Five hours on a bouncy castle

Glorious sunrise

Yesterday morning about 9 am we left awakening Amsterdam, drove south through a sunny countryside, in good spirits, listening to the first chapters of Dummy The Mummy on the stereo. We were on our way for a holiday in the UK and all up for it. “What a lovely day for travel!” I remember saying. (We is me and my 8-year old son.)

I was unaware of the storm raging over The Channel, causing ferry cancellations and traffic havoc throughout England. (I did notice a strong wind when I stopped for gas in West Belgium, when receipts were blown from my wallet when I had to pull out my credit card outside at a pay point…)

Long story short: after a bit of a wait in Calais, our ferry did fare… but! couldn’t dock on the other side!

2 miles and 4 hours away: The white cliffs of Dover

We were floating 2 miles outside Dover harbor, “waiting to find a comfortable position to berth”, according to the captain. A comfortable position. Was difficult. To find. On board. As well…. We were on a bouncy ferry-castle…

waving greyish greens

We waited. We saw nothing but green and grey and time passing slowly. Every hour we had an ‘update’ through the intercom, which we took in with our deep breaths, trying to ward off the nausea. {What would Bear Grylls do? 😉 }

After about 4 repeats we were told to get in the car, and get ready to leave. A Hallelujah! – micro – moment, because on shore it turned out to be worse!! Good thing the car was fully packed with stuff, otherwise the tiny city vehicle may have gone flying at one of the blasts we took on the motorway. Horror. Thankgod we hadn’t finished the mummy–cd yet, and cheerfully continued the story with the volume on max, bouncing our way up to London, me clasping the wheel with both hands, squinting through pitch black showers hitting the windshield… {sorry couldn’t take pictures without risking our lives!!}

Once we drove along the Thames surrounded by familiar sound and vision I could sortofrelax: The calming effect of a metropolis!!