A bientôt EU

[Amarillo]

Day 5- Lubeck

Wet day today, spent with friends. Apart from the political drama from home unfolding overnight, nothing much of interest.

I found a second use for my trail gate prop, see below:

With the wind out wound out and attached to the drive away, rain pools on the wind out. The prop prevents the pooling.

Below is the usual use of the prop:

 

[kave]

You have too much stuff with you . No multiflexboard?

 

[Amarillo]

You have too much stuff with you . No multiflexboard?

We have far too much stuff - I kept telling my wife that.

The bench is in the position on the rails for the bed. The MF is pushed up to the bench. Gear is stowed above and below the MF. and the rest of the boot is packed floor to ceiling.

The boot is emptying a bit- we have a crate of food from our kitchen cupboards at home and 12 bottles of wine (including 5 bottles of champagne) from our cellar.

I am now more efficient at packing, so the boot no longer looks so full, but four people, including two very young children, not planning to eat out often, and two dogs, do require quite a lot of gear.

 

[Hotel California]

Seems so far you had a good time .
Traveling with 4 and 2 dogs does bring a lot of stuff , we are only 2 and 1 dog and i keep thinking where can i minimise ...
You didn't need to take that much wine as you will be travelling the best wine countries in the world?

If i am correct this is your first major trip , maybe you did better going on a 2-3weeks trip first to see what stuff you never use before heading off to a years trip.
All to late now , you will do fine , seems you are packed pretty good dispite all the stuff.
Weather in Europe is getting better the next few days!

 

[The Blue Merle]

That weather still haven't brightened up for yet then.
I used a roof box when traveling with 2 adults and three dogs a few years ago. Very handy to store awning, dog food and the dirty washing!

Your lighten up as you go and then fill right back up at the end with all the wine your want to bring back!

 

[Amarillo]

That weather still haven't brightened up for yet then.
I used a roof box when traveling with 2 adults and three dogs a few years ago. Very handy to store awning, dog food and the dirty washing!

Your lighten up as you go and then fill right back up at the end with all the wine your want to bring back!

The options were:
Roof box
Tow bar storage
Trailer
None of the above
Each has its pros and cons, and I'm not yet sure we made the right choices. One thing I am convinced about is that if we had more space, we'd have used it, so "none of the above" probably is the right decision.

 

[Amarillo]

You didn't need to take that much wine as you will be travelling the best wine countries in the world?

The alternative was to leave it in my dad's cellar - which I have done with a bottle of Warre's 77. But while I trust my dad, I don't trust my brothers.

 

[hirsty]

Don't worry about it, I'm sure you'll shed stuff as you go along & come home with less.

The important thing is you're out there doing it whilst us Armchair Generals speculate over hypotheticals

Onward!

 

[VWCoastbusters]

Loving following your travels. Thanks for keeping us updated

 

[Amarillo]

The important thing is you're out there doing it whilst us Armchair Generals speculate over hypotheticals

It is comforting to know that there's an army of "armchair generals" on the other end of my Tapatalk app, ready to offer their collective wisdom.

 

[Amarillo]

Day 6 - Lubeck

This really is a superb campsite, about 30 minutes outside Lubeck. It has everything we need and more.

Today we went for a bike ride by the lake before driving to meet with our friends for a lunchtime BBQ of Bratwurst potato salad and local beer. Tomorrow we host them at our campsite.

 

[aileron346]

If you're writing a travelogue, absolutely put it in the context of your feelings about Brexit. There are many Cali owners who love their Cali partly due to continental travel. I'm on my 3rd VW camper and strongly influenced by trips to France when I was a teenager in my parents T2. I've loved Europe ever since...and the unity of the EU. No trip there now can be sepersted from the unfolding catastrophe...my Dutch friends cannot belief our national act of self harm.
Travel is always in the context of what is happening in the world... unless of course, we all travel to compare how good the campsite toilets are (generally much better on the continent BTW!!).
If you manage to resist the rather rude demands for censorship, you will have one family out here waving the EU flag over a glass of red with you.
Have a great trip.

 

[Days out]

If you're writing a travelogue, absolutely put it in the context of your feelings about Brexit. There are many Cali owners who love their Cali partly due to continental travel. I'm on my 3rd VW camper and strongly influenced by trips to France when I was a teenager in my parents T2. I've loved Europe ever since...and the unity of the EU. No trip there now can be sepersted from the unfolding catastrophe...my Dutch friends cannot belief our national act of self harm.
Travel is always in the context of what is happening in the world... unless of course, we all travel to compare how good the campsite toilets are (generally much better on the continent BTW!!).
If you manage to resist the rather rude demands for censorship, you will have one family out here waving the EU flag over a glass of red with you.
Have a great trip.

That's enough whining....

 

[Days out]

That's enough whining....

Sorry. I meant that's enough about wine...

