Brussels

First day of the trip and I have acted like a proper tourist; walked for miles, ticked off every historic landmark and took far too many photos.  I also stood for hours in the cold to welcome Owen into The Grand Place after he cycled 395 miles from London via Amsterdam, and raise £3000 for Help for Heros. An amazing achievement! Other friends and family waited with champagne, we had a can of coke and a banana for him. Oh.. and a beautiful 'well done' banner that my goddaughter had made.

Grand-Place, Town Hall, St Michael and St. Gudula Cathedral, Galeries Saint Hubert, Mont des Arts, Place Royal...

Day One - London to Brussels

Train count - 3 Country count - 3

England

Coulsdon South to East Croydon, East Croydon to St Pancras, St Pancras to....

France

...Calais,Lille...

Does France count as a country visited if I didn't get off the train?

More Goodbyes

My life in 65......

65 Square foot storage unit for all my belongings

I think....

I am doing too much research as I am starting to get nervous.

 

Jabs

So I had my final travel jabs today. I had a different nurse this time but she was equally as lovely as the first one. Not only did I get advice on my travel health but I also received advice on visas, sightseeing, getting off the beaten track and how to meet the locals.
I also heard about her recent trip to India. She did a great job of taking my mind off the needles going into my arm.
Whilst in India she and her husband decided to take a trip to the main Railway Station to watch the locals. They purchased platform tickets, chose their position and waited for a train to pull in. Within seconds of its arrival the previously deserted platform was swarming with people as the train was vacated. She described how thousands and thousands of people seeped from every door and window on the train enveloping the platform with bustle, hullabaloo and vibrant colour. Doesn’t exactlysound like London Victoria.
I hadn’t really considered railway stations as tourist destination, just a means to get to the ‘sights’ but I guess it is all part ofthe experience.

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Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Catch the trade winds in your sails.
EXPLORE. DREAM. DISCOVER.
- Mark Twain

My weekend

Three weekends left at home, better make them count

Visas

Best email of the day week month

Brighton

A bank holiday afternoon in Brighton. To practice being a tourist and to play with my new camera.

Beach huts. We spotted one for sale for £13K - bargain!