Queues, Storms and Home

The boys and I had a slightly different last couple of days in the UK than we had planned.  Firstly due to closure of the M25 because of a  grass fire.  We had gone to my mum's old friend Betty in Cambridgeshire and had an excellent lunch there and caught up with Betty's news.  Then the plan was to see Audrey (a friend of mum's going back to their University days) in Potters Bar.

We were suppose to get to Audrey's at about 5:30pm but the M25 closure from the A10 junction 25 to Jct 22 (both ways) meant the last  6 miles took us 1½ hours so we were much later then we wanted to be.  So with two hungry boys and the thoughts of finding a camp site later Audrey offered us accommodation for the night.  This was easily accepted especially as a visit to the local fish and chips shop came an option plus a look at the weather forecast was a real clincher. The thought of spending a night under 'canvas' with thunder storms looming was not a pleasant one.

We did spend our last night camping in the New Forest at a lovely site in Holmsley. Not near Petersfield as planned due to queues on the M25 so we took the M3 and not the A3 - the advantage of not having plans.  We went to Mudeford beach (near Christchurch) on the Tuesday evening and on the Wednesday morning the boys were only too happy to play with the other kids at the camp site before being dragged around a supermarket for those English supplies and on to Portsmouth and the ferry.

A very enjoyable cruise back to France was had.  The boys played with other children and watched the on-board entertainment whilst I sat on deck, in the sun, and read my book, with the occasional 'can I have' visits!

Apart from queues on the M25 (and the Alton Towers ticket order line, at 10p per minute no surprise there then) we had a great time and thanks to Sally, Betty and Audrey for having us .  And I forgot to mention the lovely (fund raising) BBQ we went to in the village of Lea near Sally's - a very pleasant evening.