Cycle cycle and into Halle for a toilet stop, a pain au chocolat and a fag. Perhaps the fag wasn't the best idea as the road out of Halle is a massive hill... It turns out that belgium is not completely flat, again! These hills were not, however, small and mildly annoying such as those on the way to Brussels. Anyway nothing to be done but power on and be thankful that it wasn't windy.
Into Nivelles for lunch of tuna sandwiches then back on the road to Namur. More hills in the afternoon meant that I decided to stop for a coffee in a tiny wee village. Went in and lots of locals (none of whom could speak any English) looked rather puzzled at a young Scottish girl with a brutal haircut and a bike happening upon their pub. After lots of map pointing and terrible French from me they realised what I was up to and they loved it! Really sound folk who insisted on buying me a beer and explaining that the road to Namur contained some "montagne" which i reckoned meant more brutal hills. This is them:
It was actually perhaps a blessing that they suggested "montagne" because it meant i was waiting for a horrific hill the whole way and was pleasantly surprised when I ended up in Namur without such an event. To the tourist office for a map then to the hostel which, thank god, had a room for me!
Beer, beer, beer and chat with Benjamin, the soundest receptionist ever and apparently (not by his own admission) the best guy in Namur. Also met his friend Jerome who delivers groceries on a bike and lives on a boat. He invited me for lunch the next day and thankfully Benjamin had a space for me the next night so I could hang about the next day.
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