A long day today that normally I don’t mind but not
looking too forward to this as not feeling 100% this morning and know I have
about 9 – 10 hours driving ahead of me!
I only have two pick-ups – Petersfield and Guildford –
and they both go okay and I’m away from Guildford at 06:10.
I’m booked on the 09:36 shuttle but am confident of
catching an earlier one, maybe even the 08:50.
Ten minutes after leaving Guildford I reach the M25 at
Wisley and it is closed for two junctions to Reigate! Not what I wanted or
needed!
I have to go across country via Cobham, Leatherhead and
Dorking to Reigate to rejoin the motorway and this must cost me about half an
hour on a day when driving time is precious.
We have a short comfort stop at Clackett Lane before
reaching the Shuttle Terminal in Folkestone at 08:25, allowing some time in the
terminal itself before boarding our train.
We drive from the terminal to the loading area only to be
told we are now not on the 09:36 but are on the 09:50! This just gets better!
I am given some excuse about an earlier train being late
or taken out of service (the usual excuses) but do not quite believe them as we
could have been told this when I arrived at the ticket office. It is busy today
with cars and caravans going away and I’m sure they get preference over coaches
as this always happens when it is busy. Surely a vehicle with a tacho and very
strict driving regulations should have priority? Even a small delay can affect
my day but a car or caravan can drive as far and for as long as they like. I
don’t think it is fair and it gives me the hump! And I tell the lady this as
well.
So we eventually get away at 09:50 and by 11:30 local
time I’m driving out of Calais.
Our overnight hotel is in Karlsruhe, Germany which is a fair
distance away and I have a choice of routes to take deciding on going through
France to Strasbourg and then into Germany and up to Karlsruhe.
The journey is long and a little uninteresting today as
we have three stops on the motorway in France before crossing the Rhine into
Germany and arriving at our hotel at 20:30.
We are staying at the Leonardo Hotel and so are a few
other groups! There are four coaches already here and another on its way. I
have said we will have dinner at 21:00 which gives people a few minutes to put
bags in rooms and quickly freshen up.
Dinner is a buffet which makes things a lot easier and
the choice is good and the folk are happy if a little tired!
I go to bed and don’t even unpack (something I always do
even for one night) or read and within seconds I’m asleep.
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