The South Coast.

You've gotta love MacDonald's.......

Ok so we all know about their ethics, and the way they brainwash kids into thinking that their food is ok while slowly killing them, not to mention their dubious politics.... No lets not mention that...

But, the coffee is ok and right now, I'm writing in the van, about 200 metres away from the Newhaven ferry terminal branch of MacD's enjoying free wifi. Now that's generous and worth applauding :) I'll kip here tonight in the company of 4 or 5 other vans of assorted shapes and sizes, ready for the 10:00 ferry in the morning, possibly after a bacon roll and coffee......somewhere.....not sure where....................?

Last night was a pleasant but rather snowy night in the car park at the Dog+Partridge at Disley after I'd had a training session at Stockport wall..... I like the pub stop over..... feels sort of secure. I did look at a layby but really didn't get a good feeling for it so headed for another car park only to find the snow getting progressively worse. I passed this lovely looking flat car park behind the pub and a short while later I'd done a U turn and drove in, through 3 or 4 inches of wet snow and slush. Ordered a large red and got permission from the boss to sleep over with the added bonus (once I'd crawled the van a few metres close...) of using their wifi too. I had a shower :) A good shower in the van, Oh yes !!!  By the time I'd fallen asleep the snow had turned to rain and in the morning I sorted myself out and headed south.

First stop in the potteries. Its really pretty there. I drove past Joderall Bank. Those dishes are huge and really impressive!! The houses around there were very nice and the road was good, sweeping curves and super wide, and great for cycling. I thought as I approached Stoke how close I was to where I grew up in the Midlands, around Staffordshire. A short while later, just for a moment I even though about nipping off the M6 to Cannock for a look. But the pull wasn't strong enough. It wouldn't be the same anyway. 

I saw familiar signs for Telford, and Redditch. All names from a distant past from a distant life. I managed to dig out some memories while the miles drifted by. Robert Willets, Stuart Lewis Evans, Neil Colley.. Oh no.... Ruth Atkins, Brantwood Avenue, Biddulph Park, The Woolleys, The Gibbons!!! Jane, Lorraine, Uncle Keith and Aunty Jackie, Barbera and Ken, Ruth, Angus, Nathan, and the fun at the fish shop.

My Dad's down here still. 

I think. 

This was home. 

Until January 11th 1977 when I did this journey in reverse, in a blizzard of Antartic proportions!!

Home. I've started thinking about that a lot recently..... Another time for that though.... 

Anyway, I changed my half empty UK gas bottle in Stoke for a full one and toddled off again. Its a long drive, passed Brum, Oxford, and onto the dreaded M25, which went very smoothly and with no hassles. Then its down to Brighton and here I am, Newhaven. Can't go any further south for now.

What have I learnt so far then? 

Sleeping. Its important, and I'm still not very good at it yet. Its a feeling of vulnerability perhaps? In the van.... I need to switch off the fears and worries a little, to relax and pretend all is well, while keeping my senses alive to the feeling for potential problems, when and where I park to sleep. I need to feel happy that its ok, that I can actually let go and relax. It's never really been a strong point this sleeping thing... I'm hoping that my natural body clock will slowly kick in after years of shift work.

Tonight I'm going to try not to worry too much about driving onto the ferry. About France, my schoolboy French, or the lack thereof, driving on the right, and the distances involved. It's a big country France you know! I will try not to dwell on those things, or the fact that I'm parked on a side street next to a small retail park on a Saturday night.

Good night. I hope :)