In 2004, I took then new Mortons Volvo B7 04D24468 on a marathon voyage from Knocklyon to Hampshire on the south coast of England, specifically to a town called Havant. The group were about 60 small girls and their group leaders, going to a majorette's jamboree.

The Volvo was limited to 48mph, which meant I was quite the rolling obstacle all down the M6, M40 and A34 roads! We arrived into Holyhead about 1pm, and I had the group leaders advised to have all the kids use the toilets on the ferry, as I could well do without a series of toilet stops along the road. If all went to plan, I told them we would have a three hour non-stop sprint down to Staffordshire, and an hour for dinner. Then another three hour haul down to Chieveley on the M4, and another hour's stop for supper. If they held to my schedule, with no extra unscheduled stops, I'd have them at the hotel in Havant by 10:30pm, which was precisely the time we drove through the gates! I didn't want to be arriving with such small children at midnight or after!

Anyway, I had a lovely four days to myself in the south of England, rambling around taking in the sights. On the sixth day, we had to do the whole trip in reverse, with the added proviso of being good and early for the ferry. Again, we made the trip in just under eight hours of driving, plus two stops of an hour each. I wanted to have at least two hours in hand to arrive at Holyhead, in case of emergencies along the way. While the crossing over had been mild, however, the return weather was not good at all, with storms forecast. The group leaders were worried about the crossing, but I told them I had been out in far worse, that it wouldn't be too bad. I didn't let on that the forecast was very severe indeed!

The HSS had an awful crossing back to Dublin, having had to sail towards Wexford with the weather, and then pick her way up along the east coast. Everything that wasn't nailed down was flung from one side of the driver's lounge to the other. When you see the crew strapping all the vehicles down tight in the car deck, you know you're in for trouble. Especially when you go upstairs, and find the salt and pepper placed neatly on the floor beside each table in the restaurant, where it can't fall any further! There were very green faces coming off that ferry for the short trip home to Knocklyon.

That was an enjoyable week, but a very long haul in a low floor double decker. I won't relate here what arrangements I made for the luggage...!