It's going to be an epic trip

Understatement of the year   


Seriously though, to all the usual people who go to IBW, spaces are indeed becoming tight, so book up as soon as you can, and let me know so I can add you to the list of those going.

For the Newbies out there, this is one hell of a trip and well worth coming along to - Its a fair old distance, granted, but its done at a real leisurely pace with great fun to be had along the way - so newbies, if you fancy tagging along, please do so, but don`t wait much longer else you may lose the space on the ferry

The MBC met up at Corley services just before 1pm we tagged on at the A46/M6 junction about 1pm then we had a stop on the A14 then stopped at another garage somewhere then onto Colchester Pizza hut before the final blast to the ferry.
As for the other side of the north sea I guess the first original meeting point will now be the wrong side of the river as we are heading south and need the A4 in what I think may be the benelux tunnel at 795M long ear plugs are advisory

TUNNEL DID YOU SAY! 

Sent you a mail or 2 Dave.

Well after a lot of deliberating and juggling, it looks very much like I won't be joining you all this year in the end. 

Its just proving a little too difficult to sort out with Alex's school times and the inability to commit to booking the ferry in the next month or two.

But don't feel too bad as I am off skiing to Park City in Utah in early April instead for 10 days (which is eating up cash and my holiday allowance at work).  ;-)

Although never say never  (note: - must start playing the lotto  )...........

Have a great time all and I will be there in spirit (and I have not given up all hope of being there in the flesh yet either)......

Chad

Hook ferry port to IBW is 130 miles and 2H 15M on the directions sites mostly motorway driving, with the ferry docking at 8am we can have a very leisurely drive and perhaps a detour or two sight seeing and still arrive mid afternoon or to please Mr Dream we could do a few tunnel drives in both directions to kill time and annoy the locals.

Well after a lot of deliberating and juggling, it looks very much like I won't be joining you all this year in the end. 

Its just proving a little too difficult to sort out with Alex's school times and the inability to commit to booking the ferry in the next month or two.

But don't feel too bad as I am off skiing to Park City in Utah in early April instead for 10 days (which is eating up cash and my holiday allowance at work).  ;-)

Although never say never  (note: - must start playing the lotto  )...........

Have a great time all and I will be there in spirit (and I have not given up all hope of being there in the flesh yet either)......

Chad

hi Chad I hope you can come in someway or other. Chatting to Paul at Stena he was not that bothered about my passenger details at this point in time as I don't know who will be coming with me. Maybe you could call shotgun and go with someone. As it's a bank holiday it's only three days you need to take off. There's historically a lot of stomach bugs going around at he end of May!

Hi Chad, it was our first IBW last year and loved every minute of it and a big part of it was all down to you....... especially the dancing!!! Cooooorrrrmon..... you're our Leader!!! Buggy Time !!!! 

Guys, don't get me wrong, I will if I can but looking unlikely at the moment.

Basically it comes down to me wanting the family to come, the difficulty in getting enough time to make it worthwhile (at the moment we couldn't arrive until Saturday afternoon at the earliest), having someone to look after our very old and frail dog, especially after using all our dog sitting credits up for USA in April, and importantly the cost. With Ruth still establishing her new business, we have to be a little more careful with cash at the moment that we used to(especially with the USA ski trip the month before )

But I'm sure you are all old and ugly enough to look after yourselves (but just look after Dave Dream for me  ) and I am sure you will have a great great time. (Gutted in truth but its really come down to a choice between 10 days skiing in Utah at Easter or 5 days buggying in Belgium at the moment)


Chad

I think we should have a whip round

The northern crew will be landing in Zeebrugge so we'll have to meet you en-route this year. I'm sure we can tie up a meeting point in due course. Or failing that we'll see you in the beer tent mid afternoon

Not 100% sure yet but really fancy this...  quite a few things to organize before I can say for sure.... but on it and will let you know.

Can anyone remember what time we had tea at Pizza hut last year, and was that Colchester?

I`m trying to put a map / cruise route together

colchester to harwich is just under an hour going steady, I reckon it was about 6pm and we left about 8 so ferry terminal around 9 but it is 7 months ago.

we also had a stop at the garage somewhere over towards colchester but I have no idea where, follow my leader mode! we just arrived.

harwich was 189 miles in 4 hours from here + 2 fuels stops and the food

Takes about 30 mins from colchester  to harwich