17-22.01.25

As we had delayed our departure for James’ blood test and a vaccination and a second trip to the Devon house, we decided to travel fast back. We flew from Crete on 15th August. Over 5 months is TOO long.

Day 1.  This time when we set off, I didn’t chair dance to Abba, so refrained from driving off the road and breaking Jez!  We drove to Le Shuttle via Fanham to drop our aging Merc. Maddy and Jordan have one car and having a second vehicle will save Maddy having to get up early to run Jordan to the station when she is on maternity leave and when the baby arrives.

I was nearly run over by a horn tooting maniac.  I had just come out of the Pet Check In at Folkestone and was walking back to James and Jez. It was Tim behind the wheel. We’d had a great boozy night with him and Meg in Kelso summer ’23. Blame the alcohol, but I called him a rude word. The cause was justified, but not my rudeness!  He forgave me enough, to very kindly offer us a roof when I broke Jez. He was headed to Spain and Portugal, loosely I the company of some other motorhomers that we know.

We kept off payage, driving past Mons, Namur, Arlon and Luxembourg. Motorway diesel €1.55.  Our first night was super quiet near a cemetary just north of Metz.

Day 2 was partly off free motorway, past Nancy and Colmar.  Some lovely scenery of snow on the road margins and vast vineyards. At Basle, we used a QR code to pay £23 for the over 3.5 ton Swiss vehicle pass for 7 days, even though we we through Switzerland in hours.  I’ve driven Switzerland a number of times in recent years in the middle of the night and said to J that I was looking forward to seeing the scenery. Not to be, a light grey mist blanket.  The Gotthard Tunnel on Saturday was free flowing. And traffic was light all the way down.

Night 2 was a rendezvous just S of Como. Sue and Mick and Josie 🐕 had been not far away and had suggested a meet up. Very kindly, they had recce’d parkings and Sue cooked. There may have been a few 🍷 and lots of 🧀 too!

On day 3, we actually had a relative lie in. Didn’t leave until 9.30. Only 5.5 hrs driving time. A pit stop at an Ancona hypermarket: Marsala, parmesan and food for the ferry. Ferry departed only 30 mins late.  Trip time to Igouminitsa is 22+ hours, so we pay for a pet friendly cabin.  Picnic super in our cabin and bed.  Single trip €680.

Day 4. Ferry was fine. If long. 23hrs.  And yes, Corrie refused to even pee! No poop on the poopdeck.  We passed the time with a hair dye, eyebrow dye, pedicure, manicure and beard trimming (J obviously!). 
Driving today was a mere 5 mins to a patch of ground only 5 mins from the port.  Priority one was to allow Corrie to relieve herself. She delivered!

Day 5 started a lot later than planned. I’d slept badly and switched off the alarm only to go into a deep sleep. No breakfast and late departure after 10.30 meant that  we did not have time for the much looked forward to Greek meal in Corinth.

We need to remember that Anek’s Kissamos ferry is one of the best we’ve sailed on. Big comfy and clean cabin.
We forced down a glass of 🍷 before braving the ferry restaurant. Box wine decanted into a flask 😆 

The posh restaurant was actually very good. A decent bottle of Cretan red and excellent service.
Ferry left soon after 9.00 p.m.  Arrives Heraklion 6.00 a.m.  €721 return. Although Chania closer to home, it would have been €799.  Tolls €74.

Day 6 started with Japanese torture. Alarm for 5.00 for disembarkation at 6.00.  They evict you from cabins before arrival. So the torture was standing before being allowed onto the car decks. All I could think about was coffee.

First stop to walk Corrie. She was very obliging.  She’d only had to cross her legs and tail for 10 hours this time.
Second stop for coffee! The alarm had woken us at 0500!
I dropped J at the end of our road to fetch the car. Very lovely friends had taken the battery back up to theirs to fully charge it … despite the trickle solar charger, which is obviously useless.

J met me at Almyrida beach.  We spent all day ferrying all the stuff up to our house.  Nikki and Rob assisted with their big car.  We met them later for supper at our fave taverna.

June and Karl popped by for coffee. 
Jez was cleaned and deposited at the secure airport parking.

So check out what we brought back. We left by air with 2 suitcases!  And guess what we will be doing for the next few days … trying to find places to put it all!