Newsletter 04 - August 1998

Fortunately the Channel was calm, I am a bad sailor, but that doesn’t matter too
much on the Hovercraft as it is more like being on a roller coaster. I hit the A26
motorway right outside the port at Calais, shortly before 0900 or 1000 French
time, the idea being to get some quick miles, or kilometres on the clock, to
slightly warmer climes, then to get on to the route national roads for the second,
more interesting part of the days journey. So 270k (160 miles) of A26 then Route
National 44 and others for the rest of the day.
Guess what, it rained and thought the hood is quite good at ‘in town’ speeds, the
aerodynamics of the pulled the hood header rail away from the screen top rail and
I got a shower. The only time the hood was down the whole day was from home
for the first 30 miles.
At about 3.30 I was in Nancy and found a ‘Formule 1’ (yes, that is how it is spelt)
hotel for the night. Mustn’t spend too much, mustn’t rub salt into the wound of
those left at home. Though cheap, these hotels are absolutely ideal for touring.
You spend most of your time in them with your eyes shut anyway! When you
have seen one you have probably seen them all, they appear to be all built to the
same design.
I stopped early because I was thirsty and hadn‘t eaten all day.
The rooms are clean and have a double bed with a single bunk
bed above, all have a wash basin in the room, they even have a
TV in the room. Automatically cleaned toilet and shower
facilities are just down the corridor.
One very small step up from these are the Etap Hotels, from the
same chain. They are the same except for en-suite facilities.
When first seen, the showers are a little strange, as there is no
shower curtain. You have to be a bit careful when showering
because you will easily splash the toilet floor, and your towel if
you haven’t hidden that from the shower water. Hanging on the back of the toilet
door is a squeegee to clear the floor of splashed water. Quite clever really.
You can stay in one of these overnight, and not see a member of the hotel staff.
You can pay with your plastic to gain entry at virtually any time. No keys just a
number
for the keypad entry system. Ingenious. Basic, but clean, dry
and absolutely beat the poo out of camping any
day, as far as I am concerned, and they
don’t cost a lot more than camping
Dinner?
Yummy!
either. Breakfast is a buffet,
continental style affair i.e. bread
butter and jam plus a selection of
drinks .
There is no restaurant for the evening
meal, though there is usually one near
by.
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