Sunday 18th April, day 1

London, England - Tournai, Belgium




Woke up horribly early in the Hisperia Hotel at London Victoria. I'm sure it was more confortable than the Easy Hotel which most people stayed in but a whole lot more old-fashioned for sure. Everything was brown, the room looked like scenery from a 1970s TV soap.

After breakfast we met up with the rest of the group and saw the truck for the first time. This truck will be my home-from-home for the next 6 months. (That's a long time, but it still doesn't seem real, the full extent has not yet sunk in, as I type this whilst travelling along a German autobahn).

It's just a quick run down to Dover for a Lunchtime crossing on the ferry to Calais. The ferry is very crowded, not surprising since there are no flights at all over northern Europe, courtesy of an Icelandic volcano. This has also meant 3 people not joining us at the start, but 2 of them hope to meet up with us in Belgium.

We camp that night in Tournai, Belgium, and get to experience our first camp-cooked meal. Since it's our first night, the crew are extra nice to us and cook us a meal, a very tasty spaghetti bolognese. We are going to eat very well for the next 6 months! I probably won't lose any weight. Oh well.

We are assigned camp jobs. My job between now and Baku (roughly 1/4 of the trip) is 'back locker', meaning I load and unload all the luggage. Luckily I share the job. Joy's job is 'truck wallah'. It's Indian, apparently, and roughly translated, it means 'do nothing (so far)'.

19th April - day 2
Tournai, Belgium - Cologne, Germany

A sleepness night gives way to a sunny day. I'm far too groggy from lack of sleep to appreciate the sun. Maybe the enormity of the journey is sinking in, or maybe I just don't like my Thermarest. 5cm is much too thin for a good nights sleep unless you sleep on your back in the coffin poisition.

We drive to Cologne and arrive there about 3pm, nice and early, plenty of time to set up camp and relax for the rest of the day. I have a much needed nap.

20th April - day 3
in Cologne. A Turn for the Wurst.



A day off from travelling, after a slightly better night. I have decided to buy a new matress which is thicker and wider, now I know I won't have to carry it very far. Plenty of room in the truck. The most notable thing about Cologne is the huge cathedral (dom) with its imposing twin spires. I had to take the opportunity to climb the 500-and-something steps to the top and take in the belfry and the view. In the evening we all took a turn for the Wurst and had a slap-up meal of wurst and beer in one of Cologne Brauhauses. Sausages and Saurktaut washed down with beer, you just can't go wrong.

In a bar later there was a band playing with about 4 lovely women singing German songs, and an automaton (automatic model musician with accordion) playing traditional German music. OK then, Kraftwerk. Marvellous.