Day1 - Chatham to Waterloo.

Day 1 started with the rain coming down and pretty much ended the same way, To say this was the worst start to a tour is no exaggeration. We have been soaked through today.

 

We set off from Chatham at about 6.45. Once we had battled through the rain and fuelled up, we checked in at the tunnel and were lucky enough to board the earlier train. Just squeezed on the back we met  a couple called Chris and Dagmar who were biking out to Bratislava and back. They left us France side at the fuel station. They clearly hadn't fuelled up in Blighty. It was about another hour before we arrived in Kemmel. Here we bought tickets to the Bayenwald German trenches, before heading out to some British bunkers, Bit of a disappointment, truth be told but at least we got the waterproofs off. Then on to the Bayenwald  trenches, where it started to rain again. I was surprised at how low they were, you couldn't walk upright without getting you head shot off. It started to rain again at the trenches a small gap in the showers allowing us to get the waterproofs back on before we set off for the cemetery where my great, great, uncle Charles is buried, At this point the heavens opened. Deep joy!

 

 

 

We stopped off for a bite to eat and later to fuel up, finally reaching our hotel in Waterloo about 15:30. A quick wash and brush up and we walked the 200 metres to the Battle of Waterloo site. Here we had a couple of films, a visit to the Lion Mound and to the battle panorama. By the time we had done the films, it was peeing down again, so muggins here ended up going up the mound, all 228 steps in the rain. Grizzly, wisely, stayed down below.

 

 

 

Having done the sights, we hit the bar. It seemed as of there was some dating thing going on, a disco and lots of middle aged men and women dancing and generally eyeing each other up. There was one chap, we called Arnie, who had a ginger 50s teddy boy hairstyle, with a grey moustache, the tightest chinos you've ever seen and a short sleeved shirt that was way to big, looking like he'd stolen it from Arnold S, hence the name Arnie, He kept hanging around but never seemed to hit it off with any women. Effin funny.

 

In the meantime, the manager of the bar decided he wanted to buy Grizzly's braces, as they were in the Belgian colours. Grizzly agreed for  20 euros and 2 drinks. Deal done, we had our photos taken with him. Later on, we also managed to get a couple of glasses out of him too. Not sure how I shall transport them though.

 

We've opted for the  eat as much as you like buffet breakfast tomorrow, which should see us through till teatime at Kedange. Before we arrive in Kedange, we are paying a visit to the Hackenberg fort on the Maginot line.

 

Until then.