I asked AT LEAST twelve people for directions to Antwerp yesterday! All locals and none of them had a clue. It took a grey-haired roadie to “tow” me onto the N1 from Menchen and say “follow this road and it will get you there”. I thanked him.. a LOT!

Then it was HUSSLE time! 20kph uphill, 30kph on the flat and 40+ on any downhills – this is actually really motoring for me and the loaded GT. In or near Antwerp I hassled a young pizza delivery dude for directions (strangely enough, not his pizza..) and he was SPOT ON! “five sets of lights and turn left will get you here” and he points to the map. No shit, I counted the lights as I rode along the ‘under construction’ street and not even sure if he was including ped crossings, etc. I found the “spider” building he mentioned! You rock dude! Shortly after I found a camp ground. No one in the booth to pay so I did a lap and just before I could set up camp out he popped. Turns out the yoof hostel was just around the corner, but he said if it was booked out or I didn’t want to stay there he’d let me sneak in and I could pay the 5euro tomorrow morning. The hostel turned out to be fine and only 15euro inc. breakfast. It’s really not worth camping with the people you meet in hostels, the bars, the brekkie, not having to setup and take down the camp, bike lockup, etc. So, the tent remained a backup for another night..

Before That…

The distance between Brussels and Antwerp is somewhere in the region of 45 to 50 kilometres, depending on which map or signs you read. I did it in 85 kays!!! 35k of riding around in circles, riding backwards to Brussels, more riding around in circles, etc. It wasn’t all my fault either! Roads that exist on the map just stop in real life and the only road that actually would’ve got me there with relative ease was a frickin Motorway.

Other than getting well lost and arriving later and more rushed than I’d have liked, the ride itself was cool. Nice weather (more sun – doh! forgot the sunscreen again!), nice quiet roads and canal paths and just, well, interesting and nice to ride!

I stopped for lunch around 4pm at “Huis ten Halve”, just outside Willebroek. The only thing I could ID on the, now Flemish, menu was “Mixed grill met 3 sauzen” which I assumed meant 3 snags (sausages). It actually meant “3 sauces” and was a grill plate laden (not Bin) with different grilled meats. Chips too, of course. The people here all speak english quite well (probably better than me!) and even pick me a nice beer.. which is the heat and dehydrated state goes straight to my head. Better make it the only one! :S

After (finally) arriving..

Chatted to ‘room mate’ for ages. Interesting dude, born in Zaire and well travelled. He uses the hostel as a temporary base for his current contract project. I showered (push-button grr..) and did some clothes washing (in the shower). It was 11.30 when I staggered out of the hostel. Sure as shit, this remote(ish) hostel had nothing to buy food from nearby, so I had a can of Coke and went to bed hungry..