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On our way

…and we were off! It was a straightforward jaunt down the M1 and M20, in order to get to the tunnel for a 16:50 train. Well it would have been but we had a quick stop at Fox House because someone forgot to reconnect the speedo cable and it took until there to notice and find somewhere to sort it.

This summer the Landy has a rebuilt overdrive and a new injection pump and that combo seems to work better than previously. There seems to be more power at higher speeds and I was able to stay in 5th overdrive, only very occasionally dropping to 5th.

We had confidently removed the blinds from the rear side windows, which usually stay up all the time  Following our Dartford Crossing in 2019 we had paid the amount requested on their website, only to arrive home some weeks later, to a flurry of paperwork and two fines. We had not paid the required amount, inspite of paying the requested amount. This was later diacovered to be because our vehicle, as caught on camera, didn’t look as expected and I think was later classed as commercial (it isn’t) . I think we have it sussed this time.

Eating lunch at Maidstone services, we remembered that we had forgotten our hi-viz vests. France 🇫🇷 seems to have lots of rules of the road, like personal breathalysers (don’t have) and UK sticker on the back (don’t have), UK on reg plates (do have)  Hi- viz vests is another but then why wouldn’t you have them?

Well we forgot ours, they aren’t on the list😱, so “what should we do”? We decided to buy two but from where? Well they probably have them at the Tunnel shops but they are bound to be pricey. Screwfix is usually good value and guess what, there’s one at Ashford, which is on the way. 

So Click for Collect, Drive, Check-in on the app and before you’ve walked in the door there are two luminous vests on the counter, ready for Pick-up..

They don’t even ask for ID They just tell you your name and you say “yes”. Surely that’s the wrong way round?! Anyone would think that they have been trying to make it easier to buy stuff.



That was easy and it was only a few more minutes to Eurotunnel and we were ‘in’, placed on an earlier ‘crossing’ and soon aboard, following signs for ‘larger vehicles’ onto a single deck train.

These trains are amazing.

I hope that ‘Reg’ Dudley got to use it too. He was our O’Level Geography teacher who taught us about the possible “Chunnel” and the possible 3rd London airport at Foulness sands.





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Comments

Mark M. said…
Have a great trip, travel safely. MM.
1 June 2023 at 16:58
Tim said…
Thanks chap.
1 June 2023 at 18:29
Charlie said…
Can't believe they weren't on the list after all these years!
3 June 2023 at 17:08
Tim said…
I know -who’d have thought? Another key item that’s missing is the laundry bag (from Holiday Inn Pudong)!
3 June 2023 at 17:21
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