Thursday 6 June 2002
After a frenetic day of mad packing, cleaning and duvet washing, we left at 3pm. I had our fish tank squeezed between my knees...
Our soft play business was unbelievably busy as the weather was cold and wet. We pushed through the crowds around our office, left the fish in the capable hands of Polly, our manager, and after picking up Michael from the nursery, started our journey to Gatwick airport.
The traffic was predictably heavy, and I gave regular accounts to Mum and Dad who were travelling behind us. Everything was fine until we reached the M25, and we soon ground to a halt near Heathrow. Keith ranted at me about leaving so late and the children argued and whined in the back seat. Outside, the rain lashed down, and I hoped that the mood would improve once we had arrived at the Hilton hotel.
The traffic got going again, only to come to a complete standstill two junctions away from the M23. This time we turned off and I guided Keith through several villages until we reached the main road to Gatwick. The traffic was very heavy, not helped by the appalling conditions on the M25 where a car fire had caused long tailbacks. As well as navigating, I spoke to Mum on the mobile and advised them to get off the motorway as well.
We arrived at the Hilton in the pouring rain and a doorman helped us to take our luggage to reception where we checked in after a slight delay. The children were very excitable and kept running about madly. I couldn't really blame them, I suppose, but I could feel Keith's temper rising by the minute.
Our room was very spacious with a double, and two single beds. We had to move the car quickly into the car park, and I read the voucher we were given by reception with dismay. It seemed as if the car park was miles away! Leaving the children with Keith I set off into the unknown hoping I wouldn't end up in the middle of Crawley!
Luckily, I found the entrance to the long-term car park easily and parked without difficulty. I splashed my way over to the bus stop and waited two minutes for a bus that would take me to the terminal. From there I was able to walk back to the hotel through the covered walkway.
As I arrived back Mum and Dad arrived and we took them up to their room, which was opposite ours. The children went mad with delight, and I took Dad back to the long-term car park for the second time!
After all the mad rushing about it was great to get back and sip a whisky and lemonade in the hotel bar! Keith was already there with Michael who was grabbing stirrers as if his life depended on them... When Sophie arrived, she wanted one, too!
We ate in the restaurant and all chose burgers. The service was a bit slow but we didn't mind as we were now firmly in holiday mode. The children were behaving themselves and Michael sat nicely in his chair. Perhaps things wouldn't be so bad after all? The food was delicious and ample and the children gamely ploughed on with their enormous plates of burgers and chips. Our dishes arrived with enough salad to feed the whole of the restaurant and the wine went down very well, too!
By 9pm we were all ready for bed and not looking forward to our 3am start. The children went to sleep immediately which surprised me as I had awful memories of last June in a Travelodge in Portsmouth!
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