So glad you all had a good time, what a horrendous journey tho Val xx What a horrific journey Pat & Shaun!! No wonder you didn't stay today. We must arrange somewhere a bit nearer to you next year. Hope you'll both feel better tomorrow. Hugs, Gwen & Nick > Briefly: Friday getting to Cheltenham was HORRENDOUS, Saturday was > WONDERFUL, today, getting home was AWFUL !! Travel & me just do NOT go > together !! :o) > > According to the map & directions, it should have taken us 3 hours & 37 > minutes to get to the Travel Inn at Cheltenham from Ramsgate. We thought > it'd take us about 5 hours because of the stops we'd have to make for > Shaun. Well, we left home at 8:50am & pulled up outside the Travel Inn 8 & > a half hours later at 5:20pm!!! > > There we were, merrily pootling along, when there appeared a sign on the > M25 saying junction 9 was closed. We were all herded off at junction 8 & > the volume of traffic meant it took us 3 hours to do 15 miles !!! > > We managed to fight our way through Ewell & Epsom & found our way onto the > M25 at junction 10. Luckily, it was open from there to junction 16, which > was where we had to join the M40. Everything was OK then, for a while, but > when we reached Wheatley (where last year's reunion was), there were > roadworks at a major roundabout. We waited in a LONG queue at traffic > lights for 35 minutes - why is it that we ALWAYS get the lights where they > only allow 2 vehicles to go through before the lights turn red again ??? > > According to our directions, we then had to turn right at the roundabout - > signposted Cheltenham. Guess what ?? No roundabout, no signpost. So, we > carried on & found ourselves in the middle of Oxford. So, we turned round > & found that the major works on the roundabout that we'd got stuck at the > lights on was THE roundabout. Only problem was - it didn't LOOK like a > roundabout !! It looked like a big muddy hill in the middle of the road !! > (Karen & Mark got caught out here, too, so I didn't feel QUITE so > stoooooooooopid !!!) > > We had to stop in a lay by for Shaun to get out & stretch - there had been > nowhere for him to get out for over 6 hours & he was in a lot of pain. His > legs wouldn't lock, so I had to almost lift him out as best I could & > virtually carry him round the car. After 15 minutes, we decided we'd > better get on or we'd not get to Cheltenham at all !! > > When we eventually got there, about an hour & half later (more traffic > delays), Wolfie was our saviour & helped carry our bags to the room. Shaun > had a couple of hours to try to come back to life & at 7:30pm, those of us > there - Liz & Peter, Wolfie & Yards, Miriam & Irene, Shaun & I, went for > dinner. Marlene & Linda bussed in from Tewkesbury to join us. > > We expected Sue & Andy, but they didn't arrive till later. MUCH later !! > > Part 2 to follow. > > Pat.xxx :o)) > A Maid of Kent > > > ==== GEN-TRIVIA-ENG Mailing List ==== > RANDOM TAGLINE - GEN-TRIVIA-ENG - MAILING LIST > Please use common sense when sending or replying to messages on the list. > What may not offend you may offend others. > ==== GEN-TRIVIA-ENG Mailing List ==== RANDOM TAGLINE - GEN-TRIVIA-ENG - MAILING LIST Comparison stories between Countries are always most welcome. These help to make the list interesting as well as educational. -- No virus found in this incoming message. Checked by AVG Free Edition. Version: 7.1.394 / Virus Database: 268.8.3/359 - Release Date: 8/06/2006

Glad you all had such a good time,but what an awful journey for Pat and Shaun, Liz and Peter. Sorry to hear your father is not so well,Liz. Hugs to all Jean Oz