Motorcycle
Touring - Belgium
A weird concoction
- just like the Flemish themselves. They have
their own language don't speak much English
and in certain places object violently to French.
Maybe that's how they managed to retain their
cultural identity...
So why Belgium on a bike?
The Spa racing circuit is legendary and the
Ardennes is a veritable motorcycling playground.
Unspoilt and not exactly heavily policed, the
Champagne- Ardennes are a welcome respite from
the radar-addicted French Gendarmerie. The WW1
Salient battlefields (Passchendale) are worth
a visit, then there's Ypres and the
Menin Gate - the bugle call at 8pm is a truly
moving experience.
FERRIES
Dover/Calais get your 10% discount with SeaFrance
at mcitours.com.
Turn left at Calais and Belgium is just 40 miles
up the road!
CURRENCY
Euros all the way - it's the EU remember? £1
= 1.25 Euros (May 08)
Same Euros you use in France, Spain, Germany,
Austria and Italy so keep
any change for your next foreign trip. Why no
euros here in GB?
SPEEDING
Just don't go mental on the E40. Out in the
countryside it's a lot quieter and a lot more
fun.
ROADS
Countryside can be awesome. Brussels is full
of tramtracks, potholes and politicians and
therefore best avoided. Road signs are green
on the motorway
and blue on major roads. So much for EU conformity...
FUEL
It’s too expensive so Belgians buy cheap
fags and fill up in Luxembourg!
POLICE
Carry your documents with you. Talk nicely and
they can be amazingly tolerant. Bike cops ride
FJRs and have bright orange helmets. Police
cars are creamy coloured with orange flashes
(and blue flashing lights...)
DRIVING STANDARDS
They really DO like to reverse out of driveways
into the main road. And it can be life threatening.
Give Way signs are crocodile teeth painted across
the junction that you don't usually see until
too late... Trams have right of way and tramtracks
are
very slippery when wet. Hmmm how do I know that?
MEDICAL
Take your EHIC card with you and take out separate
medical/travel insurance cover. For the tramtracks
yes? Hospital food and treatment are excellent.
|
