Off to Germany!

The train arrived in London at 05:20. I relaxed in my bunk until 6, then I was off on my next adventure - the tube! The tube leaves right from London Paddington train station, which is super easy to get to. I only had to make one connection and it was smooth sailing. Once I arrived in West Ruislip where the base is, I only had a 6 minute walk and I was at the detachment.

The place was packed with people I didn't know. I just kind of hung around and had some of the continental breakfast they laid out for us. Just before we starting loading the bus I met Stacy. Right away her and I hit it off so we sat on the bus together and never shut up for several hours later. We left the detachment around 8:30am because of an accident on one of the motorways. Due to this accident it took us a long time to get out of London. We finally arrived in Dover around 10:30am I think. We had a few minutes wait and then we loaded on the Euro Tunnel (aka Chunnel). I thought the Chunnel was an underground highway system, but I was completely wrong. It's actually a train system. The vehicles drive into what is similar to a boxcar on a train. The train then travels through the tunnel - God knows how many meters/kilometers underground. There is enough room to get out and walk around the boxcar and to walk into all the connecting cars. The only facility available are a few bathrooms. It took about 45 minutes and then we were able to see sunlight again. There are really small windows in the car so you can't really seem much anyway, but you can tell when you're underground as it's nothing but darkness outside the windows.

We're in France! The chunnel finishes in Calais, France. We are now an hour ahead of the UK. We spend a few more hours driving and stop in a town somewhere in France to grab a very quick bite to eat. Most of us went to the grocery store that was there. It was very busy and I had a hoot trying to understand what I was buying and even more of a hoot trying to pay for my purchases via the self service check-out. I managed quite fine, but realized later than there is an English option for payment! Oh well, it was an experience. The highway we take to get to Germany travels about 30 miles from Vimy Ridge and that highway is scattered with large crosses bordered with a stone fence. These crosses are the mark the fallen during the war.


A few more hours and we're in Belgium! So cool! We stopped in a small town for supper and Stacy and I took a quick walk around. I attempted to take a few pictures but it was raining a bit so didn't have much luck. Also, very cold tonight. Back on the bus we continue to drive and pass through Luxembourg, ten finally we're in Germany! We eventually arrive at our hotel around 9:30pm and we're bagged. Way too much driving. It's an early night with most of us hitting the hay not long after arrival. Whew, 5 countries in 1 day is tiring!