Journey: Opglabbeek – Antwerp – Middleburg – Domburg (97 miles)
Had such a lovely nights sleep. In the morning I always ask the hubby what is like outside while I’m half dressed as I have a tendency to be optimistic then add hoody and coat when reality hits home. He said it’s nice but obviously very wet… Turns out I slept through very heavy rain… Honestly I can sleep through anything…Mark can’t.
The campsite joins the nature reserve so we opted for one of their loop trails not paying due notice to the distance and ended up doing 7km through beautiful meadows and woodland. My feet had a wash as I was wearing sandles…except then the path got muddy so I was just as mucky as the dogs and had to wash my feet in the sink when I got home (should I consider myself lucky… Mark makes the dogs wait outside while he dries their feet… didn’t offer to do mine 😜)
We then drove on to Antwerp…the completest in me wanted to finish Belgium and it’s a nice city, but not as good as others we have been to. Getting there Mark did his first stint of European driving – about 100metres so I could dash to the loo during a traffic jam 😂 Parking was also a joy, driving in endless circles, almost giving up then plumping for a spot. As I’m getting better with driving, Mark is becoming a whizz with all the various parking meters.
Antwerp is seemingly home to all the diamonds…I have never seen so many diamonds in my life! Whole streets where every shop was a jewellers. Diamonds are my birth stone and in the past I’ve bought myself some lovely pieces… however van life…living in a van really does cut down your consumption or need for stuff….no I suppose I don’t NEED the stunning diamond drop earrings for wearing while sweeping dog fluff and mud off the van floor 😂 My favourite sculpture was a child sleeping with a dog gifted by China as a thank you for aiding their diamond trade.
Meanwhile Mark spotted a funky wooden bike shop and the owner let him have a go…cue Markles cycling straight onto the wrong side of the road 🙈 The owner just laughed and said don’t worry we are in Belgium we are used to it. He came back in one piece, oblivious but excited by the bike. The owner invited us to stay at the factories house in Greece…may well take him up on that!
Next stop the Netherlands… This is the part I’ve most been looking forward to. I’ve had so many recommendations and heard such lovely things. Or first stop was Middleburg which is a quaint town with lovely little shops and architecture. Took all three into a pet shop to get Mabel a bed as she is the least settled when driving and while she wants to be on the sofa it’s not safe, so now the floor will be comfy. Great tip.. don’t take a food obsessed puppy into a pet shop…while Mabel can contain herself, Ernest cannot. He was desperate to get to the sweets, tied me and the other two pups up, I fell backwards and knocked a load of boxes of a shelf. Funnily enough after that I waited outside with the pups until Mark had finished paying 🙈 Despite this we even braved eating out in a main square which we have previously never done because Ernest is obsessed with pigeons and despite them being able to fly expresses a deep desire to befriend them all. We have honestly lost count of the number of times we have said no…the training is ongoing and I’d like to say he is improving…
Mark had wondered how people knew we were English I pointed out it might be because we are constantly talking to our three pups saying: heel, come on Mabel, no, Ernest no, Jasper stop weeing on everything, Mabel no, Mabel stop grumbling, Mabel be friendly, Ernest leave it, Ernest you can’t play with that, No, please behave..it leaves very little opportunity to talk to each other 😂🙈 (in fairness to them they are generally very good, it’s just obviously very new and stimulating environments).
Our camp spot tonight is Domburg and the pups have a beach walk to look forward to tomorrow. I also found a company that lets you hire dog bikes (normal bike but with huge trailer cargo tub on the front for the dog to sit in). I saw a huge goldendoodle in one, it looks awesome. I’m trying to convince Mark the dogs would love it…he is envisioning carnage 😂I’ve emailed an enquiry so we will see…
SofaWolves 