So Glad To Be Home.

[Caran]

The journey yesterday was awful. The traffic on every road we went ont was nose to tail in France and England. We were originally coming back via Cirencester on A417. We got near air ballon pub, we could see about half a mile up the road, everything stationary, we managed to turn round and made it to M48 to Chepstow. Got home 8.00 having left the gite at 9.45. We did stop to do shopping at Auchen in Calais where I stocked up on cheese,
pate and lots of wine boxes!
The tunnel was a nightmare. We were there in plenty of time to get an earlier train but we were just stuck in a queue for over an hour.
But we got home safe and sound but shattered.

[Smowball]

Glad you’re home safe. There’s nothing like your own home is there.

[Caran]

I agree smowball. Your own shower feels like heaven!

[Mamyalynne]

Home to rest and back in your own bed x

[Caran]

Slept like a top last night.
What a strange expression that is!

[Baldric]

You just can't beat being in your own home.

[ummmm]

I'm always disappointed when I get home. I always think the house will be as I left it but I seem to forget I have children!

[Buenchico]

Make that cheap wine last because there won't be any more after Brexit :(

HMRC will want £2.23 from you for every bottle you bring in (apart from the first 4 litres), with VAT on top of that. So a bottle bought for the equivalent of £3 will cost you £3.28 to bring through customs :(

There's also the possibility of having to queue for hours (or even days) for customs clearance :(

[Caran]

Chris, I think I have decided no more foreign holidays for me. It takes too much out of me and I can't stand such long journeys anymore. I have felt like this for a few years now but out of consideration to OH I have carried on. But I think enough is enough.
He likes going abroad on his own once a year do he might well increase that to more trips.

[ummmm]

Would you not think of going somewhere by plane?

[Caran]

No ummmm haven't flown for years. I hate it also doctor advised not to fly as I have bad COPD.

[ummmm]

That's a shame. I hate flying too but I like holidays so have to grin and bear it.

[Smowball]

My in-laws do this every year for about 6 weeks. They get the ferry to France and then drive all the way to Italy and Spain, stopping at various hotels on the way. Sounds my idea of hell, especially in the heat, but they love it.

[ummmm]

My idea of hell too. I find getting from A to B excruciatingly boring.

[Smowball]

They literally drive hundreds and hundreds of miles!

[Maydup]

Welcome home Caran, I bet that cheese was a humming by the time you got home!

I have always admired you for your European travel, how you hook up and set off a few times a year and make it sound easy. I'm hopeless at long journeys and have never even attempted to drive on the other side of the road! But I think the traffic has definitely got worse this side of the channel over the last few years. We went to Devon from Norfolk earlier in the year and the roads just dont seem to be able to cope anymore.

[Caran]

We are going to Torquay first week of next month. I hope I cope better with that one.
But I must admit as soon as I go on holiday I am counting down the days until I can go home.
This is obviously an age thing.

[Smowball]

My Smow refuses to fly until the medics can give me an explanation for why I had that seizure on the plane the last time I flew, but so far every single test has shown nothing.

[ummmm]

When was it again?

[Caran]

I know,it's weird what goes on in our bodies Smow.
Everything seems so much effort lately. I did use my mobility scooter this time at the sealife museum. I doubt I would have coped otherwise.

[Smowball]

It was over a year ago now, I’ve seen neurologists, had MRI’s - nothing.