Bravo Lima India Mike Echo Yankee

Looking into the mandatory requirements for Belgium, it appears we will need not one but two VHF radios.  This equipment (I believe) is an optional requirement for France so we were not planning on bothering with it.  We have decided that as we will be off-loaded in Belgium and we don’t want to be constrained in where we wander, we will have to bite the bullet and install VHF.  Unfortunately for Martin, this means that he now has to undergo yet another training course to obtain his radio license.  I am testing his phonetic alphabet knowledge at random times during the day but he seems to have a mental block on Quebec preferring Kuwait instead (I know).  Any top tips for drilling this into him would be much appreciated.

Other non-essential, non-mandatory items we are struggling to make a decision on are having a fridge and washing machine on board for our journey.  In the 14 years of living aboard, we have never owned a fridge, preferring our pre-industrial revolution version of an insulated marble slab on the base of the boat.  This has served us brilliantly as we use very little in the way of power and the solar panel provides enough for the telly and lighting.  As we are not sure of the availability of fresh food along the canal, and there is only so much brown rice and tuna one can eat, we may have to get one, but where to put it is the dilemma. 

Again, with the washing machine, we did actually own a washer drier when we first moved on Genie’s Wish but it proved such a faff with having to keep the engine running which meant having to be on board during operation and with all the water consumption we eventually gave up and used the local launderette for a service wash.  Again, we don’t know how often we will find a launderette and although I can manage the smalls, not sure I could hand wash towels and bedding.  

Photo Martin took when we were last in Amiens,
funny to think we may actually be moored here one day