Belgium, The Netherlands and Luxembourg
Benelux is a hybrid term for the countries of Belgium, The Netherlands and Luxembourg. I personally never liked the term, but it’s quicker to type and to say than using all three country names.
All three countries are fairly easy to access from the UK. You can take get a ferry direct to Zeebrugge or Hook of Holland and you’re basically there. Or, of course, there’s a tunnel or a ferry to Calais followed by half an hour of driving in France.
I’ve visited the area a number of times as a geocacher, and also, away back when everything was in black & white, I lived in The Netherlands for 19 months too. Not to dwell on the past too much, it was my first overseas work gig, and I was young, free and single.
Back at the plot, geocaching trips to the area have included:
- A family holiday in 2014 staying at a Center Parcs on the Dutch coast, which included a trip to my old home in Brielle.
- A passing visit through the south of Belgium and Luxembourg on our way the the Munich Giga Event in 2014
- A long weekend in Bruges in 2017 attending a Mega Event
- Fleeting visits across the border while attending a Geonord event in Northern France in 2018
Generally, I loved living in The Netherlands and have enjoyed all my trips back to the Benelux countries subsequently. That’s probably because I only ever go there when I’m on holiday. That makes most places much more enjoyable.
