Grrr - Have I told you lately how I hate kids?!!

Lisa and I went to Calais, France for the day yesterday - just a girls day out. Lunch in Calais, a couple f Christmas presents and some duty free to come home with. 

Sounds like a plan huh?

WRONG!!

We set off for Dover and it was a trifle windy. Actually it was a force nine gale but the ship WAS sailing so so were we. We headed straight for the restaurant and had a cooked breakfast. Eggs, bacon, sausages, tomatoes, mushrooms and half a grapefruit (Never let it be said I'm not healthy! I'm not on verapamil either so I'm safe!) All washed down with diet coke (don't ask!) - okay you had to ask didn't you? The coffee smelt so rank it was not even viable.

Anyway, we slid, slipped and floated down to the duty free shop. I say floated because we literally flew a couple of times the sea was so rough. Luckily I always landed sunny side up and my breakfast stayed as ballast and not flotsam!

On a "personal recommendation" note here. Do not try a perfume called "Lola" by Marc Jacobs. Not only does it smell like 3 day old panther pee but it is quite a definite trigger. Nasty stuff.

We decided to be prudent and find seats as crashing into displays of bottles of whisky wasn't the way I wanted to go (getting old *sigh*) so got to France in one piece.

We knew it was going to be breezy when they couldn't extend the skywalk for us to disembark. They actually drove the shuttle bus onto the ferry as they weren't going to let us walk outside near the docks at all.
Fine by me!

We got into Calais and headed for Cite Europe, a lovely shopping centre and had a thoroughly lovely time wandering around and buying stuff. Just don't ask Lisa about the sports shop. She's rather touchy about that. I think she must have been a bit tired as her sense of humour failed COMPLETELY..

Anyhow, we got back into the center ville and went to get off the bus to cross the road to get the bus back to the port.

It was absolutely HEAVING it down with rain but I'm not made of sugar so that didn't bother me. Getting blown halfway down the street as I got off the bus did though! I literally couldn't stand up. I've never known wind like it. I was trying to walk forward and was getting blown backwards. Lisa had to grab onto me and we hung onto each other as we tried to get to our bus stop. I got blown into the road twice which was really scary.

Anyhow we made it, the ferry sailed two hours late and it was a force ten coming home but we ate fish and chips quite happily (Us Brits have stomachs of steel!) We got some Bombay Sapphire and some wine and settled to wait to disembark but that was fun too as we were sat outside the port of Dover on rollercoaster seas for another two hours as it was unsafe to try and enter.

So this morning Lisa was telling her son George about it.

"Well you know how little Helen is and how she doesn't have any strength, well the wind was taking her all over the place, she literally got blown into the road twice and it was blowing her backwards"

George said "If I was Helen, I'd have jumped up into the air"

So Lisa said, "George you don't understand, she'd have killed herself. She was literally in danger"

George piped up "No I DO understand mum, We're talking about Helen, first of all there is nothing she can't do if she decides she wants to do it and second she could have gone flying without her broom then couldn't she?!"

Little Git. You wait 'til he wants cookies next pffft!


Oh we're going again next week - anyone want to come with us?!!

LOL!  It sounds as if George would fit in nicely around here,  Helen!

I'm glad you are back home with your feet firmly on the ground.

Jeannie

P.S.  Next time put weights in your pockets. ;)

Sounds more like George knows Helen as well as we do. START PRINTPAGEMultimedia File Viewing and Clickable Links are available for Registered Members only!!  You need to or END PRINTPAGESTART PRINTPAGEMultimedia File Viewing and Clickable Links are available for Registered Members only!!  You need to or END PRINTPAGE

I've been in the Channel on seas like that - it's EVIL.  When the stewards are handing out barf bags, you know you're in for a rough crossing.

Why not take the chunnel?  Doesn't stop in Calais?

wrote on Nov 24^th, 2009 at 1:27pm:

We're talking about Helen, ... she could have gone flying without her broom then couldn't she?!"

Well, had you given the correct answer when asked if you were a good witch or a bad witch, simply clicking your heels three times would have gotten you home, even to the plains of west Texas.  Since you CANNOT, there are gale winds, choppy waters, dark forests, and poppy fields for you.

Can I have your broom?  Some guy will give me the brains to not provoke those who have the wrong answer if I bring it.

You're really asking for a visit from the flying monkeys again aren't ya?!!

Mosaicwench wrote on Nov 24^th, 2009 at 6:14pm:

I've been in the Channel on seas like that - it's EVIL.  When the stewards are handing out barf bags, you know you're in for a rough crossing. Why not take the chunnel?  Doesn't stop in Calais?

It does but it's four times as expensive to go over and you have to take your car - neither of us wanted to do that as you have to have your headlights adjusted and stuff and for a single day, it's just not worth it - anyhow, we LIKE the ferries! Nothing beats seeing the white cliffs to be honest  :)

wrote on Nov 25^th, 2009 at 7:31am:

neither of us wanted to do that as you have to have your headlights adjusted and stuff and for a single day

Ok, I have to ask ... What?

-Dennis-

[/quote] you have to have your headlights adjusted and stuff and for a single day
[/quote]

HUH???

Sandy

We drive on the right and they drive on the left in france so, if I drive my English car there, my headlights are angled so that it blinds them. (I know - I don't see the problem either!) You have to drive with lights during the day on the continent so, ergo, you have to have them adjusted to comply and it's too much clap trap for me!