Thursday 18 October 2018

Parking

All of us drivers out there know that parking on the motorway is not allowed. So, when I saw this lorry yesterday afternoon, while I was on my way to Glasgow, I knew it meant trouble. Well, no. It meant TROUBLE. See, it hadn't just parked. It had parked on top of one of the side barriers and there were lots of police cars around. There was also an ambulance and a large tow truck.

Of course the traffic on their way to Glasgow wanted to see what had happened and slowed right down as well, causing me to get to Glasgow a bit later than I had wanted, although still on time. I did not have any passengers returning with me to Belfast and left a minute after I was due. I got to the motorway in good time and then... I joined the queue. 

Normally, I should be able to get to a certain point in about 20 minutes. In heavy rush hour traffic it should take about 30 minutes. Yesterday it took over an hour and a half! Even if I went flat out (which I am not allowed), I would not make the ferry back by any stretch of the imagination. 

Instead I took my statutory rest (after 4,5 hours driving we have to have a 45 minute break) about half way to the ferry, after which I continued to the ferry, where there was a two and a half hour wait before I could finally board the same ferry I had taken in the morning. I had a small dinner, it was nearly midnight after all, and then put my head down. Normally I would read or knit or both (yes, at the same time), but I needed the sleep more. 

By the time I got to my own bed it was 3 in the morning. What a day. Fortunately, before all this came to pass, I had already had a change of plan for today. Instead of the normal Glasgow run I was put on another trip, which starts much later in the day. They must be psychic in the office!

PS: why on earth am I always drooling when taking a nap. I don't recall ever drooling when properly asleep in my bed! Or is it just me?

12 comments:

  1. That sounds like a rough trip. Glad they put you on a later schedule for the next day.

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  2. I think maybe I used to drool while napping, but now I just see people whom I have never met. Mind you that is when I am still fading into a nap but not quite there yet. As for when I truly fall asleep, I don't know where my brain goes. But it only goes for 10-20 minutes as my naps are short.

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  3. Oh my, that was some wait you had. I never like when it happens but it does from time to time.

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  4. Hari Om
    crikey... glad you gat back safe. As to the drooling. Well, I just don't know! YAM xx

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    1. You don't know? I count on you to know things! How can you not know? :)

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    2. ...exception to the rule..? &*>

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  5. That was a brutal trip. I do not know how you manage to do all that driving. I like what you have done with the bedroom! ; )

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    1. Thank you, a bit of decoration and a lot of spiders lurking everywhere.

      The driving part was actually the same. Apart from going at 4 miles an hour instead of 50 miles an hour. It was just long and tedious and boring and eventually quite tiring.

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  6. Oh my word that was a road trip to remember.
    LOL drooling in your sleep. I laugh with you not at you.
    Hugs Cecilia

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  7. What an awful trip ! I hate standing in a traffic jam and here it is every morning from Waterloo to Brussels ! Fortunately I don't have to go anymore and don't have to take a ferry neither !

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  8. What a horrible, tiring journey.

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    1. It was and I for one was glad to be in my own bed that night!! A bit later than usual, but still.

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Any weighty (and not so weighty) comments are welcome!