Wednesday May 21st

May 21st

After weeks of careful planning, scouring over maps, comparing sites and making decisions the day has finally arrived. So the plan is we, that is Darling Husband, Careful Wife and The Dog, will set off for France with the caravan using Eurotunnel This is a first for us, in the past we’ve gone by ferry but following the maxim, you’re never to old to learn, we decide to do something different - and anyway we got the crossing with Tesco vouchers so really it’s free!

Our booking is for the 18.20 crossing but decide it would be better to arrive early and hope to get transferred to an earlier crossing. With this is mind we’ve spent two days organising and packing the van so we can get an early start on the four hour journey to Folkestone. With three passports in hand we set off at 10 am and we’re making good progress when we hear on the radio that French fishermen are blockading the French ports and all ferries have been cancelled till Friday. Today is Wednesday so we feel pleased – and a bit smug – that we’re going through the Tunnel so it won’t affect us.

Then we hear the M20 is closed between junctions 7 and 8 for Operation Stack. We’ve heard of Operation Stack but surely they don’t really close all the motorway. Yes, they do. We take a detour around the villages of Kent but still manage to arrive at the Eurotunnel terminal by 14.55. Over three hours early so we’re hoping we can be on our way south by mid afternoon. We check in and we’re allocated our crossing - at 18.20. So much for our plans. All possible traffic has transferred to the tunnel so all the trains are full; we have three hours to wait at the terminal.

At least we can wait in the comfort of the van. I decide to have a nap. The Dog has other plans. She doesn’t look well. She’s hyperventilating, her eyes are pink and she’s panting madly. I spray her body with water and bathe her head hoping this will cool her down while I worry about how to find a vet in the terminal. Is there a way to get out that doesn’t involve travelling to France? DH goes off for a stroll, there are shops in the terminal, he’s spotted Dixons.

The Dog wants to go out so Dog and I go out. The Dog wants to go in so Dog and I go in. After about an hour The Dog seems happier, she’s stopped panting and hyperventilating and settles down for a sleep. DH comes back from the shops. We speculate about The Dog. Is she constipated? No. Is it a return of her meningitis problem from Christmas? We hope not! She seems better so we heed the call and join the queue to get on the train.

The train is late leaving so we don’t arrive in France till after 8pm. No formalities, DH drives us off the train and on to the road to the camp site. I spray The Dog with water to cool her down. She starts panting again. Have I poisoned her? Is it the Dog Spray or have I somehow mixed it up with the weedkiller spray? I taste it, it tastes odd but I don’t start panting. Instead I start looking for signs that say vet. We get to the site before I find a vet. The Dog jumps out the car and seems to be improving. Has she started to suffer from travel sickness? We travelled two thousand miles with her last summer and she fine so surely not. We decide to spend two nights on site to give The Dog a chance to recover.