On my bike trips ex-London it has become something of a custom to pass by Ruth and Nir's place, it being so perfectly located at about one solid day's ride from central London. This time, Ruth and Nir were at home enjoying some very peaceful time with their new bundle of joy, young Leya. I didn't stay long but it was great to have the chance to see them all once again, and Leya was pretty tranquil in my arms and ever so endearing! All too soon it was time for the sleep-addled parents to take the opportunity of a siesta, and I had a ferry to catch.
Arriving at Dover in the early afternoon I was shocked to see that P&O Ferries had nearly doubled the price of a bicycle crossing Dover-Calais from £18 last August to £30. When buying the ticket I stupidly assumed it wasn't worth checking how Sea France's fares compared, as they'd surely have upped their prices, but a quick check of their website just now shows that their crossings for bicycle passengers are still only £15. Grrrr!
On the bright side, during the crossing I got talking to another cyclist from Edinburgh named Walter. Walter was on his way to visit his young son in Slovakia and so we decided to travel together for a bit, and with it being pretty late when we landed at Calais I led him to the Calais Municipal camping, which seems to have had something of a security upgrade since the last time I was there in 2007, where in the early hours I was sure I saw bicycles being stolen from unsuspecting campers who'd left them unlocked! Of course, there is an extra special place in Hell for bicycle thieves, but a bit of extra security is always welcome.
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