A continuation of my 6 weeks as a new driver.
After i was loaded in Holland with goods bound for Malta I headed off back down to Genova, Still the worry s and problems of the previous week still dancing around in my head, i made it safe and sound. Being given my 2nd trailer this trailer i got as far as Lyon France where a whole new episode started to unravel , At this point my GPS (Garmin 465) started taking me off the motorways round roundabouts and back on the same motorway i had just exited?? ■■■■…
Driving tense nervous and eyes pealed so wide i felt as though they where to pop out, I did start to relax a little bit and even went as far as singing alone to the radio then (BOOM i heard a loud bang ? i quickly pulled over again wondering if i had hit something , Noop a bellow on this trailer exploded, this was a huge worry to me as i had no idea if i was ok to carry on? being an engineer i disconnected the air hose to the naff bellow and fashioned a bung out of a twig to stop air leaking.
Off i went again wondering what else was waiting to me. I was then sent to drop my load in the UK yippee im going Home, As i was approaching Calais i received a text, i was booked on the channel tunnel train (cool i had never been on it . the smile was wiped clean of my face when i saw how narrow the carriages where that i had to get on. Ahh this was going to be a test, All was well although my tyers where a hairs width from the edges! i managed without embarrassing myself and holding up other drivers,
Soon i entered Good old Great Britain thinking confident and happy to be on my own soil ,What could go wrong!! feeling good i made it as far as the Dartford tunnel there i spent a while hutching ever closer to going through. finally it was my turn ,Oh ■■■■ i did`nt have cash only credit cards (problem) the guy on the toll was Great he told me sorry but i had to go to a ATM and get cash so he stopped all that was coming through so i could U-turn up a slip road and he directed me to a supermarket with a cash point ( Blue Waters) I did get a few strange looks .
I managed to get myself sorted through the tunnel and on my way again. feeling fine and still happy to be home that was shattered as i spotted a VOSA car behind me, I though knowing my luck im going to be stopped , YEPP!! it happened A lady officer asked for my Digi card etc i told her i was new and dont live in the uk , When she found out where i live she was very nice with me as she loves the rock??
Other than that that week was not bad and i started to enjoy it.
3rd week i was given a fr-ago loaded with peppers to go Holland again, no worry s confident i was told to set the fr-ago at +7 degrees that i did easy during the trip i could hear the fridge struggling , it was running erratically and then to the point of stauling , i called the office to report it and they said ok turn it off as i didn’t have to far left of the trip.
I found the place waiting for my load where i was unloaded then a guy came up to me and said we are going to put the fruit back in the trailer they didn’t want it? I went to look to my shock the whole load was frozen solid OMG,
I was told it was not my fault and to drop it off 2kms away at a another place that i did,
I did have other little episodes that i an just going to keep for the guys in the pub 
Despite having had more than my fare share of experiences on my first time i can say i finished the remainder of my 6 weeks without problems. Many thought i would have given up and hung up my keys , No im due to do it all over again next week and this time a little wiser and a bit more prepared and with a massive respect for Truckers.
hope you enjoyed my story
Keep safe Keep Trucking
G
