We were up at 7.30am - way too early! We have a routine for packing up now though that was interrupted today as Richard went down to the shop to buy bread and I made sandwiches. We left about 9.45am which was 15 minutes before we had wanted to leave and a good hour before we needed to leave!
It was just as well we left early as we got caught up in a deviation (our third!) and ended up heading north instead of South! We had hoped to get fuel yesterday but it didn't happen so when Richard saw a small garage with a couple of pumps he stopped, filled up and went to pay. He came back to the car and said empty your purse their card machine isn't working! The fuel had come to 70 Euros and we only had 35 Euros! Monsieur tried to get through to the card company but when Richard said that we had a ferry to catch he offered to take him to the nearest ATM to get the cash! Monsieur said it was only about a kilometre but when Richard got back, looking a little pale, he said it had been further and that he had feared for his life with Monsieur's driving!
We finally got back on track and headed back to Le Havre. We stopped to eat our baguettes and then drove on. The road is good nearly all the way and then you hit the motorway. We knew there were three Peages to contend with but we have a Toll Tag so can sail through the fast lane. However at the first Peage we pulled in behind a lorry and sat there and sat there. Eventually I got out and realised that the barrier was broken! Richard had to reverse out with cars racing around all over the place! We pulled into the lane next door and got through. At the second Peage Richard was just about to pull in behind a lorry when I realised there was a problem up the front of the queue - a Dutch motorhome had got themselves into the wrong lane! Richard was able to swerve into the adjoining pay lane. Thank goodness the third Peage all went well!
We arrived at the Ferry Port spot on 3.30pm which is the time pet owners are required to check in. The check-in booths weren't even open! Eventually we were checked in and then had to wait and wait and wait. All the cars went on board but caravans, motor homes and any other trailers had to wait. It was so hot and poor Muffin was panting. We realised in the end that they wanted to load the lorries before the rest of us but the lorry drivers just rocked up when they felt like it, they then had to go and register their paperwork. We finally boarded about 4.40pm - 70 minutes after arriving.
The crossing was smooth but about three quarters of the way across the fog came down and our ship's fog horn was blaring constantly. Richard kept looking out to see if he could see where we were and, at one stage, thought that he could see one of the forts in the Solent. Next thing we could see the new aircraft carrier, Queen Elizabeth, in the naval dockyard. We were one of the first vehicles off and were soon on our way home - we only live about 20 minutes from the ferry port!
It was nice to be home - three weeks in a caravan and 1125 miles is all very well but there is nothing like home!
The photos in this post are ones are either ones I really like or that didn't quite make it into other posts.
And finally
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