Friday 15th April 2016

Thursday

I has slept like a log, but the traffic outside, not too loud, but has woken me. I checked the phone: half six, so, seven hours sleep. Not enough, but it'd do. Outside the sun was about to rise, and the sky was perfectly clear, it looked like it was going to be a perfect Spring day; and as usual, I would be inside a factory until late afternoon. Oh well, pays the bills. I lay in bed listening to the outside world going about its business. I stretched and closed my eyes.

I was woken again by the phone alarm; time to get to work and do what I am paid for. I meet Manu downstairs for breakfast. More importantly, coffee. Lots of coffee. And fruit. That really is better.

I pay the bill, go upstairs to shower, pack and leave, making sure I have not forgotten anything, and I didn't, which shows how good I am this travel thing for work malarkey.

In the parking lot, I program the sat nav, Manu says he will follow me, and with a travel time of very nearly 5 minutes, it wasn't going to be tough. Onto the main road, along for half a mile and into the industrial estate, and with the security gates wide open, we drive right into the yard and to the visitor car park. No matter how times we said that we drove right in, our host did not believe us, it would take us leaving and us inquiring what to do as we did not have a leaving chit for him to sign, then he believed me.

So, lets get to work, anyway.

A meeting in the warmth of a spring morning, looking out to the countryside the other side of the car park, made it tempting to just give up on the meeting and go for a walk in the country. But I didn't.

The meeting wrapped up at half three, we all shook hands and went to our cars. As I had no exit chit, I followed one who did and hoped for the best, only to get busted for speeding through the factory yard, the guard had received a call from the factory manager to make sure we were told off, especially the one with the British number plate. That'll be me then.

I was allowed to leave, so I pulled over, programmed the sat nav for Calais: four and a half hours; sounded right. So, deep sigh, here we go.

Only the first problems was that it wanted to take me back to the autobahn and then back into Germany to Koln: I was sure I knew better, cutting across country I thought I knew like the back of my hand, back to Weeze and down the 271; would save ages. Of course, as all Hobbits know, short cuts make for long delays, and instead of the estimated arrival time being 19:40, that soon slipped to 20:30. Bugger. But, I did find a nice quiet grage to fill up the tank in, and they had raspberry Magnums to tempt me. I was too weak to resist, and it was fuitifully wonderful.

The sat nav took me over the Maas via a new bridge then down another motorway back to Venlo then heading west, retracing my wheeltracks of the day before. All the time driving into the golden light of the setting sun. Traffic was variable, from thick with trucks and cars, to miles and miles of clear road, which made driving at the speed limit a joy. Passing round Eindhoven was fine, and all was fine until I got near to Antwerp. As I have said, Antwerp has a number of motorways and major roads converging then running together through the centre of the city beside the main line railway to the Kennedy Tunnel. It was horrible, we slowed down and crawled for ten miles, stopping and starting.

Just when you thought I would be there forever, a matrix sign said that time to Antwerp West junction was just ten minutes; suddenrly the jams cleared, we sped up and dropped down into the tunnel as more motorways split off, and I was on clear roads down to Gent and into France.

A huge storm over the Channel sent strong showers as I hammered along, but it was fine, I could now tick off places I knew so well, until crossing the boarder into France, past Dunkirk to Calais. It was nearly dark when I pulled up at the self check in, and I was just an hour earlier than planned. I could have got on a train in ten minutes, but decided to go to the terminal for a drink and some retail therapy.

I buy a coffee with cinnamon syrup and some almond biscotti, which went down rather well. For retail therapy, I buy two boxes of chocolate truffles and a selection of French mustard. As you do.

I see that my train has been called, so walk to the car and drive alone to the waiting area, but am just waved through and onto the platform then onto the train, where there are only about half a dozen other cars on board. As before, the doors close, we have a safety brief then move off. Good bye France.

I finish my magazine just as we arrive back in Folkestone, and then I can put the radio on the see how Liverpool were doing. Badly as it turned out, already 2-0 down to Dortmund, and looking like they would concede more.

Once arriving home, I thought it would be bad form to put the radio on, so a while later I check the internet to find they were now drawing 3-3. Just before the end of the game, there is a huge roar from next door, signifying that Liverpool had scored a final minute winner. Quite a game, so much so that I record the highlights show to watch int he morning.

I am shattered, but my mind is still racing after driving for 5 hours, so I get ready for bed then lay in the dark as the rain falls steadily outside, until at some point about 11, I nod off.