The Short Way Round 
Things
have changed on the domestic front this year. For the last 8 or
9 years I have taken a week or two at the end of the college term
and shot off to France, either on my own or with a friend. For the
last 3 years this has been a solo motorcycle journey during the
first couple of weeks of July. Why? Because my wife, Judith, was
a teacher and school holidays started a bit later. All this changed
this year when she retired at Easter. This meant that we had other
arrangements at my normal "sneaking off" time.
So here I am in September, setting off once more to "see what
I can see"! I have decided to go to the Alps, as this is where
most bikers will say are the best roads in Europe. Best roads to
mean Hairpin Bends and High Mountain passes.
It
doesn't feel like the previous trips. I don't have that nervous,
'will I sleep tonight' feeling. Maybe it's because I've done this
a couple of times before, maybe the magic is wearing off, maybe
I'm just more organised this time? Maybe I AM nervous!
Last time I threw everything in and hoped for the best. This time
I've got better gear for camping, and I've binned a load of unnecessary
stuff that I took the last time. Also I have my beloved SAT NAV
this time.
I trawled the ferry company's web sites for the cheapest deal and
found my old friends Norfolk Line were offering £36 return
from Dover to Dunkirque, half what any other company offered. It's
the most northerly port in France but it doesn't bother me, I just
want to get over the pond and start my trip.
So I start to plan. I have managed to swing 10 days away. I look
at my maps and see that to get to Chamonix Mont Blanc, on the French
Italian border, just below Geneva, is about six hundred miles plus
two hundred to get me to Dover. So, 3 days there and 3 days back
max. That leaves four days to play with. I have another look on
my map and, if I want to avoid Paris, it means a bit of a slog thru
Northern France, an area that has been blighted by the worldwide
decline in the coal industry.
Taking another look I see that Belgium is almost parallel with Dunkirque.
I start to follow this train of thought and see Luxemburg is next.
Although it's not the straightest route I can see Germany, Switzerland
and Italy within reach. What a hoot! I can see 6 countries (7 if
you include England) within striking distance! Eat your heart out
Ewan and Charlie…………….
So, the game is on. I shall be in Belgium the first night. Strasburg,
in France the second. Thru Germany (the Black Forest) and stay in
Basle on the 3rd night. Travel thru Switzerland, and arrive in Chamonix
for night 4. I will spend 2 nights in Chamonix and then head back
via the Mont Blanc Tunnel, through Italy. A night spent half way
to Paris. 2 nights in Paris and a dash for the port and home on
the last day.
