On the Road Again!

The car was packed and we set off around the scheduled 1030am departure time. All was plain sailing until on the A2 we began the descent down the hill, after the Bluewater turn off,  towards the M25 for the Dartford Crossing.  Solid traffic over the flyover and the same nonsensical two lanes into one to join the already stationery traffic. We wanted to get off to get into the service area at Thurrock and so chose the left tunnel. From the A2 to the entrance to the tunnel it took 40 minutes. A further ten until we parked up. A takeaway Costa later we were on the road. We planned to stop again before arriving at Claire's sister's house near Stowmarket. The service area at Colchester across the A12 from the football ground was packed. So I aborted. In the end we stopped just before Ipswich. In total it was about 4 hours from home to the A12/A14 roundabout just south of Ipswich. We had a pleasant couple of hours with lunch and scones before the last hour's drive to the Cottage ...

Two weeks to go before we set off.  With Covid the owners are requiring extra time to clean up after the previous visitors and so we can't be in until 5pm. On the way up we will be calling in at Claire's sister's house in Suffolk. With it being a Friday it's the worst day for getting through the Dartford Crossing. Leaving after rush hour gives us time to get through and maybe have some stops on the way up. Constable country for lunch? Flatford Mill?    https://www.visitsuffolk.com/explore-constable-country-in-suffolk

I got a little bit of a shock when my MasterCard statement arrived this morning.  Instead of paying a deposit on the cottage near Dereham and paying the balance a month before we go, they had taken the entire cost in one go.  Luckily between us we can cover it. Still a shock to shell out £695 when you thought it was only £250! The reason I ticked the box was in case Covid rates soar and we are forced by the Government to cancel we won't be out of pocket! Oh well. What is done is done I guess.

As the country starts to pull itself out of the Covid pandemic and lockdowns we are hoping that by mid-August we can get a holiday. Rather than bother with going to foreign climes, we decided to stay in England.  I looked for somewhere dog friendly and with an enclosed garden. We decided on Norfolk. We have thought about the county before and have ended up in Devon.  After the 2019 journey to and back from Devon, where we could have been south of Lyon in the same time (!) we have marked the South-West in August as a write-off. At least until I retire when we can go at times when the school aged children are not on holiday!  It's the nature of my job I am afraid. So Norfolk it is. A cottage with enclosed garden and mostly 10/10 reviews.  I paid part of the cost with £99 by cashing in some Tesco Clubcard points (£33 in vouchers) and the rest of the deposit on dear old Tesco MasterCard. At least we'll earn some more points to spend as vouchers from that! Booked through ...