It started off with a short drive from oxford down to Poole on sunday afternoon for the 19.15 hour ferry to Cherbourg. Unfortunately it was the Coutances which is an old rust bucket…i always remind the staff in the ferry office of why they are still running the old tub and that they should take it out to sea and sink it…AQlways brings a laugh anyway…and as if they would ever listen to a driver in the first place.
Not much really happened this trip although i had 1 delivery in Hostalric and 2 deliveries in Barcelona.
I arrived in Hostalric at 5.00pm and was told to un-load at 0800 next morning (wed) much to the annoyance of the freight forwarder. I spent that evening outside the cab…next to the fridge with nice cold beers in, and munching on pork pies with english mustard, until a german driver pulled up as well and i shared a couple of beers with him, but turned down the offer of sauerkraut.
As always with Frans Maas work i had 1 pallet extra and it was noted on the c.m.r. Funny really cos the previous week i had 1 pallet less than what was on the paperwork.
I set off for Barcelona at 0830 and tried to get Frans Maas to off load both deliveries…but a hurried phone call from the uk told me that they never had permission to off load this delivery and i had to do it myself…oh well…at least i tried…
The delivery was on route to my first collection anyway …so what the heck…i duly put the address into the sat.nav and it took me right to the address anyway.
My first collection was just outside barcelona and when i arrived found a board outside the warehouse saying they are open from 0800 to 13.30…and from 15.30 to 18.30…so i had a 3 hour wait cos they didnt want to start loading before lunch. It only took 1.5 hours to load and i left there with enough space on the back for 10 pallets from Zaragosa. I arrived there that night at 21.30 and raided the fridge for a nice cold beer …or two…the sun had been belting down all day and the temperature was 31 degrees…and in my face all the time that whenever you stopped …the sweat would pour down…its funny how whenever i drive the sun seems to creep through some space thats not protecting you…little spaces behind the blinds or sun visors. It was difficult to sleep that night because of the heat…but somehow i managed and woke up thursday to a lovely sunrise. I already knew where the company was and duly drove for 5 minutes and arrived. I walked into the yard to be greeted in perfect english by a senor who told me to reverse onto the loading bay. At the previous collection the last pallet to be loaded was only half full, and sometimes the spanish like to be difficult, this was no different as i found out. They started loading the ten pallets and on reaching the last one, which was only half a pallet anyway, realised that they couldnt get it on. I had to convince them that if they unloaded the 9 pallets, and placed their half a pallet on top of the other half pallet, everything would fit, and they jumped for joy like overgrown children when all worked out right in the end.
That was it, i was now on route for the french border at Irun and was amazed when i was able to drive through, albeit at a slow pace, without being stopped, which in itself is amazing because the french love an english truck. I had a stop a few miles up the road for a long overdue ice lolly, only to find they had sold out and only had ice cream or ice poles, so i settled for two of them, (im greedy) and got talking to a couple of coach drivers who had been to Lourdes. One of them was complaining that he had a bunch of animals on board, but on looking at the kids enjoying themselves in the sun, i could see they were retarded, and reminded him that the animals were keeping him in employment, and they couldnt help how they were born. Why are coach drivers like that, do they think they are something special, and of course not all of them are like that, but a lot are. I duly pulled out of the services, and the kids(after being told i was english i suppose) started to wave, and i duly obliged with a long blast of the air horns, and a wave as well. It wasnt long on the autoroute when i spotted two motorcycle cops at the slip road from the exit of a junction, and keeping an eye in my mirror, and thinking what would happen next, they duly obliged. They pulled out onto the autoroute, one overtook me, the other stayed behind for a bit, then came around as well. glancing at my left hand drive, then glancing at my number plate, just to make sure, then as we approached the next junction, waved me off. I run 100% legal, and the truck is too, with all the proper paperwork, so i never have any fear of being stopped, unlike other companies i have worked for with dodgy permits and paperwork. I saw a typical blue renault parked on the side and stopped just short of it. The gendarme duly asked me if i spoke french, to which i replied i did, he wanted to see my C.M.Rs…then my authorisation,my driving licence, and was satisfied. He asked me to show him inside my side lockers, and at this point was joined by the motorcycle cop, who turned out to be female, and not bad at all…for a cop, for i find most of them are either dogs or dykes…or both…so i was amazed. They were surprised as i opened the box and took an interest in how well it had been made, the batteries that were on a sliding tray, the cooker, and storage boxes with my tinned food in. They were even more surprised when i opened the 2nd locker to reveal a full sized fridge, complete with various