Back in the old routine

I drove for a few hours last night & then found an Aire and had a few hours sleep. Driving in France is a joy - the roads are empty and direct (even if the tolls can smart a little) - but the distances are huge. Setting off just after seven I reached Calais six hours later.
I got pulled over for inspection by French Customs - but a quick look in the van - a quizzical raise of the eyebrow at the ice axes and a badly constructed reply of "J'suis une Guide de la Moyen Montagne" and I was waved through - to the UK Border Control. Now without being overly critical their job appears to be - look at passport, look at persons face, type number into computer, check response - wave person through or wave person to security - yet... it took four of them ninety minutes to do less than thirty vehicles - most people missed their scheduled train - I only got through because they let me go in the commercial vehicle lane.
Todays blip was aiming for arty - mostly managed annoyed.