Crossing

Crossing the water.
Suspended between two worlds,
Seeking direction.

Quite an emotional day today. My Mum died two years ago and today we finally laid her ashes to rest and erected a memorial stone. There are lots of reasons why this took so long, which I won't bore you with. I wasn't sure if it was going to happen today as it meant making a journey from Sussex to Essex in the snow. However the roads were clear so once we'd got out of our drive (thank you Mark for digging us out) it was relatively plain sailing.

This image is taken on the way back going over the bridge at the Dartford Crossing on the M25, which takes you across the River Thames on it's way out to sea. I always want to take pictures here, there's often a very good view upriver to London with Canary Wharf on the horizon, but I am usually driving - so not advisable. Anyway today I managed it (next time I'll ask Mark to drive in the middle lane!). The crossing has a sort of symbolic significance for me. I grew up in Essex and later migrated to Kent and then Sussex - so crossing from Sussex to Essex always takes me back to my childhood and adolescence, while crossing from Essex to Sussex takes me from adolescence to adulthood. Both places feel like home. I have strong roots in Sussex as my Dad came from here, so it is also part of my childhood.

I have crossed the river here so many times ever since the first tunnel was built, then they built another tunnel, then the bridge. Latterly the crossings were fraught with emotion and worry. Today seemed extra significant as I have finally laid my Mum to rest and next time I go it will be to bring flowers and visit her. It is comforting somehow to know she has a place dedicated to her.

Anyway, just after crossing this bridge, they played Chris Rea's "Road to Hell" on the radio, which is often how I have felt about this particular stretch of motorway, so I thought I'd put a link to the song in my blip. I looked it up on Wikipedia and what do you know - he wrote it about the M25! I never knew that - but he obviously has a similar relationship with that particular road!

So I have decided to give you the lyrics and a clip to the video. I can't say I've ever been a Chris Rea fan, but this is a good song ....

If you've read this far - thank you, sorry for rambling....

Road to Hell

Well I'm standing by a river
But the water doesn't flow
It boils with every poison you can think of
And I'm underneath the streetlight
But the light of joy I know
Scared beyond belief way down in the shadows
And the perverted fear of violence
Chokes the smile on every face
And common sense is ringing out the bell
This ain't no technological breakdown
Oh no, this is the road to hell

And all the roads jam up with credit
And there's nothing you can do
It's all just bits of paper flying away from you
Oh look out world, take a good look
What comes down here
You must learn this lesson fast and learn it well
This ain't no upwardly mobile freeway
Oh no, this is the road
Said this is the road
This is the road to hell

Chris Rea

Track