I have just completed a trip down to Barcelona…it was a great experience and very funny at times…but my boss has threatened to sack me if i put down in words the exact experiences of the trip…i feel this is very unfair as he actually found me through trucknet…there is however a happy ending…and that is …i will keep my job with the threat of writing about this trip being laid bare if he were to sack me…now that is being clever…so boss…if you are reading this…remember it…and dont forget that its no good crying over spilt milk…
Can’t you tell us anything about it? For example, which way you went? Did you go over the new Millau viaduct?
Etc etc etc
Vince
I reckon he double manned it with his boss & they fell in love during the trip 
Now his boss doesn’t want him to say anything in case his missus is reading the sites posts 
Must have double manned but there must have been only one bunk, mind you they must have had fun chasing each other round the cab,
Ha Ha! reminds me of a couple of Taylor Barnard drivers I saw down at Carisio about 10 or 11 years ago,they were double manning a P cab Scania,which of course only has one bed.When I asked how they got on regarding sleeping arrangements one of them glared at me and said “Don’t ask!”
It wasn’t a one off trip either,they’d been doing it for a few months,running gold dust (literally,scrap gold) from Royston down to Milan.
Say no more squire
Ok i`ll admit it was a bit of a wind up…my boss is absolutely great…now comes the envy bit…the truck is a Daf 95 XL…left ■■■■■■ super duper…duper super…mega space cab…dutch spec…too much room for the two of us…envy over…it has a giant side locker for all the spares and food…next to it is a giant fridge…it has air con too…he proposes fitting a microwave to replace the one taken out by the previous owner…and is considering sattelite navigation equipment too…plus he has fitted a state of the art c.d.player
i joind him last Sunday and and we set off for the run down to Poole…the ferry was the 23.45 sailing to Cherbourg…we met a couple of guys in the port who were characters in their own right…old bill was one of them who sailed this route almost every day of the week…and to put it mildly was a bit ■■■■■■ off with it…anyway my boss had to reverse on to the ferry which was one of the old ones …he did ok…and we eventually sailed for france…after our meal…and a bottle of wine we headed for the cabin and a few hours kip before arrival…its amazing the amount of money thats been spent on keeping un-desirables out of the dock…we filled up with cheap fuel and set off on our way…as we drove through france my boss pointed out the areas that he knows so well as he used to live in france some tome ago…his french is very good…the weather wasnt so good.mostly fog and rain until we reached Southern france where we encountered sunshine…thers not much to report here as all went quite well…we arrived from La-Junquera border and 30 miles up the road was our first delivery…11 pallets…from here we drove further into spain until we reached barcelona on Tuesday afternoon…for our last drop…we got our re-load instructions straight away and went and found the company…once found we parked in a truckstop…and went for a meal.and a few beers…and in the morning we returned for a shower and breakfast…and set off to load for Land Rover Solihull…we left barcelona on wednesday about 11am…and headed for the border…we did find that the last services before La Junquera where we filled up our tank with lovely cheaper diesel…that there had been an accident…there are sun canopies to protect the parked cars from extreme heat…and these canopies stick out a bit…this pole decided for whatever reason that he wanted to damage one…in the process he ripped the dside out of his tilt…which was loaded with oranges…and severely damaged his tractor as well almost ripping out the post of the windscreen.along with the windscreen…the truck didnt seem very old…and already there was another replacement tractor waiting to be off loaded from a low-loader which had arrived from poland which suggested that this accident had happened a while ago…after a nosey look…we set off for the border…after buying cheap ciggies at 3 euros a packet (£2.10p) and on the french side we were pulled for a routine check…the police asked us where did we load…what goods did we have…was we there when it was loaded…etc and then searched the trailer for what i would assume drugs…no problem and soon we were on our way to the first services for a coffee and a change of driver…on pulling out we were stopped yet again …this time by french customs who did the same again as what happened at the border…my boss seemed to think they were looking for a daf truck as it seemed only dafs were being pulled and searched…but it got us thinking as to how one would explain.if ever there were drugs found amongst the load we carried…but it made you realise how careful you have to be…but of course there is no guarantee…maybe luck…and a good eye…but nothing is foolproof…is it ?