meat products, milk, ice cold soft drinks, and of course a selection of cold beers including San Miguel, pardon messieur, non pour toi i said. They laughed and said i could go, holding the traffic up, because this area was just before the peage. I felt good but decided to pull in up the road at the first services, and spotted a g.b. labelled truck and parked along side. I got out my chair, opened the fridge got out a snack, and a glass of cold, fresh orange juice…the beers were tempting but i never drink and drive, i always spill it… im joking..The other driver came over eventually, and introduced himself as Phil, and as we got talking realised that we had both been on middle east work..and for the same famous company..i thought..and i said..what a small world`…he wanted to get going as his motor was having overheating problems and he told me the turbo was playing up and it would cost £2000 to replace…why leave england in the first place i thought with a problem motor…but i suppose owner drivers have no choice. I wont bore you with the next bit when i got talking to a car/caravan owner who had spent the winter in portugal. My next sleep over was in Niort, and i had problems to find a place to park…france is getting the same as england when it comes to parking, if you aint parked by 5.pm dont bother, but i found a place on the exit slip where they had made one lane into a hard shoulder, and it was next a freshly mowed grass area…so that did me ok…i raided the fridge and then settled down for the night, keeping the windows closed to keep the millions of flying insects out, that were hovering outside the windows and windscreen…got me thinking as to what purpose they served…just hovering…bumping into each other…useless creatures.
The next morning after a cereal breakfast, and my first cuppa i set off for the port of Caen…i was booked on the 23.30 so had hours to spare, i took my time and enjoyed the leisurely drive and only stopped to top up the tank with 200 or so litres of fuel to save buying it in the uk, the truck now had enough for the uk deliveries and to get back down to spain , with enough left over so as not to panic. The only problem i encountered was in Tours…this is a nice town but with lots of roundabouts…and the approach to the roundabouts normally had 2 lanes…but the offside lane had been painted with markings to make a single lane…of course there are always exceptions to this rule, always one idiot who ignores the road signs and markings…as one found out to his peril when he tried to come up the offside, and not realising that i needed so much space, and politely put him on the roundabout itself…i just carried on and left him to change his own buckled wheel…after all …it was his fault he mounted the high kerb. I arrived in Caen and after booking in to confirm my crossing, joined a few other brits at the bar before driving down the dock to get in the queue. The dock staff dont like trucks to park so close to the gates which is close to the town centre because of the threat from asylum seekers. I couldnt wait to get on the boat and grab a well earned shower, and a shave…for i hadnt shaved since i left the uk, so after boarding i grabbed a change of clothes, and headed for the cabin before joining the others in the drivers restaurant, they joked that they couldnt recognise me because i looked a different person with my long trousers and a shirt on. I had been in shorts and a t shirt for a few days, but the weather had changed and it was quite chilly…it was good to watch the girls dancing on the dance floor whilst having a drink at the bar…and it was also good to meet a fellow astran driver at the same time…he had a few tales to tell.of the days we both worked for Asian Transport before they became Astran…but time flies as your having fun…and soon it was time for bed waking up in Portsmouth to the sound of Brahms or Mozart or whatever playing over the radio system that you couldnt turn off…another day had begun.
Another excellent read, thanks for taking the time to post them.
Nice read Truckyboy ,
I echo smcaul in saying thanks for posting 
yes, just as good as your last post truckboy, any chance of atale or two from those long ago trips for aisan transport, please,as wellas you keeping the weekly trip post going, ,
Nice read,look forward to next report. 
Yes, good read as usual Bob 
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Another excellent read bob
Enjoyed the read Bob, thanks.
thanks to everyone for their thanks and who enjoy the stories…i seem to be very busy these days with my international work but i will be putting down some more exploits from my trips from the past…be patient and they will appear.
seems uncanny that my recent trip to spain io met 2 drivers who had been on the middle east run…and one of them actually worked with me on asian transport…before they became Astran…watch this space…and cheers…
very good diary week!!! interesting read!!!
Ben
enjoyed reading that truckboy,nice one
cool, Pork pies and English Mustard 
whoohoo and San Miguel
■■■■ ggod read again Bob.
I like to wake up on the Barfleur to that music too.
I think it is Wagner or Vagner’s , Ride of the Valkyrie
i love your storys trucky.
tell me how many hours do you do on average a week and how long does a round trip to spain take.
Another great read bob, keep them coming please 
Thanks for another great read Bob,Do miss being on the road but your tales make up for it,we get the trip without the hassle.
thanks again and regards derek