Friday 31 July 2015

In Ilkley

We are counting ourselves very lucky to be safely home with all the problems at the Channel.  We received an email on Sunday evening at our b&b about an hour from the port to say there would be no Calais sailings next day,  we were booked to depart at 11 am next morning, and that we should proceed to Dunkirk. We got up extra early anticipating problems, they started immediately when our sat nav wouldn't work and we drove round the little French villages looking for the auto route. We found the slip road but it was closed, more travelling in circles till we eventually got on our way.  
At Dunkirk we queued for around 1.5 hours to be told we needed to go to the office and rebook our crossing, what they actually meant was go outside the compound and back to the end of the queue to start again.  Mr FF, and don't try this yourself, decided to park the car and walk back, through lines of lorries, past security staff etc leaving me sitting in the car feeling very uneasy but it worked and saved a lot of time.
We were re-booked onto the 3 pm ferry that actually left at 4 pm, another 1.5 hours queue to check in, a jam packed boat and another choppy crossing but we arrived back in Dover relieved.  A good drive back to Yorkshire including a stop for fish and chips and relax.
I really can't contemplate the return journey to Italy at present, I need time here to enjoy the calm and cool.  
I have lots to tell you about the exceptionally hot weather, stages of the Giro and the Tour de France, the madness of trying to get things done, rants will follow, don't they always.  

And while you are waiting, here's a picture of our little Italian cats Theo on the left and Lisa on the right.  Still no sign of the kittens, we are being kept informed by guests who are staying in our house and taking good care of them both for us.

7 comments:

  1. What a mess. Are the French ever going to be able to sort out the refugee problem?

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  2. I have just passed a pleasant lunch time reading your blog. I guessed where you lived and followed back to find out. I was in said college from 1974-77. Married a yorkshire man and now live in the USA. When we make return trips we stay at the old college "Student union" at Westwood Lodge.
    I lived on the top floor...looked out over the road coming down from the Cow and calf.

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    1. Julie, I was very touched by your post. Let me know next time you are in Ilkley and if we are here I will be delighted to show you round our apartment. We live on the opposite side to where you were, we look over the town but all the views are spectacular.

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  3. Welcome home!! Although given the weather, you may soon wish you were back in Italy!! What goings-on in Calais ..... I have been shouting at the tv news every night, giving the French authorities some succinct advice on what to do to solve the problems.

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  4. Your journey home sounds hideous. Glad you made it back without any unwelcome stowaways. Love, love, love the photo of your two cats and hope that you will be hearing news of the pitter patter of tiny paws very soon.

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  5. I hate that driving round in circles thing, where you can't find the way out and it feels like you're doomed to go round and round forever. But you're back and hopefully feeling all calm and relaxed. And cool. We can usually do cool very well here!

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  6. The cats are just gorgeous - so sweet! Glad somebody is there to look after them in your absence.

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