Country Hopping from the Netherlands

One of the many things I love about living in the Netherlands is the fact that we can jump in the car and drive to any number of countries - we can be "abroad" without the use of an aeroplane or ferry in no time at all. Given that I am a Brit this is a big thing!

Our latest venture to foreign lands was a two week vacation in Lower Normandy in France. We jumped in the car and off we drove.... well, when I say jumped in the car..

What I actually mean is we spent days accumulating the essentials for a family of four to take with us, had a last minute panicked scramble around at 6 a.m. on the morning of our departure to gather the real essentials such as favourite toys, musical Pooh Bear sleeping aid for my 4 year old, sandwiches, drinks and DVDs......., spent 90 minutes packing the car up, bundled two sleepy, grumpy children in to the car and then hit the road. After ten minutes we stopped to sort the car DVD player out..... an hour later we stopped for a toilet break after hearing "ik moet plassen" fifty times....... you get the picture.



Eight hours after we left our home in Zuid-Holland we arrived tired but relieved at our gite in Longues Sur Mer on the Normandy coast.

The Beach at Longues Sur Mer (c) The Writing Well 2011

Normandy Shop Front (c) The Writing Well 2011

Shell Covered Beach at Port-en-Bessin (c) The Writing Well 2011

View from the Gites in Longues sur Mer (c) Lars van Mulligen

Two weeks later, after a fantastic break, we did the same journey in reverse...... and it was worth every minute in the car.

What not to do on a Danish Beach

My latest article has been published on Velvet Escape (a brilliant travel blog run by Keith Jenkins). The article is part of a series about unforgettable travel memories and is about being stranded in a car on the beach - it's not something I can recommend you do as part of your next holiday but it certainly went down in the book as a "travel memory". The good news is that, as always, taking precautions can save your butt......

The full article is available on the Velvet Escape blog at http://velvetescape.com/blog/2011/04/what-not-to-do-on-a-danish-beach/

Driving Through Four Countries - An Exercise in Self-Preservation

I recently travelled back to the UK for a visit. We went by car using the Eurotunnel and hence travelled in a number of countries in one day: the Netherlands, Belgium, France and England. And the different driving 'styles' struck me.....

A12 in the Netherlands
Photo:L van Mulligen

It's not the first time I've mentioned it, but the Dutch do tend to like to stick close together on the motorway in the fast lane. It's called tailgating and it's actually illegal. Luckily most Dutch drivers who tailgate don't know this or simply don't care - and there aren't many police around to remind them on the motorways so it happens. It happens a lot. In fact it was actually pinpointed as the biggest annoyance for Dutch road users in 2010. Presumably it annoys the majority of Dutch drivers who think some distance between them and the car in front or behind is sensible and not those who glue themselves to the bumper in front. So that was my most notable observation on the Dutch motorways.

Then we passed into Belgium. You can usually tell that you have crossed the border as the quality of the road surface deteriorates dramatically. And as you jiggle your way down the motorway, something becomes very apparent. Belgian drivers are mad. They make Dutch drivers look tame. They tear down the fast lane with disregard to any speed limits (I learnt that foreigners caught speeding are treated severely by the police whereas the locals are not really bothered by law enforcement officers until they travel at the speed of space shuttles...) and they criss cross lanes as if they are the only vehicle on the road. Something worth watching out for in Belgium are cars with only five figures in the licence plate - these are drivers who obtained their driving licence with a pack of milk many decades ago (or at least they didn't have to take a driving test) ..... and the cars usually show much evidence of this.

Then we hit France. What redeems French drivers is that any driver probably looks good once you've escaped the Belgian roads unscathed. However, the French do something that none of their neighbours do - they keep their indicator on in the fast lane to let you know that they need to get past and they are not just using the fast lane to overtake - they are using the outer lane as their very own personal road to get to their destination as quickly as possible. Therefore, you really need to move over because they have priority. And there is no point just putting your ticker on - you're a foreigner and you still don't have 'fast lane priority'.

And then you drive onto the Eurotunnel train and marvel at how you've made it so far. It's time to sit and relax for the short trip under the Channel to Folkestone before your journey takes you on to the British motorways.

