Day one started at midnight, leaving a friend’s wedding celebration to drive, sleep deprived, cross country to the Harwich ferry terminal. 2 hours of sleep later and Bertie the lumberbus finally leaves English soil.
The Harwich to Hook of Holland Ferry is one giant floating waiting room for a dentist’s appointment that you will never receive. The great pleasure was finding a place atop this monstrous waiting room amongst other couples and families resting travel weary eyes, lolling on the azure blue decks. After sleeping our way to the continent Bertie coughed to life and we drove along raised carriageways, past greenhouses bursting with flowers, cruising with the doors open and a flower sweet breeze felt like the beginning of a new chapter in the lumber bus’s life. No more hauling drunkards cross town to St Marys or Royal free hospital, Bertie was sipping sweet Euro fuel and surprisingly, keeping his cool in the 30 °C heat.
Words: Hugo Pullen | Photos: Dora Damian