After 6 hours on the road, what have I learned?

In no particular order, I've learned the following:

* As a road, the A1 is a joke. As a joke, it's not funny.
* Werther's Originals are a very popular choice as a hospital visiting gift. Very.
* This is a cracking driving song.
* When a 2.5-hour journey becomes a 3.5-hour journey, it's not a fun-filled hour.
* A costermonger sells fruit (a bit of Tone Top Trivia).
* After 6 hours on the road, walking the dog round the block is bliss.
* Spending a day in a car doesn't give you a lot of blip material.

However, I've also learned that dad seems happy and looks well, and that his difficulties with balance might be caused by a weakness in his left leg. It seems that the physiotherapist can give him exercises to build up his strength, which may solve the problem. This sounds like a good thing.