There used to be so many exciting routes across the Channel.

[Sir Charlie of Nicholas]

I spent much of the 80s driving to odd places in Europe and back, and had the choice of at least one ferry an hour between Dover and Calais or Folkestone and Dunkirk. Then there was the Dover/Calaid hovercraft, the Ramsgate/Calais hovercraft or the Ramsgate/Ostend Jetfoil. Dover/Ostend or Zeebrugge was a bit of a drag at 4 hours, but the lack of a motorway link into Calais meant that it was sometimes better to come through Belgium anyway. If heading further north there was the romance of an overnight crossing, perhaps Harwich (Parkeston Quay) to the Hook of Holland, or, my personal favourite, Sheerness to Vlissingen. Occasionally I would take the freighter from Harwich (Navyard Wharf) to Antwerp, but that was a rare treat.

The tunnel is efficient, of course. But we've lost some glamour.

[Berni]

[Luis Anaconda]

[Luis Anaconda]

The Channel was pretty f**king glamorous compared to that

[Berni]

on the 3+ hour slog of a boat trip. :-(

[Sir Charlie of Nicholas]

Given that the journey started in Wales and took you to Ireland, it could hardly be otherwise.

[Sir Charlie of Nicholas]

[Steve Williams - gay for Mark Knopfler]

c**ting things swaying from side to side and people throwing up left, right and centre.

The only reason I ever travelled by boat was because I could not afford to fly. f**king horrible.

[Rich]

on an inexpensive flight and within 45 minutes of taking of, I have been on the ground in Dublin.

[Steve Williams - gay for Mark Knopfler]

A time when flights were hugely more expensive and generally less attainable.

A xmas journey home from London for example would entail a 20 hour journey from London Victoria to Belfast via Stranraer in Scotland, a simply horrific journey made worse by 6-8 cans of Castlemaine XXXX before the train had got out out of London.

[Sir Charlie of Nicholas]

Loads of companies employing staff, creating a bustling area of industry. In those pre-EU days, of course, the freight sheds were packed with trucks (and me) awaiting customs clearance, and in the freight terminal there was a huge shed divided into cubicles where legions of shirt-sleeved freight forwarding clerks rolled C&E1143 forms into typewriters, lit a fag, and clattered away on the form to present to Customs. "How long, mate?" the drivers would ask, hoping that clearance would come quickly and they could continue on their journey home. A lugubrious, "Ooh, 6 or 7 hours at the moemtn, I reckon." would be the usual response. Back to the cab for a kip, then, or next door to the canteen for a proper feed of chips.

A great, great life.

[Sir Charlie of Nicholas]

parcels of cast off clothes, designed to show the poor schmoes at home how one is prospering in the New World while they are still stuck scratching their arses in the swamp. Others, in the manner of third worlders all over, must take their goats and chickens with.

BA aren't keen on goats and chickens.

[Steve Williams - gay for Mark Knopfler]

It was the day after I finished school and was the start of a 6 week Gallic adventure.

20 hours or so the journey took at least 50% of which both ways I was being violently ill. Horrible. Far from glamour I recall.

[Rich]

[Sir Charlie of Nicholas]

And took a skint pop band home to Manchester.

Best days of my life.

[Snin]

also southampton to isle of wight..the most expensive per mile with a car by all accounts..dover calais..and cherboug to folkestone..oh and wellington ferry cook straight, bari to malta and athens and greek islands... plymouth chain ferry..various chain fery in fact..think thats it on my ferry life..ferry boring really :) but ferry good fun imo

[Steve Williams - gay for Mark Knopfler]

And would I know the band?

[Steve Williams - gay for Mark Knopfler]

One got by and the money one would have was better used for drugs and crispy pancakes than flights.

[Snin]

on roscoff - plymouth ferry..I too was 15 .. we were listening to Mr Mister if i remmber correctly on her ****ty stereo ans i fingered her..lovely times

[Sir Charlie of Nicholas]

You're mad for the bumming, sw.

I don't think so. They were a group of young girls who'd been touring in Germany and been dumped by their manager, left penniless :-(

I did what I could for them.

No shags were forthcoming.

[Berni]

Plus, we used to take the cat.

[Berni]

http://museumvictoria.com.au/pages/38908/000039691c.jpg

[Sir Charlie of Nicholas]

it.

"Look at me now, f**kers."

[Berni]

his leg became 'ker-nack'. I think he was a lying. Not least because he was clearly French.

[Sir Charlie of Nicholas]

I smuggled him into UK :cloud9:

[Berni]

had been 'burnt by soldiery' during the '98, but still.

[Berni]

[Luis Anaconda]

always the latest Rover or something.

And of course we needed something to pull the caravan

[Steve Williams - gay for Mark Knopfler]

We both know that when you pulled over at the time to over them a lift this prospect was foremost in your mind.

Now, in your relative dotage, you can look back and simply state you were doing your best for them.

[Sir Charlie of Nicholas]

[Berni]

[Harry Balls]

f**ker of a drive up on a day trip, though, better suited as part of a weekend event.

*Avoid Gt. Yarmouth at all costs.

[redgunamo]

For example, two of them will be out of the question for one reason or another anyway. Leaving two, one of whom will, by nature, offer more practical possibilities than the other.

So you identify your goal and start there.

[Supermac1976]

who stopped running it.

[Harry Balls]

[arse-nick (avid-analogue-addict)]

http://www.oocities.org/capecanaveral/hall/1805/hoverspeed.jpg

[Darren's Dodgy Denim]

From Ushant to Scilly is a mere thirty-five leagues, I am told.