We’re finally heading back to England today. How exciting! We set off at 9:15 am and make good progress… if only it weren’t for all the roadwork. And traffic jams. Just before Basel, we come to a complete standstill. When we see on the big screen that the situation isn’t going to change anytime soon, we take the exit and drive through the city.

In the Vosges, the route takes us through the long tunnel again, and we’re out of luck: We couldn’t pass the lorry before we get there, and now it’s driving 25 mph slower than the speed limit. So we’re losing time. After the tunnel, we discover what we’d already feared before setting out: the battery in our Bip&Go device – which lets us skip stopping at toll booths – has died. So we’ll just have to pay with a credit card after all, the way people did 20 years ago… at least until we can get it replaced at a Bip&Go service center in Reims.

Our car LucY insists on making four charging stops along the way. You can already tell: it’s gotten cooler outside. That means it’ll need more power, especially for the last leg of the trip on the major highway. LucY already knows that we like to drive a little faster here to make up some time.

We arrive in Calais at 6:30 pm. And learn that service has been disrupted. Thus, all departures have been delayed by an hour. But we still have to set off soon anyway. Then at the border control, we get the feeling once again: The border control agents don’t want to be efficient at all; they enjoy slowing travelers down. Four French border checkpoints are open for departure, but only two British ones are open for entry. Because of this, we miss our train and have to wait for the next one – an hour later. It’s really an outrage.

Around 10 pm, we finally get on the English motorway. An hour and a half later, we arrive at the rest stop where we like to stop for dinner, and we’re in luck: We’re the last customers to order at Nando’s and soon enjoy a chicken breast with chips, peas, and delicious sauces. That gives us the energy we need to make it through the last hour to the hotel.