Whereas trying to find a spot to camp within the woods south of Brugge, Belgium, I stumbled throughout an previous drunk man on a bicycle who was had fallen into the highway and struggling to make his manner residence. I finished and spoke to the person utilizing just a few German/Flemish phrases that I do know, however was unable to speak to the person that he was past drunk and may most likely not be attempting to journey a bicycle whereas in such a situation.
It was round this time that the person within the photograph above got here biking down the bike path and I waved him down to assist me. I shortly defined to the person that the previous man on the bicycle was drunk and had fallen into the road and that possibly we must always assist him. However this second, a lot youthful, man insisted that the previous man was tremendous and that we must always simply proceed on our manner.
It was then that I defined to the person that I had been bicycle touring in Iceland and England for the final month and had only in the near past crossed over into mainland Europe. When he found that I used to be trying to find a spot to spend the night time, he referred to as up his spouse to ask for permission, after which invited me to spend the night time tenting in his yard.
After accepting his sort provide, I adopted the person a brief distance throughout city earlier than strolling my bike via a slim wood door and alongside the facet of a virtually hidden brick residence. Within the man’s small yard I arrange my tent and was then invited inside for a a lot wanted bathe and a night across the dinner desk.
Over an enormous bowl of pasta and fresh-made vegetable sauce, the person and his spouse informed me about their very own bicycle touring adventures in Belgium. They confirmed me some photographs from an image album and defined that they felt little must journey to different elements of the world as a result of they’d a lot to see and do proper in their very own yard. This mentality jogged my memory a whole lot of the way in which many People really feel about touring abroad.
In the long run, I had a fantastic night with the couple. I obtained a heat bathe, ate two plates of scrumptious meals, and had some fascinating dialog. Afterward, I retired to my tent and slept soundly after a full day on the bike.