Ibis Hotel Calais Car Ferry

We awoke to the noise of trucks and early morning deliveries..Took Lucy for walk and packed van ready to hit the road again..Start? Yes!!

Breakfast at the Happy Chef opposite the Marina in Dover was very welcomed, and to be recommended. We will be checking out Uncle Sam's next time we pass through. Now down to the Ferry port for check in..

Ooh la la......

... br>The parade through Calais followed, with all the vehicles making as much noise as possible. The navigators were all frantically trying to work out where to go.
Unfortunately, we followed a group along the motorway, missing the correct exit. That was a mistake which we decided not to repeat again - we needed to have confidence in our own skills.

We ...

18th September

Staples 2 Naples – Day 1 – Calais to Sarnen.

Last night I was well fuelled up on continental 6% European blond beer! Real lethal stuff, it was served in 3 litre tubes, we had 3 of these between 4 of us!!

Not a good mix after just 1 hour sleep in 2 days!

After drinking this and signing up for the rally, with a few more beers, i was told we are heading for a ...

... to a strangled cat heard accross the campsite. Dave Shayler had gone for a shower only to find a token was needed for warm water and the camp office was shut. The screaming carried on until we were all showered - apparently it was refreshing!

The snoring started very shortly afterwards.

After bumbling along across northern France, we had time to call in to Epernay in the heart of the Champagne region for a little sight-seeing. Tim & Pete were still a day behind and we hoped to meet up in Calais in a day or so.

A tour of the House of Moet & Chandon was great fun and we both emerged many euro's lighter but looking forward to the bubbly when we got home...

A lovely ...

... sausage and beans but unlike so many of my seafaring experiences they came to no harm. All being well, I will be home at approx 1.30 , in my bed by 1.35 and asleep by 1.40! I hope to be able to get to see Francoise in St Jean de Luz flying Thursday, so will either enjoy continuing this blog or concentrating on the first habit of a highly effective person and that's putting first things first - or in other words - getting a job!

... the left hand side of the road i pleasantly say to him "Grant, what the beeb beeb are you doing?!"...so he replies to me (and this is the reply he has given to me every time i have pulled him up for his "drifting" over the last 9 months)..."I was just getting pushed around by the a)other cars b)wind c)tilt of the road d)all of the above...So being in the bad mood we were all in i exploded ...

... as a missionary, established his seat (or 'Cathedra') in Canterbury. In 1170 Archbishop Thomas Becket was murdered in the Cathedral and ever since, the Cathedral has attracted thousands of pilgrims, as told famously in Geoffrey Chaucer's Canterbury Tales. For more history, check this out: http://www.canterbury-cathedral.org/his tory/history.aspx I have just enough time for a brief look in the gift shop where I find a very nifty bracelet which I have not ...

... tower. One note, if you ever are in the area of Neurkirchen, don't stay at the Gutshof hotel. Too expensive for the price and very little heat, especially given that it was down to freezing last night. I thought I was never going to stop shivering (and I had all my clothes on and a fleece pullover). You might wonder why I didn't say anything to the management....small problem, the night manager knew no English, and I knew very little German. Oh and the price? 52 euro, which is ...

We soon climbed out of the tunnel and raced towards the train's first stop at Lille. The land was flat, bathed in sunshine and looking decidedly and strangely 'foreign' !!!

We were served with a late lunch during this section of the ride. Well cooked and well served! Also with a nice glass of champagne!!!