Another laid-back start to a day; now that we had switched to Caen for our Portsmouth sailing, we had two extra hours to kill. We left at 1400 instead of 1200.
The drive back to Caen (actually, Ouistreham is where the ferry leaves from) was one of 40 miles, most of it squally. On this occasion, the ferry icons on the road signs definitely WERE to be followed, and very good they were too. After the check-in booth, we were ushered to the very front of Lane 5 on the waiting area. Other lanes were being filled sequentially. Why, then, were we so favoured? It became obvious later.
A coffee seemed a good way of filling the time until we were called back to cars to load up. Twas ever thus. Lane 4 started away. Then 6, 7, 8 and on up to 12. We sat there like lemons wondering how we could possibly have offended the port authorities. The rain came and went, then came again. It dawned that Lane 5 was being used for those folks who had switched/been switched from other bookings, and that the 'originals' were being pushed forward, despite arriving there approx 90 mins after us. The ferry was packed and we ended up loaded on a 30-degree ramp. Fingers crossed that the guy in front of me on that ramp would be good at handbrake starts. And that I didn't mess up when my turn came either.
We enjoyed quite a few Brit school groups on board, going home after a 'residential experience'. Just like old times? The kids were great, not one cross word in six hours.
Arrival at Portsmouth was late, and the queue to drive through customs used up another 20+ minutes, so we were not free of the port area until nearly 2015. Forest took over the driving shortly out of the city and took us the M27/M3/A34/M40/M42/M6Toll/A5 route home to Sutton Maddock. Arrival 0020. Pretty much everything was left in the car overnight. That's tomorrow's business. A cup of Rosie Lee and bed.
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