Tuesday 17th March

This morning I rang the Camping and Caravanning Club to see if I can change my Le Shuttle booking from Saturday 4th April to a Brittany Ferry booking from northern Spain to anytime soon. The reason is it’s a much shorter drive – only one overnight stop required.

I’m on hold for 3 hours and 15 mins; I daren’t put the phone down. Everyone is trying to contact them.

When I finally get through they tell me the first ferry availability is weeks away on the 11th April (only one of the two ports is still operating) and the young lady recommends that I should stick with the train and drive through France. I’m tearful and a bit batty – they are extremely nice to me and try to help and reassure; they change my train booking to Saturday 21st March; they contact the Rally Stewards on site who come round to offer help and advice – now standing 2 metres away!

This was not what I had planned! But eventually I realise this is what I have to do to get home.

I’ve pasted a separate blog with what happened next taken from e-mails I sent out once I was home.

The upshot is, I’m leaving lovely Playa Tropicana tomorrow to travel on my own, hoping the border with Spain and France is still open and to drive the length of France. As required, I have my printed train booking and my signed ‘declaration’ for travel through France.

The potential problems loom large – Will I be stopped for travelling in lockdown? Will the border be open? Will I be able to get fuel? As French campsites are now closed, and the rumour is you aren’t allowed to leave the motorway, where will I sleep?