up until it was after dark! Keep in mind it does not get dark here until 10pm, but this is the first time we had to break out the torches (Mandy your torch is fantastic!).