Home time

We had a very chilly night. Actually it was jolly cold, so thank goodness for a blanket. At 3.40am I was so cold I couldn't sleep, so got up and put socks and a jumper on. Quite a big drop to the temperature in comparison to the week we have had.

We woke at just before 8, and boiled up a billy of water for tea which we had with croissants. Then we deflated our airbeds, and took down the tent, as it was clearly not going to dry before we needed to be away. So we will get it out to dry tomorrow at home. Jon is expert at packing, but it was a squeeze getting it all in the car. We must have bought more bits than we realise to take home with us.

We were on the road at about 9.45. Nice driving conditions, not too hot and the excellent french roads make the journey more bearable. We stopped in an Aire for a coffee break, then didn't stop again until we were quite close to Calais, finding a small town called Guines where we parked up and had our last holiday picnic.

Our ferry was due at 6.30pm but I hate being late, and would rather be at the port just waiting in the queue, however early! So we headed in to Calais at 4pm. After a bit of heavy traffic, and then very slow passport control, we got through at 4.45 and they put us on the 5pm boat! No queuing at all.

A nice ferry trip, and no feeling sick for me, which was good. Perhaps I'm growing out of it! Then Dover, reminders of 'Tenez a gauche', as we left the boat and greeted by horrible british roads/traffic. Just 3 hours 35 minutes the satnav says!

We had a stop in Canterbury for McDonalds. Had to pay £1.20 to park....that's the first car park we have had to pay in, during our whole week. All of the French ones were free!

I ran out of data on the drive back, so I'm preparing my blip, and will upload when we get home. Due home at just after 11pm. I wonder what other people do on long car journeys? We do the obvious - play lots of CDs. The ones we call our holiday CDs. Ones we can sing to. So far today we have listened to Buddy Holly (always have this!) Bryan Adams, Meatloaf, the Bee Gees, Gerry Rafferty (my choice) plus just caught The Archers as we got off the boat. So cant wait for sunday omnibus now. We also try to make 'plans'. Its a good time to talk to Jon 'cos he can't get away.. We (i) always do make plans, but for one reason or another (usually time and money) we don't get them done, but it's good to at least make a list. Today's planning discussions have been around cars (still agonising over what we replace Jon's with, what can tow but is also petrol and not too thirsty), plus caravan versus camping or trailer tent - what do we have space for, how big do we need, who is likely to holiday with us, wanting to have it all but need to be realistic etc etc. Then there was the allotment and garden plans. They are a bit like groundhog day, same plans made, just finding time to carry them out. But in order to do our bit for the planet etc, i feel i have to try harder to make the allotment work for us. So we are thinking about hiring a rotavator. Our soil is so poor we need to put some goodness into it, and digging is too time consuming and back breaking. One weekend to establish the beds, and turn them over is what I'm thinking, before winter. And adding 2 or 3 more chickens to keep Minnie company. I won't keep going on.

As you can tell, it has been a long drive (as passenger) so, well done if you are still reading....

Looking forward to seeing Mollie, Daniel and Ralph (& Bracken too I suppose), and sleeping in my lovely new bed!