I know I haven’t posted anything in such a long time, the reason being, life was just a little crazy. I mean, when you keep moving across Europe how can life not be crazy!
Having taken the decision to drive over again due to there being two dogs this time as well as the Husband and I, the planning is just crazy. Not only that but Dave’s Mum and Dad offered to help move some of the urgent bits over to help us out. So lets just recap all of those travelling:
4 Adults
2 Children
2 Dogs
3 Vehicles (Dave decided he needed to purchase the smallest vehicle on the planet when he discovered all that needed to be done to move. This way he got the trip to himself)
Both Dave and I changed our cars, I had to get one big enough to transport everything but the kitchen sink and as I said earlier, Dave just needed to transport his manly self. Both cars were battle ready and not the shiniest beasts. Both bought to withstand Sicilian driving styles and Dave’s reversing skills.
I hope you’re getting a feel for the enormity of the trip ahead.
When it came down to it, the trip didn’t fail setting off our anxiety levels.
If you remember when we returned from Sicily, I underestimated the size of the Mini, well it seems we wildly underestimated the size of Daves Dad’s van. We had to leave a few boxes behind, Dave had to cram his small car so full and have one dog, I had to have our suitcases in the boot along with anything else I could as well as have the two Raptors and 1 dog.
The one dog travelling in the front seat of my car hadn’t traveled 10 minutes before it decided to unload all of yesterdays meals over the items shoved tightly into the front foot-well of my car. 1 Child in back then screaming at how unsanitary the car now was. The other hating the journey. I didn’t like to tell him we had another 9 hours travelling ahead of us that day!
The rest of the journey to Dover was fine. Other than Customs needing to inspect the van. It was Ok though. Dave’s Dad gave the customs officer a full history of our life leading to this moment and Dave’s job. We’d given him training beforehand on what not to say and I’m pleased to report that not once did he say his son was in the Mafia or that he had Araldite on his person.
Ferry to Calais, also smooth sailing. After this, we kind of got separated. You see, I was loaded on with the first group of cars because I had dogs with me. Dave second because they needed him out of the way and the Parents were somewhere else. It stands to reason then that we came off at different times.
Dave and I met up just off the ferry somehow with him following me because he thought I had more superior Google technology. He was wrong, I followed the car in front and had a tour of the port, bringing us out in completely the wrong place. Google lady telling me off numerous times for not “MAKING A U-TURN”. In the end though we got on our road at just the right time to see the parents go in completely the opposite direction.
Jumping forward though it was all good. Dave had made us all use some walkie talkie app that we had to explain numerous times to the parents on how to use it via a more traditional communication method and we finally met up at some services The convoy was all together at last and Dave could use his never-ending supply of Smokie and the Bandit lines via the Walkie Talkie.
Anyway, to jump forward some several miles we ended up at our little tiny motel. It was OK. One of the dogs didn’t like it and I won’t go into what it did to show it’s dissatisfaction as you may choose to stay at the hotel (Ibis Budget Dole) and be conscious that this is the room that my cuddly fluff ball decided to….
We all had a lovely meal and spent the night worrying about the three vehicles outside being emptied through the night by hardened criminals looking to relieve us of our dirty pants and Dog sick stained documents.
Dave’s Dad thought he was dying in the night from a migraine, the kids thought they were going to be taken by the Bogie monster that lerks in the dark. Dave spent the night clearing his snoring pipe. Leaving the women to keep an eye on their tough men and make sure all was safe.
Thank goodness, we didn’t have an early start the next day. Of which I will tell you more about next time.
And so, I’ll leave it here for now at the end of Day 1 of our travels. It doesn’t get any better.
Thank you for reading this far.
Ciao for now peeps!
A very Large move to Sicily 
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