Long drive south

 Monday 

8 July 

Day 8

89 to go

We woke to a blue sky morning, happy to remain in bed for a bit and read our books. By 820am Paul was ready to get up and start his day. I followed soon after, enjoying breakfast downstairs. Following this, we packed up what we would need for the next couple of weeks, whole Chell did some car searching. We eventually found something for a reasonable price, 395 pounds for 19 days, from Europe Car in Stevenage, but we couldn’t collect it until 1245.

Having a couple of hours to kill, I set up my phone with a sim from Smarty, 17 pounds for 120gb a month and then we decide that a walk into Hitchin would be a good idea. We followed Chell, through various back streets and alleys before finally reaching the town. We stopped in at a little Italian providore for a hot drink and took in the general surrounds. From there we walked the main streets of the centre, stopped at Boots for some medication and sandwiches and then began our walk back on this beautiful, sunny morning.

By the time we returned we were sweating, but also ready to head off to the hire car company. Chell drove us out to the place. We signed all the necessary documents and were then given the keys to a brand new Kia. It only had 180 miles on the clock. With that all done, we loaded the car, said goodbye to Chell and began following the Google map directions for Hartland. Only 5 and a bit hours to travel.

The drive was long and arduous. We stopped briefly at a service centre, so I could reach the charging cords for my phone and then it was a straight drive through. We had travelled the M25, before making our way onto the M4. I watched the miles tick over and the time for arrival continue to move away from us.  At times, the traffic moved smoothly and at others it was a nightmare. Roundabouts slowed the journey, along with the roadworks. Soon the afternoon commuter traffic also became hassle. At one stage it took us 30min to move 4 miles, but we had music to keep us entertained, a new vista and even a low flying and extremely noisy, chinook helicopter. 

Before long we were passing the familiar towns of; Instow, Barnstable and Bideford. The roads had become less congested the closer we got to Hartland, but they had also become narrower and bordered by overgrown hedges that seemed to want to encroach even further across the road. 

By 620pm, we passed Dad wandering the streets and we were finally pulling into the the front of Snowdrop Cottage. Thank goodness! Mum was waiting at the front. We unpacked the car and then went to the pub for a drink and wind down. 

We returned to the cottage and had dinner, enjoying the chance to catch up on the week’s adventures, but before long it was time for bed.