Two weeks it has taken until my first near miss. Red van, turning across the bike path, slowed to let a motor scooter through and then gunned it just as I’m at their door. I took evasive action and they spotted me and stopped. I can’t remember if there was contact or not coz I just yelled something and flipped ?m off and continued on.. 2 weeks before an incident is frickin unbelieveable though! Fsck you Melbourne drivers!

Spent four hours on the ‘net trying to upload photos but the connection was flaky as hell, so I failed to upload the pics but I did ask and receive a discount for the time I was there. Late last night the 5? phone card I bought as an experimental one lasted a whole 17 minutes. International communication is just fscked! Added another 30quid (yes, UK pounds!) to my mobile. This is dodgy, so I’m going to get a prepay SIM card for each country I visit in the hope of saving some dollars. Yes, yes I could just turn the phone off.. I could just turn the phone off..

After 30min spent riding out of and back into Brugge, I finally made my way to Oostende. It was very industrial from the outside so I just didn’t even bother to give it a closer look and rode on to De Haan for a 2min ‘waffle stop’. While I scoffed the pretty crap, reheated ‘suiker waffle’ (sugar waffle) a WHOLE BUNCH of kids rode past in those fluoro yellow riding vests! It was awesome! Why can’t the wankers in Oz work out the congestion around schools every day is all the friggin’ cars dropping the kids off.. get them riding to school FFS!!!

Arrived at Blankenberge and asked a random dude if he knew Ruiters straat. I couldn’t understand what he said, but guessed his hand gestures and ‘kirk’ meant ‘church’ and blow me down, I found the hostel! If I had a map and it was signposted I would’ve missed it for sure!

They had a load of school kids staying that night though so were booked out. First time I’ve not got a room. The guy called the nearby “Dudzele” hostel and booked me a room.

It was ?16.30/night and turned out to be quite modern and next to a canal lined with windmills. The guy bought me a beer! Good sign! The bar turned out to be a row of five self-service machines along with a cupboard full of glasses and a bottle opener. You could get all kinds of beers, spirits, soft drinks, chocolates, coffees and teas, nuts, waffles, ice creams, etc..

Didn’t seem to be many people, but this was okay because I got the whole dorm room with ensuite to myself. Very funky and new compared to most other hostels. Shower and wander. This town is tiny and as such EVERYTHING is CLOSED! No food and I’m about to fall over from lack of energy.. not good. Head back to the hostel for vending machine dinner of Coke, waffles, peanuts (bought by the rowing club president who’s club shares the building), Snickers, paprika chips, Grimbergen Dubbel 6.5%, Straffe Henrik (made in Brugge) ~6% and a Palm ?%.

Sat in the dining room watching “Viva La Bam” (Clint, never woulda known what it was without your influence! haha)

BRUGGE -> OOSTENDE -> BLANKENBERGE -> DUDZELE STATS:

58k, 2h50m, 20kph