Jumping Ahead to Real-Time: Delivering Nana and the Un-marvelous Trip Home

When asked to describe our morning in one sentence, Steve said: “Just remember that God watches over fools and children: we had both in the car today.”

Today (July 5) was Mom’s departure day. We arose early – I got up at 5:18 a.m. I actually woke up an hour earlier – precisely 4:18 a.m. – and to my surprise, the day was dawning! We got everyone up and dressed and were driving off from the house at 6:33 a.m. for the 63-mile trip to Gatwick Airport. We had been warned that it would take about 1 ½ hours. Mom’s flight was at 10:20, so we wanted to make sure she was there in the 2-hour window that international flyers are supposed to use.

We made it there without a hitch! No wrong turns and no cross words. It was the easiest trip so far, despite the rain that was falling most of the trip. We drove on the M4, the M3, the M25, and the M23 – all 3-lane divided interstate-type roads. On the way there, we noticed that traffic was backed up on the “clockwise” M25 (the big loop around London). I figured it would be cleared up by the time we got back there. Steve didn’t get a real good look at it because he was watching the road ahead.

So we dropped off Nana amidst tears from the 2 big kids. They kept crying “I want Nana!” until we got to the gas station a mile away from the airport and we bought them a blueberry muffin and chocolate milk. Then it was just an occasional, “I miss Nana…” Once when Audrey said it, I heard Caleb telling her, “dc [their grandpa] is running out of clean underwear. Nana needs to go home and take care of him!” This made us laugh.

In a nutshell, the 63-mile trip home that should have taken 1 ½ hours took 3 hours. It took us an hour to go 2.5 miles at one point. Turns out the M25 was closed because a lorry (truck) smashed into a car and the accident took up all 3 lanes, so all traffic was diverted. BUT THEY DON’T HAVE ACCESS ROADS HERE, so we went dinking through the countryside again. All I can say is that our GPS has now overtaken our cell phone as the MUST-HAVE technology item for car travel (Steve is laughing and saying, “Cuz who you gonna call?”)

In reply to his question, he made the point that even if we did get hold of someone at his work who knows where we were and how to get home, the instructions would have to be so stinking precise and detailed, it would take an hour just to get them all. It’s those darn roundabouts again…

:)