Tuesday, 1 September 2015

 

Start: Rendsburg (D) 9:30

Arrival: Strassen (L) 20:45

Total: 816 km

 

 

 

 

At eight thirty in the morning, we went down for a hearty breakfast. The other hotel guests looked like they might be here for a tractor fair in "our" meadow. Elderly, and somehow rustic. The events from last night seemed more surreal than ever.

 

We decided to start it slow and easy. Bellies filled, we headed due north, towards the motorway that would bring us into the Ruhr.

 

Before heading back onto the highway, we wanted to have a look at the fairground by daylight. But somehow, we didn't find the way back to this Shangri La of tractorists. In fact, we couldn't even find the tunnel and had to drive all around town to get to the highway. Back home, we found two pictures on Google maps, taken bei Matze. I don't know if he is a local guy or had a similar adventure than us. As we couldn't take any pictures, I felt free to use his. I hope he doesn't mind. :)

 

We drove almost non-stop through the Ruhr Valley and on into good old Belgium. At seven in the evening, we arrived at our grandparents' house where we picked up our dear little bunny. Shortly before 9 o'clock, we turned into our garage in Strassen. Our journey to Murmansk had come to an end. As we heaved the luggage up the stairs, I had a hard time believing that, barely a week ago, I had really been standing at the Barents Sea. It had been such an amazing trip. I had driven my car to the northernmost edge of Europe. What on Earth could top that?