*Chapter 8*
Ferried

"Where are you?”
"By the taxi stand at the front,” Ron advised.
"Taxis,” I passed onto Dad.
"Get them to go to the other end of the station, there’s a pickup area, we’ll be there in five minutes.”
"Do you hear that Ron? Go back through the station, we’ll be at the pick up in a couple of minutes.”
"Whatever,” she sighed, "See you in a mo.”
"On their way,” I told Dad re-stowing my Handy.
"Damn, we should’ve taken that one,” our chauffeur groaned.
"Can we go where that bus turned,” Mand suggested.
"Might have to pretend we’re a bus,” I joked.

Which wasn’t so far from the truth, we had to circle the bus station to get to the pick up area, arriving at almost the same time as the Grönberg's.

"Get your bags inside, we’ll stow stuff when we stop,” Dad instructed.
"Afternoon, girls,” Angela pointedly offered.
"Sorry, afternoon,” Dad belatedly greeted as Mand and I helped girl-handle the new passengers’ bags on board.

From Mönchengladbach it’s not far, about thirty minutes drive, to Venlo and the Dutch border and not much longer to the services at Eindhoven.

"We’ll eat on the boat later, can you manage on coffee for now?” Dad enquired as we navigated through the fuel pumps to the Mototel parking.
"We had Brötchen at the station while we were waiting,” Angela told us.
"Maybe some cake?” I ventured.
Dad checked the time, "I guess we’ve got time.”

It must be pointed out that Dutch motorway services are not the equal of those we’re used to at home, I'd say this one at least is more like an upmarket transport cafe in this case crossed with a motel just a good spit from the heavy traffic of the A2. We piled off, first stop the facilities of course, we might have a loo on board but that’s more for emergencies.

Dad was on the phone when we emerged, "Get me a tea, Gab,” he requested pausing his conversation.
"Tea?” Ron queried as we went into the restaurant.
"These English are so weird,” I advised.

To be honest I thought he was being foolhardy, these furreners just can’t make a decent cuppa. The cake options were a bit thin, some nasty looking pre-packaged Madeira type cake or the slightly more appetizing apple cake. - no contest really. We were installed at a window table before Dad joined us.

"Everything alright?” Angela enquired.
"Yeah, yeah,” he advised pulling an extra chair over to our table. "The others have made better time than we thought so we’ll meet at the boat rather than looking out for each other at Dordrecht.”
"So how much further is it, to the ferry that is?” I asked as I contemplated the cake on my fork.
"About an hour and a half, we’ll fill up before we get there.”

I grimaced, the apple cake was awful.

You ever been to Holland? Flat is being polite, the motorways straight, the traffic heavy – kilometre after kilometre of trucks presumably heading to and from the massive port facilities of the ‘Rijn’ delta. Not only that but they are mostly two lane which makes overtaking in the Hymer something of a nightmare. Tilburg, Breda then we were heading towards Dordrecht and Rotterdam, a feeling of relief amongst the passengers as the distances dropped quickly.

From flat open countryside we were now in an increasingly industrial landscape, the motorway dipping and soaring under and over railway lines, waterways, and vast complicated junctions. We stopped for fuel once we’d picked up the Europoort road, a short delay but with diesel more expensive across the water, a money saver. There was less traffic on this road and despite now being in the dock zone we were yet to see a ship!

In fact the first ship we saw was the ferry, ‘Pride of Rotterdam’ emblazoned across the front. We pulled up outside the terminal building where the others were stood around a people carrier rather than the usual minibus.

“’Bout time like,” Josh mentioned, climbing up after Dad and Angela exited to go sort tickets out with Dieter and Sonja.
"This thing isn’t as fast as that,” Mand suggested.
"Aye it’s a bit faster than the usual wheels,” he admitted.
"Hi guys,” Gret offered leading our last teammie up the steps.
"Heya.”
"So what’re we doing tonight?” Tal asked.
"What do you mean?” Ron queried.
"Well we’re sailing all night, according to the leaflets there’s like a cabaret thing and a cinema.”
"Sleeping might be an idea,” I opined.
"You lightweight,” Gret snorted.
"We are racing tomorrow.”
"In the night,” she pointed out.
Dad bounded aboard, "Okay guys back to the car, we need to check in, you come back afterwards.”

We drove around to the check in gates, Dad exchanging a coupon for a great stack of stuff before we followed the track around to join the queue of other waiting travellers. However we were called forward and sent to join a different queue for the ‘cargo’ decks, leaving the others waiting for the car deck. We didn’t wait long before we were loading, climbing a steep ramp to a deck occupied so far with two other campers and a Spanish coach.

Tali announced her claim, "Bagsy top bunk!”
"Geez, it’s a bit small,” Mand noted claiming a lower berth.
"It’s not like we’re spending much time in here,” I pointed out.

