Thursday 26th May

I was very worried that the van might not start this morning, however after a couple of tries it did. We went into Calais to the municipal service point which proved to be the service point from hell - in the middle of a very active construction site with huge lorries whizzing by only a metre away! We gave up the idea of dumping waste water and taking on fresh as a Spanish vanner in front of us was exhibiting a total lack of understanding as to how to get water from tap to van.

Calais is pretty grim these days. Rows of razor wire topped fencing everywhere around the ferry port. Third world style cardboard and plastic shelters housing destitute people are easy see around the town. Please understand that I am totally opposed to all of this. I see myself as a citizen of the world. I think that I and everyone else should have the right to travel to and live wherever they wish.

All this apparent security appears to be a sham put on for domestic political purposes within the UK. French police looked twice under the bed and once into the washroom of our van as we checked in for the ferry. There were no sniffer dogs in evidence and no one looked under our bench seat to see if we had taken out the fresh water tank and replaced it with a refugee.

Anyway we got onto the ferry and before too long arrived at Dover.

We've arrived at Ann's daughter Kerry's house in Kent. There's going to be a big family party here this weekend. We anticipated this to some extent and have imported some Polish vodka, Georgian wine and German beer.

Today we traveled 56 miles (90 kilometres, excluding the ferry crossing from Calais to Dover).