Took a road trip to Fareham to visit the family this weekend, borrowing Clare's dad's car. No problems getting there, though it's not a drive I've done myself before, up the M20, round the M25 and then down the A3. The A3 near the Devil's Punchbowl was a bit of a pain, going down into one lane, but we got there...
GREAT to see everyone, nice that mum and dad had visitors while we were there so got to see a few more of the family. Went to my sister and brother in law's place, and since our last visit they've converted their garage into a games room, with dartboard and pool table and bar and things... very nice too, all done properly. They've understandably much improved at these pub sports, but on balance were not quite a match for Clare and myself. On holiday we were getting worried that Americans were getting good at darts and thought they might start troubling the world championships, but now we're worried about Dez!
Went for a good curry at the Indian Palace, Port Solent, it's great there which means it's always busy. Bit of a wait, but we got a drink in the Lloyds Number One (one of the fancier Wetherspoons) also in Port Solent. Didn't stay drinking as long as we might, but a top evening anyway. When we got back to Mum and Dad's we looked at old photos and hilarious home videos. Not the TV show, actual videos of family parties and things.
Sunday, caught up with a few friends, two of whom have just had a baby, and two of whom are about to have one in a few weeks. Super flying visits though, as we were slightly held up by someone reversing into us in a car park in town. Then a great roast dinner with the family, it really was such a nice weekend.
On the way BACK to Folkestone, the same section of road that delayed us the day before was a nightmare, we were queued up for nearly an hour. Then when we hit the M25 there had been an accident, so we were at a standstill there for ages too. Got home too late, not a fun journey.
Nearly missed our train this morning, forgot the timetable1 changed this weekend and the train goes two minutes earlier from Folkestone... wonder if it caught many people out? I need to check what's happened to my train home2 too... Journey home is NOT GOOD! Looks like Clare's train from Charing Cross no longer waits for my train from Cannon Street at Ashford, so it'll take me more like three hours to get home! I'd have to sprint from here to get the Charing Cross train...
Got to figure that out somehow or I'm never going to get home! UPDATE from Clare: "if you look at Cannon street 17.44 to Ashford it says it takes 1hr and 8 mins and arrives 18.52 and if you look at the trains between Ashford and Folkestone it says that ours doesn't leave until 18.55 so in theory you should be fine - I dunno why they are suggesting you change at Headcorn on your one".
Ooh Google blog search, is that new?
Paul Clarke's blog - I live in Hythe in the far South. Married to Clare + father to two, I am a full-stack web engineer, + I do js / Node, some ruby, python, php ect ect. I like pubs, running, eating, home automation and other diy jiggery-pokery, history, genealogy, Television, squirrels, pirates, lego, and TIME TRAVEL.