Just returned from a follow-up trip to Holland on my Sirocco CD. Shoulder injury now healed, so managed a total of six days cycling, all in glorious weather.
Cycling in the Netherlands is, quite simply, fantastic; a far better way to see the country than my usual mode of transport (motorcycle). It has to be said that a pedelec is not really essential over there but it does help eat up the miles between towns when touring, especially with luggage. Most evenings, however, I simply removed the battery and went into town using pedal power alone and the Sirocco was absolutely fine. Where the motor helped most was on the return journey to/from Rowlands Gill to Newcastle (Routes 14 and 72) to catch the ferry.
For those of you who may feel a little daunted (like myself) about heading abroad on your bike for the first time I can tell you not to worry. It is very straightforward. I simply booked online with DFDS (a couple of weeks before I left) and for £80 had a cabin to myself, including £10 for the bike. Boarding was hassle free and I carried a rain cape just in case it was pouring down whilst waiting in the queue. I pre-booked a B&B with booking.com and checked the route with the Bikemap app, although there are loads of online resources too. Once there, it's difficult to get lost
