We're going home, we're going home.... :-(

I didn’t sleep well at all – knowing we had to get up and hearing people leave early was quite unsettling.  We realised that the woman who re-arranged our ticket actually put us on an earlier crossing than we asked for so we had to move quicker than we wanted.  

Flo spluttered to a start (a relief) and we drove around to check in – it always takes longer than we have patience for thanks to idiots working on booths and the people in front who didn’t have pet clearances etc.. we got around to the queue ready to get onto the boat – as per the other stages in the queues every other queue seems to be boarding before us and we’re just beginning to get very impatient .  Finally we were waved forward; Chris had left the engine running all the time to help charge the battery, but when he put her into gear she just died!!!  PANIC!!!  We were holding the whole queue behind us up and the little Frenchman was waving his orange flags at us frantically!!!  It was so embarrassing, everyone had to overtake us and nothing we did  could jump start her!!!  

We told the P&O guy and he said it wasn’t a worry as they could tow us onto the boat but 1^st he called the French Calais workers who arrived with a super battery to try jump starting us, the kid who was with him nearly electrocuted the old guy with it first before putting it on Flo!!!  Thankfully it started her so we drove up the ramp and we got onto the boat they closed the door behind us – we were the VERY­ last vehicle on!!  The P&O worker joked that we should tie ourselves to the lorry in front!!  We jumped out of Flo and went up the stairs into the lounge – as we walked in the captain was apologising on the tanoy for the delay in departure that we’d caused!!  It was SO stressful, we just could not believe that Flo had had the last laugh – and it wasn’t over yet!!  

The crossing was quiet, we went back down into the hold and Flo was once again as dead as a dodo!!!  Not a big surprise but still pretty frustrating!!  We told the P&O guy so he suggested we try push starting, he called over some cyclists, told them to ‘put down their push bikes and get pushing’!!!!!  they gave him a filthy look but did as he said – it didn’t work though so he called the Port mechanics.  By this time the whole load had driven off and new lorries were starting to drive on!!!  The pickup arrived and tried jump starting us again but this time the battery was gone so he gave us a tow and we jump started!!  At least that meant we could drive off, he said that he thought our starter motor had gone so advised us not to turn the engine off as it wouldn’t start again….not a huge problem when considering 1^st gear was still playing up so stalling was a very real reality and the fact that that we only had enough petrol to get us half way round the M25!!!

Traffic was ok, we researched the risks of filling up petrol and LPG with the engine running and although we knew it can be done we couldn’t risk it with the kids in the car so we pulled into the service station halfway round the M25 , filled up and prayed it would re-start – it didn’t!!! so, I called the AA and we waited for him to sort us out – he took ages checking everything but at least we were safe ie not on the edge of the motorway; and we could use the loos, buy cold drinks and lunch etc.  eventually he gave us a tow and we jump started again, praying for good fuel economy and no traffic we set off – unfortunately the M6 at Birmingham was bumper-to-bumper for about 10 miles, another very stressful hour as Chris is desperately trying not to stall without 1^st gear!!  


After hours and hours we eventually got home!!!! HORAY!!!!  We pulled into our drive but this time Flo wouldn’t go into reverse!!  So not for the first time I jumped out and pushed her back onto the drive!!!  

We left her running and emptied everything we needed into the hall and immediately drove her around to Ellesmere garage and left her there…………………….




Gad to be home? Yes!!  BUT what another amazing holiday we have had in Fantastic Flo!!! -  and although it wasn't the holiday we had planned we have made some super memories and were blessed hugely the whole time!!!

What will we do next year?!!!!