Journey to the East
Jun. 20th, 2024 12:12 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
puddlesharkI have been away in foreign parts, visiting the wild folk of the Fens (otherwise known as my brother and sister-in-law who live in Cambridgeshire).
For someone who hardly ever leaves Dorset, and hardly ever drives on a motorway, I can't tell you how exciting a journey along the M25 is. Horribly exciting. I set off from Dorset at 4am to try and beat the worst the of traffic, but this meant I was heading east along the M25 directly into the rising sun, and the whole world was fast-moving traffic and terrifying orange dazzle. Hellish conditions for the motorway novice.
But at least the M25 is easy to follow. Once I left the M25 behind, the rest of the journey was a series of unfortunate navigational errors. I had carefully memorised the numbers of the roads I had to follow... but roads, of course, run in two directions, and I inevitably ended up on the right road heading the wrong way.
6am in Tesco's car park, Hemel Hempstead. Until you have been there, you do not understand the meaning of lost. I never had any intention of visiting Hemel Hempstead. Or indeed Hitchin, another place I took in on my travels.
But as a smartphone and satnav refusenik, I am the author of my own woes. Getting lost as a lifestyle choice.
There was a lot of circling twice around roundabouts to find the most auspicious looking exit. A lot of retracing my route. A very laborious method of navigation, this: get lost, consult map, find a road that was at least heading in the right general direction.
And when I did eventually find Cambridgeshire, then there was a maze of Cambridgeshire back lanes to navigate. A process of circling round the general location and spiralling my way in towards my brother's house.
But after all its recent visits to the garage, the car went on this epic journey perfectly happy.
Arrived safely, and was greeted with the ritual welcome, a one-word question: "Tea?"
***
The journey back this morning, also at 4am, was a little less fraught. Only a couple of minor course corrections.
But then I made the mistake of stopping at the Unwelcome Break services at Fleet. I haven't been in a motorway service station for years. Where there used to be a proper restaurant, now there is just a great echoing hall lined with franchises, most of which were still closed. I bought my first ever cup of Starbucks coffee, and a croissant. Gave only a wild-eyed startled look at the person serving when they asked me my name. The croissant turned out to be the most horrible stale individual I have ever encountered.
So this is Starbucks, eh? I am enlightened.
For someone who hardly ever leaves Dorset, and hardly ever drives on a motorway, I can't tell you how exciting a journey along the M25 is. Horribly exciting. I set off from Dorset at 4am to try and beat the worst the of traffic, but this meant I was heading east along the M25 directly into the rising sun, and the whole world was fast-moving traffic and terrifying orange dazzle. Hellish conditions for the motorway novice.
But at least the M25 is easy to follow. Once I left the M25 behind, the rest of the journey was a series of unfortunate navigational errors. I had carefully memorised the numbers of the roads I had to follow... but roads, of course, run in two directions, and I inevitably ended up on the right road heading the wrong way.
6am in Tesco's car park, Hemel Hempstead. Until you have been there, you do not understand the meaning of lost. I never had any intention of visiting Hemel Hempstead. Or indeed Hitchin, another place I took in on my travels.
But as a smartphone and satnav refusenik, I am the author of my own woes. Getting lost as a lifestyle choice.
There was a lot of circling twice around roundabouts to find the most auspicious looking exit. A lot of retracing my route. A very laborious method of navigation, this: get lost, consult map, find a road that was at least heading in the right general direction.
And when I did eventually find Cambridgeshire, then there was a maze of Cambridgeshire back lanes to navigate. A process of circling round the general location and spiralling my way in towards my brother's house.
But after all its recent visits to the garage, the car went on this epic journey perfectly happy.
Arrived safely, and was greeted with the ritual welcome, a one-word question: "Tea?"
***
The journey back this morning, also at 4am, was a little less fraught. Only a couple of minor course corrections.
But then I made the mistake of stopping at the Unwelcome Break services at Fleet. I haven't been in a motorway service station for years. Where there used to be a proper restaurant, now there is just a great echoing hall lined with franchises, most of which were still closed. I bought my first ever cup of Starbucks coffee, and a croissant. Gave only a wild-eyed startled look at the person serving when they asked me my name. The croissant turned out to be the most horrible stale individual I have ever encountered.
So this is Starbucks, eh? I am enlightened.
no subject
Date: 2024-06-20 12:20 pm (UTC)They are just stale and horrible. Always look 3-4 days old, never look fresh, no matter which establishment you visit.
Coffee is OK, depending on your taste.
no subject
Date: 2024-06-21 09:32 am (UTC)I'm not really a coffee person, anyway, so am unlikely to visit Starbucks for their coffee.
no subject
Date: 2024-06-20 05:13 pm (UTC)I quite like Starbuck's bacon or sausage baps and the tea is OK. Though I suppose it might vary from place to place.
no subject
Date: 2024-06-21 09:36 am (UTC)Yes, I wonder whether it's just that the Starbucks at the motorway services has a captive customer base, so they don't need to bother to set any standards.
no subject
Date: 2024-06-20 07:28 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2024-06-21 09:38 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2024-06-21 05:27 pm (UTC)One school of thought says that this makes you the ideal Starbucks customer!
(I am a coffee person, and I'm not fan of the mother of all corporate coffee chains.)
no subject
Date: 2024-06-22 08:23 am (UTC)I went into Caffè Nero while I was in Cambridge - another first! - and, while I'm not qualified to judge the quality of the coffee, I can report that the croissant was lovely.
no subject
Date: 2024-06-22 09:22 am (UTC)I visited relatives in Canada and thought Tim Hortons there was good for food and drink, but for whatever reason the branches that've been exported to the UK come across as a bit grotty and cheap.
Ok, here endeth the gospel of coffee franchises : )
no subject
Date: 2024-06-22 10:27 am (UTC)