 

[Amarillo]

Travel is always in the context of what is happening in the world...

I have been intrigued here in Germany about the massive influx of refugees two years ago, and the reaction to this influx. Our friends in Lubeck, one of whom is godmother to Ben, are a doctor and teacher. The doctor was responsible for overseeing preliminary medical examinations to some 47,000 refugees. He spoke of having to step over sleeping refugees on mats in corridors of office buildings.

Some 2% of the population of Lubeck are refugees, but their prominence around the city two years ago was much higher because they were jobless and their accommodation was so unwelcoming.

Some locals bear grievances because they feel they shouldn't be pushed back in the priority for housing, and also that the refugees are taking locals jobs.

He also spoke of two main incidents that affected Mrs Merkel's decision to take in the refugees:
A meeting she had with a 12 year old Syrian girl who after two years in Germany spoke fluent German and appeared integrated into German society.
And a visit she made to the former East where she was given a hard time including being called the equivalent of a "cu*t" for allowing a trickle of refugees into the country. She resolved not to be influenced by such bigotry

The decision was made on humanitarian grounds and not for political reasons, and most, even if they do not like the decision accept this as true.

There was certainly evidence of small groups of Arabic men sitting together in the parks of Lubeck today.

 

[Terrysamw]

Hi Tom, just started reading this thread. We bought our beach at the same time as you and have picked up so much from other discussions you have had. We hope to explore lots more of Europe at some point and this thread is so interesting from many aspects of travelling; the route, campsites, practicalities and the general observations of political implications. Good luck, we will be reading- hope you all have a safe and wonderful time.

 

[Amarillo]

Breakfast nearly over.

 

[bigmac77]

My 9 year old son is a hawk eye, he looked at that photo and said "that's an Isla bike".

 

[Velma's Dad]

I have been intrigued here in Germany about the massive influx of refugees two years ago, and the reaction to this influx. Our friends in Lubeck, one of whom is godmother to Ben, are a doctor and teacher. The doctor was responsible for overseeing preliminary medical examinations to some 47,000 refugees. He spoke of having to step over sleeping refugees on mats in corridors of office buildings.

Some 2% of the population of Lubeck are refugees, but their prominence around the city two years ago was much higher because they were jobless and their accommodation was so unwelcoming.

Some locals bear grievances because they feel they shouldn't be pushed back in the priority for housing, and also that the refugees are taking locals jobs.

He also spoke of two main incidents that affected Mrs Merkel's decision to take in the refugees:
A meeting she had with a 12 year old Syrian girl who after two years in Germany spoke fluent German and appeared integrated into German society.
And a visit she made to the former East where she was given a hard time including being called the equivalent of a "cu*t" for allowing a trickle of refugees into the country. She resolved not to be influenced by such bigotry

The decision was made on humanitarian grounds and not for political reasons, and most, even if they do not like the decision accept this as true.

There was certainly evidence of small groups of Arabic men sitting together in the parks of Lubeck today.

Liking the "From Our Own (Cali) Correspondent" approach Tom. I understand that some would just prefer just the Cali/camping angles without any of the 'broader perspective' stuff, but I for one will be following your travelogue and reading your take on how people live their lives and how they see things. I hope you're able to get perspectives from as wide a spectrum as you can.. a kind of 'vox pop' of campsite man/woman across the continent.

 

[Amarillo]

My 9 year old son is a hawk eye, he looked at that photo and said "that's an Isla bike".

That's incredible! I had to zoom right in to even see that a bicycle was in the photo.

 

[Amarillo]

Swimming

 

[Amarillo]

Liking the "From Our Own (Cali) Correspondent" approach Tom. I understand that some would just prefer just the Cali/camping angles without any of the 'broader perspective' stuff, but I for one will be following your travelogue and reading your take on how people live their lives and how they see things. I hope you're able to get perspectives from as wide a spectrum as you can.. a kind of 'vox pop' of campsite man/woman across the continent.

When I meet a stroppy Strasbourgian saying "good riddance to you Rosbifs", I'll let you know.

 

[bigmac77]

That's incredible! I had to zoom right in to even see that a bicycle was in the photo.

He recognised the handle bar grip.

 

[Amarillo]

Day 7 - Lubeck

Early morning walk around the lake with the dogs followed by breakfast - see pic already posted. After some tense moments, our marriage has lasted a week with the six of us squished together in the van, but only just. I won't go into details, but camping with two toddlers and two collies is harder work than either of us imagined.

We had our first meal out yesterday evening, schnitzel and potato salad at the campsite bar. We have a budget, and so far have avoided the costs of pre prepared food. I'll save more details of our budget and costs for another post.

Denmark in the morning.

 

[kave]

I am sure. Even without the dogs and eating mostly at restaurants is a challenge for us at just one overnight.
But we are getting much better after almost one year of use.