Na rathaidean fada, lùbach tro Chuimrigh agus Alba

Day 8: 17th March – We’re out of the Big Smoke

Today’s trivia:

UK number plates are white at the front and yellow at the rear to immediately help drivers and law enforcement distinguish between the front and back of a vehicle, improving road safety and direction recognition. The color-coded, reflective system was mandated in 1973 to increase visibility, especially at night.🤔🤔🤔🤔

The last breakfast, which was the usual was had at the Kimpton Fitzroy London . . .

and I didn’t have enough data allowance to include Annette’s breakfast.

For the last week, dinners were at Hare & Tortoise Bloomsbury (OK), Pho Russell Square (chicken wings to die for), Farmer J Russell Square (you get what you pay for), Fitz’s Russell Sq. (Tuna steak thick and superb) , Pho Russell Square (ditto) and Pho Russell Square (ditto again!).

The last stairs to be walked up (and down) . . .

It was three train rides and a 4min walk either end to get to our hire car depot down near Crydon.

On the second train, the conductor kept announcing that if want to get off at Norwood Junction, which we did, then need to be in the first 10 carriages but there’s no way of knowing your carriage’s number. Luckily we were in an appropriate carriage.

Easy pickup but we didn’t get the expected car, a Volvo XC40. Not surprising as every hire rental has given us an equivalent car to what we signed up for. The Ford Capri is comfortable but you sit lower than the Volvo. Range seems to be maybe better at around 480km real range based on our drive today at 110km/hr most of the way. It’s going to take some time to get acustomed to the imperial distances andspeeds.

The attendant needed some details from us, one was a telephone number but said not on roaming so you can’t call me. He said have you any relos he can ring if need to get in touch with me. I said no. What about friends, I said no to that too. He looked at us bewildered that we didn’t know anyone in the UK. I wasn’t quick enough to say your mob shipped out all our relos 238 years ago to Australia, so no, no one left here!

It took an hour to travel one mile after picking up the car. There were umpteen traffic lights and roads joining the main road along with up to four lanes merging into one at each junction. But at the end of the day, it was very orderly, no road rage or car horns.

Our hotel, voco St. David’s in Cardiff is reasonable with a great view but a bit of a let down from the Kimpton. There’s no bellman, no Lucky George, no bathroom floor heating nor heated towel rail, no turn down service unless specifically requested, no central off switch for lights at the bed, bed too soft and the list keeps going . . .

We haven’t been here before nor given any hint of our sleeping arrangements but the hotel is insisting we’ll sleep as well or better than at home 🤔🤔🤔🤔. HtF would they know?