GENESIS

2 Escape to England

By chance my first writing was concluded on my birthday, 25th April, with no idea that it would eventually become a book. On 7th May I had symptoms that something was radically wrong with my prostate so off I went to a local doctor who, it transpired, hadn’t a clue but he sent me for some tests for bladder polyps. This, however, gave me a reason to travel home to England as “medical reasons” was an exemption allowing me to travel. So I applied, downloaded and completed an “Attestation Dérogatoire” (certificate of dispensation) to travel.
Next was the task of booking a Eurotunnel shuttle at Calais. I telephoned to discover that they were running a greatly reduced service but that I could book to get back if I could reach the terminal at Sangatte.

The next challenge was that there were no hotels open anywhere in France for a two-day journey, it had to be completed in one go by two 76-year-olds! On Saturday, 23d May we set off in the dark at 4.20am to travel the length of France to reach Calais by 6.50pm at the latest. My wife and I then experienced the most surreal journey imaginable. During the first half-hour travelling on routes national we encountered not one vehicle in either direction. When we joined the A7 there was not a vehicle to be seen until we discerned a red tail light way ahead. We probably encountered a dozen lorries carrying essential supplies and not a single car.

Approaching Lyon, a major city and traffic pinch-point, we drove through in an eerie silence the lorries having to take the roads around the centre of the city. The service stations were open for the lorries and, when we called in for fuel there were no cars or food, but the toilets were open.

At 5.50pm, we arrived at Calais, two hours ahead of schedule because of the traffic-free journey, and left on the first shuttle half an hour later. We had escaped from France.

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