Zierikzee is the largest town on the island of Schouwen-Duiveland, and just is just a few kilometres from where I am staying this weekend.
Earlier I decided I should probably go to the supermarket to find some dinner, so I got in the car just as it was getting dark and set off on the 5km route to Zierikzee.
I completely confused a couple of Dutch drivers completely by driving on the left. As I approached a T-junction on the left, 2 locals were wanting to turn out of the junction. It was only a 30km/h (19mph) zone so all were going slowly anyway, but even having met other drivers I didn’t work out that I was on the wrong side of the road…it was only when I reached the junction with the main road that I realised I was on the wrong side of the road. (We’ve all done it when driving abroad, haven’t we!?)
Actually, I was on the right side of the road. It’s the Dutch who drive on the wrong side.
I found a car park close to the city centre, free after 6pm, within reach of the Albert Heijn supermarket (it’s a bit like their version of Morrisons). Driving in the centre of the city though was a bit weird: cobbled streets with no road markings… It was more like one of those “shared spaces” rather than an actual road. Conveniently located though – not too far to get back to the main road.
I made it back safely, and after eating dinner I spent the evening in front of the TV, with the fire going.
This is the first time I’ve driven at night whilst abroad – the beam deflector stickers do rather give my headlights a weird beam pattern! They stop so much light going off to the left, dazzling oncoming traffic when driving on the right – but actually my vision wasn’t restricted as much as I thought it would be. Driving abroad at night is just as easy as driving at night in this country.
To show just how easy it is to get from Zierikzee to where I am in Noordgouwe, here’s some Dashcam footage of my drive back: