That moment of excitement and slight apprehension has, at last, arrived. As we haven't shaken down the 'van since its winter lay up and service, we take a short hop to just across the border into Belgium where we stop at a small ACSI-listed site, Camping Kindervreugde. We've stopped here before as it's close to the motorway but quiet: an ideal 'over nighter'.
The point of shaking down the 'van is to make sure everything works and we haven't forgotten anything.... So if we had I wouldn't now have a satellite receiver with the wrong power supply, now, would I?
Second Stop
Venlo in the Netherlands - and a very nice little Riverside town it is, too. Can't believe how busy it is on Sunday afternoon.
Coffee Stop
Breaking up a long day crossing Germany
Third Stop
We decide to do a long day so here we are, nine hours after setting off, just south of Berlin at Campingplatz Krossinsee on the Krossinsee lake.... well, not on the lake, obviously; we're under the trees, as you see.
...and here's the lake:
Ok, that's it for this post as we head for our first objective, Poznan, in Poland. There's just one hurdle in the way and that's obtaining a ViaBox to automatically pay motorway tolls as our outfit exceeds 3.5 tonnes.... and we don't have the Euro 6 certification document for our Touareg because VW's system had a meltdown and there's a backlog. Could be fun.
Post Script
Obtaining our all important ViaBox (see last post) is no problem once we locate the Via Customer Service Centre - which turns out to be a small office at the back of a large building full of small offices. No signs. Lots paperwork and signing but we breathe a sigh of relief as we attach it to the windscreen having paid our deposit and loaded it with 120 Zloty. Despite the process, everyone helpful though.
All this underlines the importance of planning because we saw no indication of a box being required or where to get one as we rolled into the country. We understand the fine for not having one is around £800....
The point of shaking down the 'van is to make sure everything works and we haven't forgotten anything.... So if we had I wouldn't now have a satellite receiver with the wrong power supply, now, would I?
Second Stop
Venlo in the Netherlands - and a very nice little Riverside town it is, too. Can't believe how busy it is on Sunday afternoon.
Coffee Stop
Breaking up a long day crossing Germany
Third Stop
We decide to do a long day so here we are, nine hours after setting off, just south of Berlin at Campingplatz Krossinsee on the Krossinsee lake.... well, not on the lake, obviously; we're under the trees, as you see.
Ok, that's it for this post as we head for our first objective, Poznan, in Poland. There's just one hurdle in the way and that's obtaining a ViaBox to automatically pay motorway tolls as our outfit exceeds 3.5 tonnes.... and we don't have the Euro 6 certification document for our Touareg because VW's system had a meltdown and there's a backlog. Could be fun.
Post Script
Obtaining our all important ViaBox (see last post) is no problem once we locate the Via Customer Service Centre - which turns out to be a small office at the back of a large building full of small offices. No signs. Lots paperwork and signing but we breathe a sigh of relief as we attach it to the windscreen having paid our deposit and loaded it with 120 Zloty. Despite the process, everyone helpful though.
All this underlines the importance of planning because we saw no indication of a box being required or where to get one as we rolled into the country. We understand the fine for not having one is around £800....
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