Staycation Suffolk 2024 - Day 1

Storm Darragh.

The latest storm to hit the UK bringing high winds and torrential rain.

It was due to hit the west side of the country on Friday and then move eastwards.

We started to load the van with essentials for a weekend away anyway.  

The wind was around 45 to 50mph (according to the BBC) as we loaded plus the temperature was around 6°C.

We decided that we would go for it, and if it was too rough we could turn round.

We set off around 11am. It was windy on the M20 and we made good progress to Maidstone. 

The satnav was telling us of 45 minute delays on the planned route. This turned out to be the Dartford Crossing.

Due to darling Darragh they had closed the Queen Elizabeth II Bridge and opened the eastern tunnel to southbound traffic.

On the A2 the queues in the exit lane for the flyover towards the tunnels was tailed back at the top of the hill around a mile away! 

We were in lane 2. A live traffic lane. My intention was to go the "old way" pre-flyover and around the roundabout. It was solid there too. But we managed to get up the single lane access to the M25/A282 okay. We had one lady in a Juke stop us changing lane flipping us the finger...

I reckon we were ahead of where we would have been. The arrival time for the destination at Badingham had only increased by 24 minutes. 

We chose not to stop on the service area at Thurrock as the traffic exiting after the tunnel was heavy. Nearby is a huge shopping area called Lakeside. We had already passed the long queues for the Kent version called Bluewater.

It's almost Christmas or rather Christmas is three weeks away. Despite everyone moaning about the cost of living they are packing out shopping centres everywhere and spending money.

We did stop for lunch after we joined the A12. We had roast beef rolls with us and we're planning to buy a coffee. Sadly the services was a bit of a dump. Neither of the coffee machines worked and to get one from the counter meant queuing up with all the petrol and shop customers and paying in advance. Then go and order! The queue was about 10 strong. Bugger that.

We ate a roll and left.  Continuing up the A12 we stopped at the "Colchester Stadium" services where there is a McDonalds, a fuel station and a Marks and Spencer's food outlet. 

We found a space on the end and the front overhung the hatching between the two rows of cars. Otherwise there's no other parking for vans. Given that delivery drivers etc use vans and McDonald's you might think they would give over some parking.

We got a coffee and an apple pie each. The pies still come with a lava like filling.

Next door is the park and ride. I couldn't see if we could have got in there. From the distance we were away it looked like a height barrier was in place. 

Once back on the A12 we were about an hour so from the destination. 

The estimated time of arrival when we set off from home was 2.02pm. Now it's 3.27pm.

The rest of the journey was punctuated with a stop at a fuel station when I saw the diesel price was £1.319 a litre. The cheapest since we left Spain in October! I filled up. Only managing to get in 24 litres of the smelly nectar!

At Ipswich the route was A14, A140 and A1120 almost to the door.

We arrived pretty much as the satnav had indicated. 

Here many of the less major sections of road had some floods, mostly I expect due to clogged drains!

We are the only van onsite. Before it got dark we parked up. Nose in to keep the worst of the wind away from the hab door when we need to get out.

We have the electric hook-up and I put fresh water into the tank. Should be enough to wash and clean dishes.

The site was free WiFi but the signal wavers a bit so we couldn't watch TV. We need it for the Amazon Firestick to work! Both our phones are showing H+!

So by the time we set up it was too dark for a photo op. We've read our Kindles and had dinner.

A Slimming World approved burger, chips and beans.

And so to have another read and maybe a cup of tea and a mince pie before bed.

The weather. A bit blowy. A bit of rain. But currently not too bad. 

Damn. It's only 8.15pm!!!