Whelp, she is back from the garage, new tires, new brake pads, oil change, hydraulic fluid change, the works.
We are now ready for a holiday ride out.
Mid September I will load the tent, kick the tires and light the fires and head out… just not quite sure where.
I have learned that a new ferry service from Amsterdam to Aberdeen, that would be great as I could swop ferries in Aberdeen and head out with Northlink to the Shetland islands.
That was the original plan, I really, really want to visit the Shetlands, however just learned that the ferry Amsterdam to Aberdeen is freight only, at least for now, should be taking passengers in ´26.
So it is the next one down, to Newcastle, I love that route, there is just something magical to it. I like the long overnight sailing where you can stick your brain in neutral and relax and I have always enjoyed the ferry to Newcastle, the food is great and not too expensive, the beer cold, there is alway live music and a show and dancing and lots of bars. Go outside in a pensive mood, standing on deck in a dark corner on a clear night and you can see the entire milky way above and if the time of the year is right there is the incandescent green glow of luminous plankton disturbed by the passing of the ship, and if you were really lucky you can get a glimpse of the Aurora.
It is like a little cruise on a very comfortable ship. Last time I used it, pre-covid it cost around 500 Euros for there and back. Now you can’t get the trip for under a thousand, you pay more now for one person and a bike than a car and caravan used to be, so big nope!
Next one down is to Hulll. These days for 500 to 600 Euros, but as all sailings are fully booked when I need them Hull is moot.
Harwich…? In the middle of nowhere and too far down from Scotland and too far up for the south to be useful.
SOooo it looks like head to Calais and that cute little campsite at Cap Griz-Nez for a few days of good food and good beer, then take the Calais-Dover ferry for a trip along the south English coast. Never been there so… Why not?
If the weather is good, if not we are heading south.
Neve been to Tunisia... Genua to Tunis is 400 Euros and a 25 hour sailing, really want to take the Pan European to Africa.
Never been to Corsica... The western side of Corsica seems to be a bit of a Mecca for bikes because from some guys I hear that the coastal roads around the dramatic scenery are a blast.
I have been checking the prices for ferries for the last few weeks and to me it seems that the prices for the ferries in the med haven’t changed, pre and post Covid, unlike the ferries to Britain that now cost more than double. Genua to Tunis is 400 Euros and a 25 hour sailing. The ferry to Corsica @around 100 Euros return. Sardinia is also around 100 Euros.
It looks like the UK is off the books, I would like to go but Prices went up allover the North Sea after P&O fired their regular crews and replaced them with cheap crews from an agency.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P%26O_...nd%20Cairnryan.
What gives? Fire your trained crews and replace them with cheapo untrained labour and rise the prices, guess who is not going to pay for that.
We are now ready for a holiday ride out.
Mid September I will load the tent, kick the tires and light the fires and head out… just not quite sure where.
I have learned that a new ferry service from Amsterdam to Aberdeen, that would be great as I could swop ferries in Aberdeen and head out with Northlink to the Shetland islands.
That was the original plan, I really, really want to visit the Shetlands, however just learned that the ferry Amsterdam to Aberdeen is freight only, at least for now, should be taking passengers in ´26.
So it is the next one down, to Newcastle, I love that route, there is just something magical to it. I like the long overnight sailing where you can stick your brain in neutral and relax and I have always enjoyed the ferry to Newcastle, the food is great and not too expensive, the beer cold, there is alway live music and a show and dancing and lots of bars. Go outside in a pensive mood, standing on deck in a dark corner on a clear night and you can see the entire milky way above and if the time of the year is right there is the incandescent green glow of luminous plankton disturbed by the passing of the ship, and if you were really lucky you can get a glimpse of the Aurora.
It is like a little cruise on a very comfortable ship. Last time I used it, pre-covid it cost around 500 Euros for there and back. Now you can’t get the trip for under a thousand, you pay more now for one person and a bike than a car and caravan used to be, so big nope!
Next one down is to Hulll. These days for 500 to 600 Euros, but as all sailings are fully booked when I need them Hull is moot.
Harwich…? In the middle of nowhere and too far down from Scotland and too far up for the south to be useful.
SOooo it looks like head to Calais and that cute little campsite at Cap Griz-Nez for a few days of good food and good beer, then take the Calais-Dover ferry for a trip along the south English coast. Never been there so… Why not?
If the weather is good, if not we are heading south.
Neve been to Tunisia... Genua to Tunis is 400 Euros and a 25 hour sailing, really want to take the Pan European to Africa.
Never been to Corsica... The western side of Corsica seems to be a bit of a Mecca for bikes because from some guys I hear that the coastal roads around the dramatic scenery are a blast.
I have been checking the prices for ferries for the last few weeks and to me it seems that the prices for the ferries in the med haven’t changed, pre and post Covid, unlike the ferries to Britain that now cost more than double. Genua to Tunis is 400 Euros and a 25 hour sailing. The ferry to Corsica @around 100 Euros return. Sardinia is also around 100 Euros.
It looks like the UK is off the books, I would like to go but Prices went up allover the North Sea after P&O fired their regular crews and replaced them with cheap crews from an agency.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P%26O_...nd%20Cairnryan.
What gives? Fire your trained crews and replace them with cheapo untrained labour and rise the prices, guess who is not going to pay for that.