we headed along the old route to bordeaux…and crossed the wonderfully designed…british…bridge…what an achievement…and fantastic views…but you gotta pay about 25 euros…but thats also for a bit of motorway too…after the normal boring route towards Paris…we parked up 100 cliks before…and the next morning we took in the sights of paris as we headed around the ring road which i cant spell (Pheriperique) anmd headed towards Lille…we actually turned off beforehand and headed down to calais where we were booked on the train to Folkestone…now its the first time we had both been on this route and it was an experience.and very fast…i had a meal on there which was edible.much to the dissapointment of other drivers who said they never eat on this route…but for £5 i had chicken…potatoes…vegetables…gravy…a cholocate gateaux and fresh orange juice…iwe arrived in solihull on thursday night and tipped…returning the trailer to the hire company because none of us can work this week…i had intended turning round if i was re-loaded on friday for barcelona…but was told that loading on friday was for Cadiz…or load Monday for barcelona…and tip tuesday…so after laughing at their suggestion…decided not to load till next week…and ol truckys in hospital on friday having his throat ripped out so he can get some proper sleep…so there it is…and i havnt slagged off the boss once…well not yet anyway…but hes a great guy and we got on really well.which is good news when you double man…
Sounds like you had fun slumming it with us mere mortals Bob 
I couldnt make the Poole boat on Monday, so ended up going Pompey - Caen
I cant agree with the tunnel food though
See I told you so
Very, VERY jealous!
Hoping to do at least one Spain this year, but it’s far from certain.
Incidentally, I wouldn’t bother going via Paris. For my tuppence worth it’s better, from Calais, to go …Rouen, Evereux, Dreux, Chartres, Orleans, Clermont Ferrand, Millau, Montpelier etc. (and vice-versa heading home)
Firstly, it’s a more interesting drive, secondly you save a lot of money on peages. Thirdly, it doesn’t take any longer.
All the best with your throat op btw.
Vince
yes i agree vince but when we crossed the border we went perpignan-millau-clermont-orleans-then picked up the paris ring and down the A1 but we found the peageswere not too bad so we saved a bit…anyway dont try and make me go the wrong way and lose my job…so you can have it…i know what you truckers are all about…sorry we missed you too malc…but theres other times to catch ol trucky…
Great story truckyboy and as said above
all the best with your throat operation.
Thanks for all your words of comfort regarding my operation…it has been a few years since i had a good nights sleep and i was fed up sleeping on my own whenever i was at home…apparentley i make so much noise that my wife having to get up early couldnt get any sleep either…so i went to the doctor…he reccommended a sleep clinic…they examined me and decided to give me a machine that i had to take home and connect myself to prior to bed…the next day i returned this machine and the data was collected and analysed…it was then decided to operate…by taking out my tonsils…adenoids…and tightening up the skin at the back of my throat…which is causing all the noises.i am not exactly over weight…only around the middle…what i think they call love handles if they were on a woman…ha ha …well i should have had the operation last september but being a coward…and being told that women who have had this operation would rather give birth than have the operation…plus reading in the local press that the hospital i am going in has the worst record for MRSA…i cancelled…but eventually changed my mind and had a pre-asessment and hopefully the operation on friday 18th feb…and maybe a good nights sleep after that…
Vince:
Incidentally, I wouldn’t bother going via Paris. For my tuppence worth it’s better, from Calais, to go …Rouen, Evereux, Dreux, Chartres, Orleans, Clermont Ferrand, Millau, Montpelier etc. (and vice-versa heading home)Firstly, it’s a more interesting drive, secondly you save a lot of money on peages. Thirdly, it doesn’t take any longer.
All the best with your throat op btw.
Vince
Exactement, Vince. Bit of a pain with all the roundabouts south of Rouen, but I used this way all the time.
Years ago in a gridlock on the peripherique (note to Trucky) I saw an arm with a dagger in the hand extend from one truck cab to ■■■■■ the tilt of another, apparently someone had been chopped up!
Best of luck with the op Trucky, is the Boss paying for it? Seems a bit of a coincidence that you finally decide after he has spent several days sleeping with you.
