The road to Berlin less travelled (Using Boats on Business Trips, Part XII)

To get to the Berlin Money Fair I could have made my way to Heathrow for a short flight and a cab to the hotel, but why do that when you can take four trains, a big boat, another five trains, and, yes, a cab to the hotel?

The first four trains got me to Harwich International. I’d like it to be clear that all the trains were on time.?

The high point was Manningtree, where the station buffet has draft beer and gives you a plastic glass to take it on the train. In a personal first, I watched on my satellite phone map as the blue light - my primitive avatar - skirted the mud of the Stour estuary in the dark. An easily accessible form of night vision on the way to the big white ship.

I was pleased to see winter foot traffic on the Stena ferry - the Hollandica - had returned to pre-Covid levels. There were nearly a dozen people waiting to board for the night crossing.?

I found the Sundeck Bar, sadly if predictably shut, but was impressed by the basketball court they have ready for the warm weather. It’s right next to the truck drivers' smoking area, if you make the trip and can’t find the hoops.?

By contrast, the indoor bar was open and ready for business.

For junior travellers, Happy World beckoned.

Post-Brexit truck traffic, as opposed to foot traffic, seems strong on the route to the Hook of Holland - the ferry left after the scheduled time due to the numbers to be loaded. I had to stay up past bedtime to see the lights of Harwich and the huge port at Felixstowe. Best of all was the white smoke/steam soaring above the stack.

Then back to the Captain’s Cabin and a good night’s sleep till 6.30, when the call to breakfast came loud and clear through the ship’s address system.

The cabin’s porthole framed first light over Dutch windmills, sort of.

And there we were, in actual Europe, with a whole day of train rides ahead. Hurrah!

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