An early morning was necessary as we had about 280 miles to cover before arriving at Calais Port and to ensure that we were in ample time for our ferry we needed to leave the site around 0800 which we just about managed after an alarm call around 0700. UhhgBy leaving early we missed the traffic around le Mans and we joined the motorway after travelling for what seems like many miles of passing American style shopping malls. We headed for Alencon and then to Rouen via Liseaux. All well so far but somehow all the roads from leaving Le Mans seem to be uphill all the way until we reached Rouen around 150 miles away. We use the Michelin route maps as they are usually very reliable but somehow not this time. So we got a little lost in the North of Rouen and had to call up the Sat Nav to save our bacon and when it said it would take 3 hours 35 minutes to Calais the blood pressure started to rise as that would make us a little late for our boat. However after driving and following the instructions from a nice young lady and twenty minutes later we were down to 2 hours and ten minutes so we assume the SAT Nav bullt in out slow travel time for the past one hour. So uphill again we went, how can it be possible that you travel almost 280 miles virtually uphill all the way with perhaps the odd period of a few miles when the road is level or slightly downhill. I must call the National Geographic Society when I get home to inform them of this mystery.
After stopping for fuel to take advantage of the lower fuel costs in Europe we finally made it to Calais Port where there was a long queu waiting for some British Immigration people to start work which they did in fits and starts and it took us almost 45 minutes to cover the last few hundred yards when in the past 45 minutes we had covered 30 miles or more. Perhaps they were working to rule or just checking to see that how many illegals were hiding in caravans or in the Immigrations officers bus etc.
Finally we caught our P & O ferry and we immediately headed for Langham's Brasserie where Noel enjoyed the Fish and Chips and Jennifer the 'Pasta' of the day.
Two hours later we were leaving Dover in the rain for our 100 mile journey back to Weybridge. The Radio 2 traffic news sounded really bad with just about every motorway subject to accidents and delays but somehow it did not affect us, we saw any number of accidents on the opposite carriageway but we were not affected.
We arrived home at around 7.30 and by the time we had put the caravan in the drive and put on all the security stuff including welding the wheels to the floor, we went inside for a well earned cup of tea.
Well that's the end of another lovely holiday and although its great to go away its also nice to come home but somehow we feel it wont be long before we are off again somewhere else. Now we have to catch up on all the outstanding bills and letters, what a pain.
See you later in the year when we start another little trip somewhere.