Salut, David.
yes the boss is paying for me to go private…said i should do ok in a Saga hospital…at least hes heard my snoring..but alas i wish it were true..NHS im afraid…but i`m not looking forward to it…but hopefully the end result should be ok…
Bob’s being very polite. Although we did have a laugh on our first trip, as I new driver I got us into a couple of, lets say spots. Lets not mention driving into a Spanish housing estate…with trailer and nearly setting fire to the trailer through the Central Massif, after taking a wrong turning - note to self, must use that little botton on the floor called the exhaust brake, not the pedal in the middle all the time.
With regards the route I will take the suggested next week, as we spent 423 euro’s on tolls there and back, which I didn’t think was too bad, but I am sure some money can be saved using another route. We went Cherbourg, LE Mans, Chateaurox and pretty much straight down the middle until we pick-up the autoroute just outside Toulouse. I’m not convinced that’s the best way down, so any suggestions would be welcome.
Although I like the Poole crossing to Cherbourg, it always seems such a long drag to just get off the La Manche peninsula - or is it me?
I hope the operation goes well Bob, and I expect your wife is looking forward to the post op silence 
And if you did want me to pay for a private operation I know this nice Nigerian guy in Tooting whom I sure could sort you out,
I always go down from Caen/Cherbourg via Rennes, Nantes to Bordeaux, Plam… it is only €63 each way. Takes you across at Irun
Good luck with your operation Bob.I hope you have a speedy recovery and get back on here with more of your trucking stories.Trucknets got a lot more interesting since you started recounting your tales on here.
Well Guys and gals thank you for you words of support…and thanks to my boss for owning up to his mistakes…but ill put him right next time..we all have to learn..any way got a phone call today..08.30 saying the operation has been cancelled.cos im taking aspirin which i wasnt told not to take…so they ring me to ask “have you stopped taking the aspirin”…so i told them no !..well the operations off then…well be in touch…oh for the national health service…
So i was sitting in doors minding my own business when theres a knock on the door.when i opened it …there was this huge nigerian guy…with a pair of pliers in his hand…ello dere..got a problem..paul sent me…well what my boss never said was …after driving down a dead end housing estate…i had to get it back out…but just as i got behind the wheel…mr plod comes a long…and gives me a rollicking…for driving down there…so i listen to him rambling on in spanish…then put my hands together.to show i was sorry…even if it wasnt my fault…i mean …i did tell the boss to take the right turning…but he thought he knew best…well he is the boss…then on the way back…going down a very very steep hill…and three quarters of the way down…he tells me theres smoke coming from the trailer wheels…so i had to tell him…brake untill you can get it in low range…into second gear…and finish the hill on the exhauster…and at the bottom…stop…let them cool down…i took the wheel from there as it frightened the ■■■■■ outta him…we shouldnt have been on that tourist route anyway…but he wanted to go skiing…ha ha well.as they say…alls well that ends well…hes only using me for my knowledge…when hes learnt it all…hes gonna sack me.ha ha he doesnt know its gonna take forty years to know what i know…and i`m still learning…
truckyboy:
Thanks for all your words of comfort regarding my operation…it has been a few years since i had a good nights sleep and i was fed up sleeping on my own whenever i was at home…apparentley i make so much noise that my wife having to get up early couldnt get any sleep either…so i went to the doctor…he reccommended a sleep clinic…they examined me and decided to give me a machine that i had to take home and connect myself to prior to bed…the next day i returned this machine and the data was collected and analysed…it was then decided to operate…by taking out my tonsils…adenoids…and tightening up the skin at the back of my throat…which is causing all the noises.i am not exactly over weight…only around the middle…what i think they calllove handlesif they were on a woman…ha ha …well i should have had the operation last september but being a coward…and being told that women who have had this operation would rather give birth than have the operation…plus reading in the local press that the hospital i am going in has the worst record for MRSA…i cancelled…but eventually changed my mind and had a pre-asessment and hopefully the operation on friday 18th feb…and maybe a good nights sleep after that…
good luck with the throat well think you are a trucker what a stupid way to go
you not rember your training with tanker bill and bradford? shame on you egg