And then you notice the middle of the road attitude of English drivers. They sit in the middle lane of the motorway for no apparent reason. To legally pass them from the 'slow' lane you have to cross over to the 'fast lane' and then cut back to the furthest left lane. And they remain oblivious to the fact that they are causing mayhem around them as drivers criss cross to pass them. Some pass on the left, others on the right, but to no avail. I eventually worked out that some English drivers believe you have to pick a lane when you join the motorway and stick to it - no matter what. Horns. Lights. Cutting them up. None of it works.

So there you have it - Van Mulligen's observations of some of Europe's main highways. You have been warned.

Keeping a Ford Mondeo Together the Dutch Way?

 This post may seem a little off topic but I have to ask. Is it just me or are Ford Mondeos on Dutch roads all held together with duct tape? It seems like any Ford Mondeo in this country comes with free (black or grey) duct tape which can be optionally used on the front or back bumpers. It may even be a mandatory thing only known about by Mondeo owners.

Is this a Dutch phenomena or is it worldwide?

To answer this question I googled Mondeo and duct tape - and guess what.... there is a whole world out there that non-Mondeo car owners are excluded from. It is a known thing.... and there are 'ford and gaffer tape' appreciation societies and fora. It is bizarre. Apparently there is no known reason for the strange phenomena....... these particular Ford bumpers just break easily but with love and tender patching can continue for years in a less than perfect state.

Next time you are out and about, take a moment to check out any Ford Mondeos you come across.... report back if they have been patched up with duct tape. Better still, if you are a Mondeo owner, share your bumper tales with us.....

Eight Tips Series: Using Public Transport

Photo: Jop Quirindongo

The public transport system in the Netherlands is in general good. There are buses, trams, metros and trains to help you make your way across the length and breadth of this small nation. But what do I know? I grew up with British Rail so anything seems good in comparison.

1. Don't Bother with the Strippenkaart
It is being phased out (and already obsolete in some of the bigger cities). It is one of the most convoluted elements about travelling on public transport in the Netherlands. You need to know how many zones you are travelling (and then add one, double it, half it and guess which number I first thought of) to pre-stamp the paper strip; if you can even find it again after your last journey and it isn't in at least two pieces because you have to continually fold it to get it in your purse/wallet/handbag/pocket. Thankfully it is a dying breed.

2. Allow Plenty of Time
A 15 minute car journey will take you at least an hour with public transport. Enough said.

3. Learn Useful Local Phrases
If you are going to regularly travel by train, bus, tram or metro it would be handy if you learned how to say "Please could you move your bag from that seat so I can sit down." The answer will be rolling eyes, tutting or even "Nee," so be sure to take an assertiveness training course before ditching your car for public transport.

4. Accept You are Not Special
Being pregnant and the size of a baby elephant is no reason to expect anyone to give up their seat for you. Being old is something you need to live with and again no reason to object to standing for your entire journey. If you are feeling faint this is also a poor excuse to ask for a seat (but no worries because the sheer volume of the crowd will keep you upright). That healthy looking teenager blaring on his mobile phone and sharing the noise on his MP3 player with the entire carriage needs that seat more than you ever could.

5. Bear in Mind the Season You are Travelling in
If it is autumn there could be the wrong type of leaves on the tracks (nope, not only England has the wrong leaves) and in winter, snow and ice stop any kind of movement on the rail tracks and tram lines. Oh and the roads of course. If it is icy you need to cycle or sled to work/school/shops.

6. Hold On
Bus drivers, particularly those taking you down a motorway to your intended destination, do not factor in  that you as a passenger are without a seatbelt or are standing with little or no support in the aisle because the bus is full. Full twice over in fact. Note that you can also be upended by a tram pulling into a tram stop. Hold on tight.

7. Listen
If you hear a tram bell - MOVE OUT OF THE WAY. A tram will not stop or slow down for you. If you refuse to move you and/or your bike will end up wrapped around the front end of the tram and much screaming and shouting in Dutch will ensue. The bell means business so listen out for it.

Parking a bike in the Netherlands is easier than riding one

8. Buy a Bike
To be honest, if the journey you are regularly undertaking is less than 10km away, buying a bike may be your best option. Bikes are cheap, cycle lanes and parking are aplenty and routes are well signposted. Cycling with the Dutch is not without risk of course... but that's a topic for another day.