Day 1: jumping from The Hague to Lisbon

The winter cycle adventure starts under a blue sky in the Netherlands. We live 20 km from a small airport, connected with even two cities in the neighborhood, Rotterdam and The Hague. It looks more like a small train station.

People in the airport terminal were wondering if we were taking out tv screen with us.

My kids did the self scan check in of the odd-sized luggage based on the explanation on the wall.

I hope they did everything right, so i will find my bike back in Lisbon.

It is a very relaxed airport, with only two commercial planes scheduled in the next coming two hours. However, private jets are arriving and leaving non stop. We could even see a rental design private jet of 5 Meuro parked on the tarmac. A surprise that this region is attracting so many jets.

Time for a groups picture in front of the plane and to say goodbye!

A last glimpse of the wetlands, rivers and North Sea of the home country.

The odd sized luggage arrives on a dedicated luggage belt nr 14, in the outer corner of the luggage pick up space. The box arrived in a good shape. I choose a quite corner near the belt for my big Lego exercise. A German man comes to me for some questions about the logistics and cost of transporting your bike, he seems to be interested to do it himself once.

One hour later i am good to go!

Leaving a big airport with a bike in a country other than the Netherlands isn’t easy. I double checked Google maps many times how to leave the area safely , as the first kilometers it looks i was driving in a highway. No cycle path and a lot of cars, crossings and roundabouts. An adventure on its own.

After 13 km through the labyrinth of Lisabon at night i reach my hotel, Jam Hotel. The bike can stay in the basement in a luggage room.

Looking forward to the real cycle stuff, tomorrow i will head for the most western point of mainland Europe. The westcape!