Day 1 Chelmsford - Reims

Great to be on the road at last. Emotional farewell to the Chelmsford crew, they have been absolutely brilliant to us and I hope we can repay the hospitality shown to us when they next visit NZ.
We left around 8:30 and blasted down the motorway to Folkstone and Le Tunnel. Super well organised and efficient, we arrived early so they offered us an earlier departure, so we made up for 1 hour time difference between England and France.

 We hit the motorway as the B roads near Paris are notoriously crowded and slow. We turned off after about 20 minutes and sampled our first French pastry Ooh La La. Back on motorway with bike sitting nicely at 130Kph. Pulled off for gas about 80km north of Reims and had another pastry and booked our accommodation for the night. The rolling country here is very pretty and the countless towns with their castles and church spires are very picturesque. I have adapted (early days) to riding on the wrong side of the road with no hiccups although my guardian angel (Robyn) has been helpful in this regard, except when she directed me around the service station carpark twice! The Triumph is getting noticed in carparks already probably because it reminds people of steptoes rag n bone cart, but people are friendly and interested in what we're up to. Settled in to hotel in Reims and had a nice wander about the town and then dinner. The Cathedral was especially impressive. Lovely outdoor dining in car free precincts under the trees, very nice. Back at the hotel i did battle with a couple of ferry booking websites but got there in the end.