Lost in Europe – Part Deux. (One Wedding and Another Awfully Big Adventure)
Since my last post, I have mostly been sleeping, flopping and trying to unwind from the adventures of the last few days.
First of all – it was so wonderful to see my family again, and the wedding was the perfect celebration to do so.
The Bride looked beautiful, my cousin looked like the happiest man on earth, they got ‘hitched without a hitch’ and the dancing, eating and drinking went on merrily until well into the early hours leaving many tired, but content guests heading to bed with big smiles covering the yawns.
My lack of fluent German meant that conversation was limited, but I spent loads of time just sitting and playing with my gorgeous nephew, and I was more than happy to just listen to the chatter with a beer in my hand, whilst getting pampered and fed lots by my Aunt and Uncle. I don’t have any close family over this side of ‘the puddle’ so every minute with my folks there was precious.
Since my last post, I have mostly been sleeping, flopping and trying to unwind from the adventures of the last few days.
First of all – it was so wonderful to see my family again, and the wedding was the perfect celebration to do so.
The Bride looked beautiful, my cousin looked like the happiest man on earth, they got ‘hitched without a hitch’ and the dancing, eating and drinking went on merrily until well into the early hours leaving many tired, but content guests heading to bed with big smiles covering the yawns.
My lack of fluent German meant that conversation was limited, but I spent loads of time just sitting and playing with my gorgeous nephew, and I was more than happy to just listen to the chatter with a beer in my hand, whilst getting pampered and fed lots by my Aunt and Uncle. I don’t have any close family over this side of ‘the puddle’ so every minute with my folks there was precious.
(me and the most gorgeous baby in the world!)Sadly, what seemed like all too soon, it was time to start heading back to Blighty. My Aunt made sure I had plenty of food and drink with me for the journey (about half a cellar full) and after I’d thrown my stuff in the car, and my Cousin and Uncle had loaded some boxes of things that my dear late Grandmother had left me into the boot, I set off clutching a piece of paper on which my other cousin had noted down direction on ‘how to get back to England via the Autobahns’.
Alas, I somehow managed to miss a turning again…
However, I managed to get back on the right track despite a ‘kind man’* at a service station sending me the wrong way which meant an extra few hours to my journey, but as I like driving and I wasn’t booked onto any particular ferry, I decide to sit back and enjoy the drive.
Until another bloody storm hit.
The rain was so heavy I had to slow down to about 20mph, and it was only after I stopped at a convenient services, that I looked at the map and realized that once again, I was heading back to so*ding Belgium, and yet again it was starting to get dark.
Fortunately, I only managed to spend a little time trying to find my way out of Brussels that time, but still the storm was with me.
It’s not often that I get scared, but being alone on a strange motorway, in teeming rain, in the dark, with no other signs of lights or life, and no working mobile terrified me.
But I survived, I found Calais, managed to catch a night ferry with only an hours wait, and the only ‘problem’ I had when I got back to Dover, was being stopped, searched and interrogated by the Customs officers for half an hour!
Officer: Hello, do you know it’s illegal to bring drugs or firearms into the country?
Me: Yes, but I couldn’t afford to buy any even if I wanted to.
Alas, I somehow managed to miss a turning again…
However, I managed to get back on the right track despite a ‘kind man’* at a service station sending me the wrong way which meant an extra few hours to my journey, but as I like driving and I wasn’t booked onto any particular ferry, I decide to sit back and enjoy the drive.
Until another bloody storm hit.
The rain was so heavy I had to slow down to about 20mph, and it was only after I stopped at a convenient services, that I looked at the map and realized that once again, I was heading back to so*ding Belgium, and yet again it was starting to get dark.
Fortunately, I only managed to spend a little time trying to find my way out of Brussels that time, but still the storm was with me.
It’s not often that I get scared, but being alone on a strange motorway, in teeming rain, in the dark, with no other signs of lights or life, and no working mobile terrified me.
But I survived, I found Calais, managed to catch a night ferry with only an hours wait, and the only ‘problem’ I had when I got back to Dover, was being stopped, searched and interrogated by the Customs officers for half an hour!
Officer: Hello, do you know it’s illegal to bring drugs or firearms into the country?
Me: Yes, but I couldn’t afford to buy any even if I wanted to.
Apparently, a solitary blonde, in a car which is packed full of boxes is 'dodgy'.
Bastards… I know they were only doing their jobs, but still…
Anyway, I’m putting the whole journey down to experience, and the next time I’m going to Deutschland, I’m getting a decent map!
Oh, and my darling dog gave me a wonderful welcome, and hasn’t left my side since I got back which is fine my me :)
Bastards… I know they were only doing their jobs, but still…
Anyway, I’m putting the whole journey down to experience, and the next time I’m going to Deutschland, I’m getting a decent map!
Oh, and my darling dog gave me a wonderful welcome, and hasn’t left my side since I got back which is fine my me :)
I'm going back to sleep again now.
ttfn.
*Tosser
*Tosser
posted by Misty at 5.7.05
|
Listen to this article
<< Home