Okay, so this time in order not to stay up ridiculously late to blog I will write as I sit on the ferry from France to England. The music of the late night festivities I drowned out with my ear plugs.
Marijke went to the bakery first thing in the morning to buy special pastries for me to try, Danishes with frangipan (almond cream), jam filled ones, puff pastry sticks with cinnamon and raisins, chocolate croissants, and fresh baked rolls!
(I had mentioned I am a baker and she wanted me to try some of the good things offered in Belgium).
I could converse with and mostly understand my hosts as they spoke a dialect of Dutch. Belgium, like Switzerland is a country of different languages. Those who live close to France speak French, those who live close to Holland speak Dutch.
Seems the people in the small town are quick to just to conclusions and think I'm 23 year old Floris's girlfriend after I walked around town with him and his parents. Silly people :)
I wrote in their guestbook (they are a popular WarmShower spot). I spent way to much time worrying about and trying to connect with potential hosts. It wasn't happening. Seems no one is able to host me. I looked into camping but that didn't seem a very good option, I mean, who wants to pay 10 pounds for a place to camp with no shower?!
Marijke suggested hostels and checked for me. There was a promising one in Canterbury. Oh, and I found out something really cool! England is an hour earlier (aka, closer to Canadian time), which means I have an extra hour today!
Dimitri printed me a handy cycle route number card which I could follow, at least while I was in Belgium. It was good, but I don't think I realized just how many people would be out walking on the "promenade", between the towering apartments on one side and the beach on the other. It was tiring constantly dodging and passing people, watching out for unpredictable kids on trikes and slow people cycling along.
I had to take not one but two, free ferries across waterways. The second one I didn't get to till 1:10 pm and discovered, to my chagrin, that the ferry had a break between 1 and 1:30. So I had to wait. The line up was so long I just barely got onto the second one going across! I was starting to feel the stress and pressure of realizing I wouldn't be able to make it to my 4 pm ferry (which was way on he other side of Dunkirk!) So a good 80 Km's instead of the 60 I had planned on.
I followed a couple guys, feeling strong keeping up while loaded down as I was, but also super motivated to move fast. I clung to hope, then lived in denial, refusing to look at what time it was and just riding hard as I could for over into France (which was nothing more than a small sign by he road and a French flag flying overhead, no boarder crossing guards or anything).
Once I could no longer deny the reality that I'd be way too late I grieved, unsure what would happen, what his oversight would cost...
And then I struggled on feeling rather like things were just way beyond my control, struggling to give it all over to the God who is greater, who's got it. Fear vs faith, and it seemed like fear was winning.
When I finally pulled into line at the ferry docks it was 4:30 pm.
The man at the booth who helped me was kind and extended the grace I longed to hear, I could have a spot on the 6pm ferry no problem and no extra cost.
It took a full hour waiting in lines, first for ticket check, passport check, then boarder crossing check, then ferry wait zone check.
It felt strange being a cyclist amongst all the cars, but soon I was joined in row 28 by two British cycle tourists, older gentlemen who immediately struck up conversation (so much for quiet downtime;).
No, it was nice having them to hang out with, and it's not like they wanted to talk the whole time (I sat with them in the Seven Seas restaurant on board the DFDS ferry.)
From there, crazy cycling on the left side of those narrow hilly roads trying to find the way to Canterbury before dark, ok, that was not so safe biking in the near dark without lights. But made it to the YHA hostel and got one of the last beds available, my bike safe in the shed, a shower! Lovely.
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- Eritia
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