Thurs 4 May 10° Kinderdijk to Europort Rotterdam

Early awakening this morning to the top tap toe of birds on the roof.....sounded like someone knocking....I love birds,  but not at 6.30am!

After a relaxing morning with sun shining,  Tony cooked a birthday brunch....yes he still loves me...yes  he still feeds me ...now I'm  64....hahaha

Clicked over 8,000 miles travelled.

Drove to the ferry, planned to get there early to have a look around if it's like the eurotunnel. Through border control and received our boarding pass and cabin key. Drive to Lane 1.

Nothing to look at but an empty  row of  check in booths, wait till 3pm, so had a cuppa and chilled out. Passed through there, then onto  another gate sat with engine running until motorhome behind told us to turn it off as we have to wait for all the trucks to board, then the cars...we are last on apparently.

Fascinating watching the workings of the ferry port,  the huge lorries drive on, some have left their loaded trailers and a little reversible cab from the port, hooked up and it looked at first that he was reversing onto the ferry but he was driving it...looked sort like he was pushing it...he parked it on board, drove off and hitched up another and repeated the process.  When the ferry docks at Hull the process is repeated in reverse and the trailers are parked ready for collection by the UK drivers.

Didn't have to wait all that long, the gates opened and we were signalled to follow a lorry on board.

The lorry dissapeard around a corner and there was no one there to tell us what to do, so we just followed it, it was being directed to reverse, very close to another lorry already parked.  Then he signalled us to drive forward and reverse beside him.....it was so close we had to get my side mirror in. Then the other motorhome reversed in beside us.

We got our overnight bags and followed the driver and his wife, squeezed between a lorry and the wall to a door, up in the lift ...we were on the top cabin deck. Bit of a maze but found our outside cabin, single beds but not a problem.  Went to explore the boat, like a mini cruise, 1300 passengers when full but tonight only 500 so plenty of room to explore.

Had a pre dinner drink in one of the bars and spoke to some asian/Scottish  ladies who kindly took our photo.

We decided on dinner in the a la Carte restaurant, very nice Matre D, Pedro said he would seat us shortly, he spoke to another party and told them their club cabin with TV entitled them to a free glass of champagne.  So being a bit cheeky, I said that we didn't have a TV but it was my birthday....so could I have a free champagne?    he grinned and asked for I'D,  so I duly presented my passport and with a snap of his fingers he order 2 glasses of Champagne for table 12. He then proceeded to have quite an animated conversation with Tony about the Americas cup and it...stolen...from us...and we should have won...bit of fun.
Pedro then produced a postcard photograph of the boat, that he had taken, his hobby is photography, he signed it with a Spanish flourish and wished me a happy birthday, this was his present to me.

Very tasty meal in a window  seat, even though it was looking at the port, with our free glass of champagne it was a real birthday treat .

When we had finished our leisurely meal, we went up on deck to see the boat leave, very cold now...

..then went to listen to the piano player in one bar, a group singing in another area with a dance floor. Then watched a bit of Real Madrid vs Valencia and saw Ronaldo wrap himself round the goal post.....anyone else would probably get 2 people, medical and trainer or such like. Ronaldo was swamped with at least 6 or 8 rushed in to see that he was OK.  He was and he ran off the field, to sit the rest of the game out.

Explored a bit more then back to cabin, early wake up as disembark at 7am.

Really great experience loved it, a very special birthday.