Having just passed my “C” test I thought I’d do a trip diary of my most recent, and maybe last, trip to Spain in my sprinter van…
Day 1
I left my house on the Wirral at about half 12 Sunday lunch time, heading for Derby, being a sunday I thought I’d risk the M6, which proved to be a good gamble as the traffic was completely free flowing. I arrived at the yard in Derby about half 2, 3’o’clock-ish, saw the boss-man, did my vehicle checks, collected my petty cash euros, and was away by about half 4, half an hour later I was southbound on the M1 heading for the chunnel. Knowing about the widening works at the bottom of the M1, I was in 2 minds as to whether I should come off, and hit the A14/M11 or stay on the M1, I had plenty of leeway as far as my train was concerned, as I was booked on the cheap rate gone midnight crossing. I decided to stay on the M1 and risk it, but my luck held the works weren’t too slow. Next stop is my Brothers house, he lives just off the M25, so it is a convenient stop point, I was there for about half 7, 8’o’clock, which gave me 2-3 hours to chill, chat and neck some serious ammounts of coffee! Leaving at about 11’o’clock I was arriving at check in by quarter past 12. I then had an hour to sit around before making my way to pass port control at ten past 1.
This is were I hit my first hold up, I rolled down onto the platform, sat there for a bit then the shutter started closing on th train! What about me I thought, There was 2 other vans on the platform with me, and eventually we were ushered up and off the platform, and back round into the post-passport queing area. Where I was told th next train wasn’t untill 10 past 3.
Needless to say I was mighty annoyed at this, so I complained, and because of my mouth I got an eat-as-much-as-you-want voucher for the terminal, and the cost of my trip refunded, fair enough. Once through the tunnel, I got to the first aire on the A26/E15 and called it a night.
Day 2
I woke about 8am french time, and continued on my way south via Paris, Orleans, Chateauroux, Limoges, Montauban and Toulouse, what is there to say about this leg of my trip, uhr… it takes a long time? France, at least the France i see off the toll-roads, is just so boring, I keep to 130kmh at watch the kilometers to go drop off my satnav, at the same time as giving my iPod a serious work out.
(this photo is from a previous trip, but I like it that much I added it anyway!)
Anyway when I reach Toulouse I don’t head towards Perpignan and Barcelona, I hook a right up the A66/E09 and cross the Pyrenees via Foix, Ax-les-thermes and the 2 toll tunnels, crossing the border at Bourg-Madamme, then heading south towards Barcelona, I got just south of Barcelona on the AP7/E15 near Tarragona. Here I stopped for the second time.
However it’s too small widthwise, and uncomfortable, the strap digs into my arm, so I sleep across the seats!!