When we got back to Rusty on Friday night we discovered we had a visitor -


a coot was nestled up on the bathing platform. He didn't hang around once we'd got on board though.


Saturday started bright and sunny, and I was delighted to see a sand barge go by with a beach party onboard, complete with deck chairs, sun umbrellas and sand castles.


In the evening we watched a massive sea-going tug rescue a little inflatable with engine problems.

Saturday night in IJmuiden there was the most spectacular thunderstorm - almost continuous lightning and torrential rain. Which of course popped the electric breakers. No way was I going out in that to reset them. All respect to Jan, who did.

Then yesterday evening we had the same weather here in Leuven. Enough rain to flood houses and roads - the sirens were going all night.

It looked amazing on the BuienRadar. I've only ever seen speckles of red before (heavier rain, >10mm). This time it had large areas of pink (>100mm). Only over Belgium, except for a small curl over Southwold.

Until a couple of years ago, I'd only ever seen rain like this in Africa.

Made the trip back to Rusty in IJmuiden for the first time. The train to Haarlem is an hour shorter than Hoorn, which makes a bigger difference than you'd think. We'd have lost the advantage again in buses, but we indulged ourselves and got a taxi.

But before the taxi we wanted something to eat. The two Chinese restaurants were closed, so we paused for a drink at the Wachtlokaal, and discovered they also served food. We had an excellent meal of garlic mushrooms, fondue and Dame Blanch. To judge by the happy noises coming from the other crowded tables, everyone else was impressed too.

Arrived back in Amsterdam, tired and crumpled, then another 4 hours on the train to Leuven.

Going past Brussels Airport, a memento mori of our trip. A plane was sitting, broken backed, on top of the railway embankment.



We found out later that it was an American cargo plane, and all 5 crew had escaped uninjured. It had left the runway during take-off, and no-one knew why. Rumours are abundant.

Sadly, time to leave. Some frantic packing and a last cup of coffee and chai latte ...



... and in that last hour, the first rain we've seen.



As a parting gift, a final glimpse of the Blue Mountains as we flew over them.