It could be worse, there’s only three of us in here, the men have another cabin with the Grönberg and Luchow women all together in a third cabin. Of course they’re steerage class, inboard to you and me, they do have facilities but you can barely swing a cat.

"Was your dad serious about the dresses?” Mand asked.
"Reckon so,” I sighed.
"Well I'm getting a shower,” Tal advised.

Apparently our travel sponsorship included the full meal package so we were waiting in the queue to be tabled. Talk about feeling overdressed, there's us girls in dresses and heels whilst all around us our fellow travellers sported shorts, sandals and various varieties of sportswear. To say we were getting some funny looks was to put it mildly.

Eventually we were led to a table by one of the stewards and seated.

"It’s a buffet?” Ron asked.
"Looks like it,” I agreed – well the queues of passengers clutching various plates and dishes was a bit of a giveaway.
"Don’t overdo it tonight,” Dad mentioned from down the table, "We get breakfast in the morning too.”
"Well ahm goin’ for a squint like,” Josh proposed.
"Hang on,” Tali told him.

I watched the two of them head towards the food, a pang of jealousy clouding my mind. What the heck am I jealous of, it’s hardly a secret they’re a couple and I do. Not. Fancy. Josh!

Fingers snapped in front of my face, "Earth to Bond,” Gret supplied, "You coming or what?”
"Er yeah,” I agreed.

It would be easy to overdo it with the food on offer, several main courses, soup, desserts, salad – even cheese and biscuits with soft drinks and coffee on tap. I was tempted by the curry but settled on a sort of roast dinner, mindful of Dad’s comment I instead filled up with ice cream and a plate of the aforesaid cheese and biscuits. I was pretty still pretty stuffed even so.

"What now?” I asked.
"Well we’re going to reconvene in one of the bars, you can join us or entertain yourselves.”
"Neat,” Luchow junior allowed.
"You’ve got your room keys?” Angela queried.

Keys! that’s a joke they’re not as sturdy as a train ticket and they don’t always work either.

"Yes, Mum,” Ron replied.

We ended up sipping beer from bottles as we waited for the cinema to open, I guess our dresses and stuff do have a use when you want to appear older. Of course the ferry is British so it’s UK drinking regulations, which means eighteen to buy booze. Anyhow, given the ‘cabaret’ was more loud than entertaining we opted to buy tickets for Cars – yeah I know, bit lame but the other option was some weird looking thing going by Borat.

It felt a bit weird sat in the near dark if the lounge, the six of us talking, for the most part, German whilst everything around us was in English – the TV, signs – the cabaret. Strange from another angle too I guess as three of us are at least English born – I really am more comfortable talking German, damn I've got those extra lessons when we get back too.

"Time,” Josh noted.

I squinted at my tiny wristwatch in the gloom, almost nine, we’ve been onboard for a couple of hours, eaten even and we’re only just about to leave port.

Josh had finished his beer but the rest of us took our drinks into the tiny cinema, we almost filled a complete row, I guess it could hold about fifty people. By the time one of the Pursers started stuff up there were maybe half the seats occupied, all bar two by adults. Apart from the lack of popcorn we got the full cinema experience, darkness, several trailers and then the feature.

"Ow!”
"Tal?” I mumbled from under my pillow.
"Hit my head,” she complained.
"You wanted the top bunk,” Mand pointed out.
"Put the light on.”
"It’s early yet,” I stated.

Bing bong!
‘Good morning and welcome to Yorkshire,’ a voice advised over the ship wide PA, ‘the buffet will open for breakfast in five minutes and we will start disembarking from eight o’clock.’
"It’s nearly seven thirty now,” Tal advised in something of a panic.

I checked my own timepiece, huh?

"You need to change your watch, Tal,” Mand informed Fräulein Schmidt.
"Change it?”
"English time is like an hour behind CET,” de Vreen pointed out.
"Guess we’d best get organised though,” I suggested.

The twin dining rooms were teeming with bleary eyed travellers when we descended on it, dressed more casually this morning. I nearly gipped at the first smell of the full English waiting in the counters, a cup of coffee settled my stomach as I looked out at the Lincolnshire countryside, well the murky flat bit adjacent to the Humber at least. When Josh arrived bearing a plate piled with black pudding, mushrooms, egg, bacon, beans, sausage, hash browns – well everything on offer, I made a dash for the loo!

I managed a bowl of fruit and yogurt followed by a round of toast, my stomach couldn’t manage anything else.

"Something wrong, Gab?” Angela enquired.
"Er no, just a bit, you know queasy, probably something from last night, I'll be alright when we get on terra firma.”

Something from last night alright, after watching animated cars saving the world for an hour we returned to the lounge where we er indulged in some more beer, two more bottles I think. How Josh could eat a cooked breakfast this morning is beyond me.

Maddy Bell © 22.04.17