This year our plan is to switch it up a bit from our usual go to places like France and Spain and try new less touristy destinations in Europe, this time Belgium and the Netherlands.

Day 1 of our journey starts with a lovely breakfast supplied by Jacky in Eynsford Kent, before we head off in Luci to catch a ferry in Dover.

The Channel is a gorgeous green colour today.Tony is excited to spot the first wildlife of the trip, a dolphin following another ferry.

In Calais we head towards Belgium. I look into campsites and we eventually decide on one just across the border in Belgium in a little place calledRoisin. There are fewer to choose from compared to France and Spain as it’s much less touristy. On route we spot the Brazil women’s world cup team! Its a inviting, small and green campsite.The sun is shining when we arrive so after setting up, we quaff a cold one. Spend an hour or two enjoying the good weather and planning the next couple of days with our trusty lonely planet guide and a map.

La Roisin campsite

Well earned beer

Just around the corner from the site are fish ponds stocked with carp and trout and a bar terrace and restaurant overlooking the ponds. It’s very picturesque with ducks and ducklings of various ages everywhere. We decide to try the bar a bit further into Roisin and enjoy a drink whilst we dither over the menu. The food is strange, lots of bread with deep fried meats and burgers of every variety including filet americain which is actually raw beef a la steak tartare! Eventually we go back to the first bar, choose badly, eat quickly and then drink beer and fizz and watch ducks, leaping fish and canoodling couples. A good start to our trip.

Walls of Roisin campsite

Fish ponds

Gorgeous weeping willow in the centre of one of the fish ponds

Champagne instead of beer