Location: Neumannsdorp & Oud-Beijerland, The Netherlands
September 26
Good day. September 26th has arrived, the second time to make sure that things are going to be working for the foreseeable future. I was staying at a campsite in Neumannsdorp, where I was able to fill up with relatively inexpensive diesel before making my way to GlobalCar NL in Oud-Beijerland to apply for the export license plates.
Export License Plates
They arrived a little earlier than 9:00 AM, and I was able to get started. The team connected with RDW, the Dutch organization that handles cars and license plates, and helped me get the export license plates. We then removed the yellow license plates and exchanged them for white ones. The number didn’t change. After paying €150, I was ready to go. The fee primarily covered two weeks of third-party insurance, giving me just 14 days to travel across Europe, including Morocco and Western Sahara—a 4,500 km journey with a tight schedule and little room for sightseeing.
Stop at 4×4 St. Annaland
Before leaving, I made a stop at 4×4 St. Annaland, a showroom with a wide range of camping equipment, especially rooftop tents. They had many things on display, though not the cheapest. I was specifically looking for a High Lift Jack—a jack that can be mounted on the outside of the car and lift it without going under. Very handy if you ever get stuck in the mud, though I hoped not to test it!
Heading Out of the Netherlands
By noon, I was officially on my way out of the Netherlands. I planned my route with anticipated traffic around Antwerp and Brussels in mind, which I expected to be heavy due to construction. I opted to go via Liège in Belgium and then through Luxembourg, where diesel is cheaper than in France, Belgium, or the Netherlands.
Traffic and Arrival in France
There were a few slowdowns due to traffic and construction, but I made it all the way down to Nancy in France. After Nancy, it was getting late, and traffic slowed further, so I decided to get off the freeway and take the tall roads through smaller towns. On my third try, I found a hotel in a small place called Tul—Hotel Lorraine. It was an amazing spot right in the middle of town, with parking and a little restaurant across the way. A perfect first night on the road and a great start to the journey.
