A JOURNEY TO THE UNITED KINGDOM
Entry Four

Well, I feel like we didn't even go to sleep. But, there is no way we can miss this ferry ride. Let's see if we can get our van out of the underground garage where the cars are parked three deep and there are Lamborghini’s to squeeze by. We did have the thought to tell the concierge the night before so we didn't have to do the shuffle in the middle of the night. He's good- we get out in no time and luckily the bicyclists are asleep and the streets are safe to navigate. Google gets us there but in half the time so we sit in line to board the ferry two hours ahead of schedule- just like the airports. I have no idea what it will be like on the ferry so I figure I should at least get Troy some orange juice for his breakfast cereal which he brought with him from Missouri. Yes, he makes a crazy concoction with protein powder. It does smell good but I'm not taking a bite. I opened my car door and a big burst of wind whips it out of my hand and clips the mirror of the car next to me. I feel humiliated and try to apologize. I made everyone jump it was so loud. I tried to give him a couple twenties. I wasn't about to tell him I spent my last euros on tulips- he looks like a tough guy. He said for what? I said because I am sorry for banging his mirror. He just shakes his head no. I wish he would take it- he could at least buy something for the little kid that I startled awake. I am so paranoid on returning from the vending machine that I crawl over Mat in the passenger's seat. There is no way I am opening that door again in this wind. The ship arrives and we drive aboard. I had no clue as to the size of this thing. We load up in the belly of it where they make you leave and go upstairs. They strap down the big semi's with chains. The rest of the ship is what I think of as a cruise ship (I've never been on one). This is costing us a few hundred bucks so I guess they want you to be comfortable. You can eat and drink orange juice, which would have saved that poor man’s side mirror if I had only known you, could buy it onboard. I will be eating nothing as this ship is rocky and I am making myself go to sleep in one of the comfy chairs. That is after I watch a few more people stagger around like drunks trying to make it around to the shops and gambling games. Troy heads outside in this crazy wind to risk his life and cannon camera to take some pictures using the miraculous memory that appeared on it yesterday. Troy wakes me up a couple hours later as we are pulling into the port. I think he has been milling around this whole time. We are up front with a group of people who did not drive a car onboard and we miss the announcement to get back to our cars. We race down and get scolded by one of the attendants and honked at by at least one impatient person. It is our first time and I am just thanking God that I find my keys right away. Can you believe they only gave us one set? We rented this van in one country and are driving it around in two other countries. I cannot lose these things!!!
We drive off the ferry and remind ourselves that we are in England now and to get over on the wrong side of the road. We have to pass through customs once more. They are much more suspicious of us since we are coming from Amsterdam. Luckily Mat is being asked all the questions since he is in the passenger's seat which is suppose to be the driver's seat. (Hee Hee) I just keep smiling. When he asks where we are going and what we will be doing, Mat tells him that we are going to Romford. He says, "Romford!! What's in Romford?" Mat says we will be visiting with friends. This is all totally true since we have been making friends with people on Myspace who say they are coming to our first show!!! He asks Mat where they live in Romford and Mat says I don't know we are going to make them come see us. See... it's all still true and Mat is a very quick thinker. We take off and at least we can read the signs since they are in English but what exactly do they mean we are not sure. I can't believe they just handed me this license without making me learn all these signs. A nice Harley rider demonstrates to me that I am riding in the fast lane and not the slow lane while trying to make out these funny signs. We see a billboard sign for clutch repair. I'm thinking I might need to write that number down. It's all these crazy roundabouts and every time we stop at a light it's always on a hill!! Mat put it together that that is why their traffic lights turn from red to yellow to green so the driver knows to get the clutch ready because the light is fixing to change. We finally make it to our hotel after successfully making it through a sort of figure eight roundabout. We get out next to some Japanese tourists. I smell something burning and I say, "Oh, those poor people must be burning up their emergency brake." But, on closer inspection- it's me! They were probably whispering about me and my poor clutch.