There was no rush to head away – and it was damp anyway. We managed all the luggage in our carry-on bags and just one suitcase. With the Tom-Tom set for brother Malc’s address in Bournemouth, the route was well known, but it is a useful device for reminding you that you are speeding or passing a fixed speed camera. Not 100% reliable on either score, as I haven’t updated the maps or speed cameras since I downloaded the UK maps, two years ago, as it hardly seems worth the cost. It is also quite useful for estimating the time of arrival.
Having set it – or tried to, we were across the other side of the city before it found a satellite signal, which seems odd, as it has never taken that long before.
The weather gradually cleared and we stopped about half way for the usual coffee and a bite. We weren’t impressed with the length of the queue at one of the Costa outlets at the busy service area, but spied a hot breakfast outlet which also had Costa coffee, but two queues – the one for the hot food was empty, so we opted to forget the coffee, as the queue was too long. In a classic case of inefficiency, the girl sorted out our food OK - then asked us to join the coffee queue to pay, even though there was a till by her side… We stood patiently in line as the food cooled and whilst we were just about at the front, another staff member went to the hot food section and dealt with another customer who was way behind us. Grrrr!
A steady run to Bournemouth and bear in mind it is now the busy season, as one or two schools have already broken up, we had no traffic delays other than the 20 miles of road works where speed is limited to 50mph on the M1. We averaged over 55 miles an hour for the journey, but what was very impressive was that the Skoda clocked about 57 miles to the gallon. In Kiwi terms, that is around 5 Litres per 100kms.
Good to have time with my youngest brother and as usual, we went out for a meal at the Harvester at Durley Chine, on Bournemouth’s seafront, to the west of the pier. The pier no longer has a theatre, but apparently now has a climbing wall and what appears to be an expensive zip-line. Sad.
We had a 20 minute wait for a table and I think we ended up with exactly the same table as last time. A family restaurant, this means you order your mains and then help yourself to the salad bar. I had the combo – half a spit roasted chicken and a half portion of pork ribs, with chips and coleslaw. Made a change from curry… Very nice too, washed down with a Thatcher’s cider.
We went back and tried to get Malc’s internet working on one of his computers, and eventually managed it! Big smiles all round.
Tomorrow, we board the Royal Princess in Southampton, just 45 minutes away, though we do have to drop off the car at Southampton airport first - and put in some fuel, but we won’t be filling the tank. Boarding time was originally between 12 and 4pm, but we’ve had an email to say 2:35pm. We are not sure exactly how many passengers are on the Royal, but as it is a changeover day and it is a large ship, we are resigned to some queuing and crowds.
No comments:
Post a Comment