DRIVING HOME FOR CHRISTMAS! (Christmas Travel Stories)

Member Name: jayjolynn

Product:	Christmas Travel Stories
Date:	18/12/06 (346 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Seeing your family!

Disadvantages: Weather !

Two years ago, at Christmas, I was living in Spain, but had booked my flight to come home for Christmas, to be with my family. Unfortunately it wasn't to be, as through ill health at that time, I was unable to make the flight. I was distraught at the thought of not being with my own family over this period, but had to accept the fact, it was the first year we would spend it apart.

I started to make arrangements for our Christmas in Spain, along with my niece, who is Spanish, and my brother, who had lived in Spain for 32 years.
I tried so hard not to feel sorry for myself as Christmas approached, and threw myself into making it as nice as possible for the only two members of my family who would be there on the day.

Christmas Eve, my brother and I went out shopping for the food, and last minute presents. We had a lovely day, and he took me for dinner afterwards, and he tried to make it as enjoyable as possible for me, as he is also my 'twin' and we think alike in a lot of ways, and he knew I was feeling sad about not seeing my daughters that Christmas. It is also our birthday on Christmas day so, my daughters were feeling extra sad at me not being home with them that year.

When we eventually got home, I was quite exhausted, but we settled down to watch some Christmas television. In our family it is traditional for us to see 12 midnight come in, and it is then we open our pressies!!
So 12 midnight came, and the 3 of us wished each other a 'Merry Christmas'! Then the phone rang, and it was my daughters, wishing me a Merry Christmas and a Happy Birthday!
Well, we were all crying on the phone, and it was just so emotional, when the doorbell rang. I was still on the phone, when my brother insisted I go to open the door. I opened it to find my 2 daughters standing there, still on the phone to me! They were bundled up with gifts, and wearing Santa suits and hats, but nothing could disguise my own girls!

I cannot explain the emotions that ran through me, and I just stood and screamed at this sight! I couldn't believe it! All my Christmas wishes came true at that one moment!
We hugged and cried for I don't know how long!

Unbeknown to me, when the Doctor had told me I couldn't fly on the 22nd, my brother had somehow managed to get last minutes flights with a Spanish airline to get the girls over to Spain!
I later heard that their flights had been delayed because of the weather and they were worried whether they would indeed make it!

We lived in a Villa at this time, with a separate apartment downstairs, which my Niece stayed in when she was visiting us, and when my daughters arrived early on Christmas Eve, she had moved them into this small apartment. Of course, my brother had taken me out for the day that day, and obviously now, it was to keep me out the way as long as possible.

So they had actually spent Christmas Eve downstairs in a cramped apartment while we had had the luxury of upstairs watching Christmas TV!
To let you understand, the apartment was directly below the lounge area of the Villa, and normally you could hear everything, so I do not know how they managed to keep so quiet for so long, knowing my daughters and knowing how they are usually fairly 'loud'!
Looking back now, my Niece kept vanishing downstairs, making the excuse she was going for her 30th shower??!!!

What a terrific time we had and sat up most of the night, and the next day, we had Christmas dinner round the pool! We all had less food now, as I had only organised it for three, not five! What the heck, you could have put 2 roast potatoes and 2 Brussels on my plate, I still would have enjoyed it al!

Thank goodness for last minute flights!!! It is a Christmas I will not forget in a hurry!

This year, I am travelling home for Christmas to my home town in Edinburgh! We now live in the South of England so it will take us about 5 or 6 hours to do this by car, but we have to take the car rather than fly, as I was over zealous with the presents this year....AGAIN!

I am travelling home because my daughters are there and I know that like last year, it will be worth while! I would make a marathon journey to be home with family at Xmas, as there's no way Xmas could be the same without them!

Last year, well we drove up, and made it in about 5 hours, and this was with stopping once for something to eat. The roads were in fact, eerily quiet since this was the Friday, and the last working day before Christmas. We left about 5 PM and expected the roads to be jammed with other people wanting to go home for Christmas, but no, it was more or less a clear road all the way up.

We had a fantastic Christmas, each of us opening the silly presents we had bought!

Unfortunately, we had to leave earlier than expected as the weather forecast predicted heavy snow across the country! As we bade farewell to my daughters we set off and initially thought we would make it safely, until we reached Newcastle! We drove into a sheet of snow falling and the wind screen wipers were doing nothing to clear the way! Traffic was at a snails pace by this time, so we managed eventually to drive into a road side eating place, with the hope of sitting it out until it subsided.

We sat in this roadside cafe along with many other travellers who had ventured in here for the same reasons, but rather than it subside, it got worse! The cars in the car park were covered in snow, and no one could make out which car was which!
Eventually the snow subsided, but the ground was thick with it. We decided to have a go at driving further up as we supposed the gritters would be out by now! After clearing all the snow off the car, we slowly made our way back onto the main road. Yes! The gritters were certainly out, but not doing anything! We saw one gritter lorry on a slip road.......STUCK in the snow!

The main road itself was not too bad by now, as previous traffic had turned most of it too slush, but we still were being over cautious and travelling about 15 miles an hour. Looking out over the countryside, it was just a massive white out!! Beautiful scenes though, but scary to drive in!

Another few miles down the road, it was getting better, and the snow had vanished in some places, but the other vehicles on the road, had also vanished! It was very eerie, driving down the A1 with snow all around you and just the clear dark sky with the stars twinkling!

We drove without too much trouble until we got closer to London. It all started again! North Kent, where we were headed was covered in snow, and we had been listening to this on the radio all the way down, hoping we could perhaps dodge some areas that were getting the worst of it, but how could we dodge this? This is where we were going to!

Again we stopped at another road side cafe and of course ate some more, and drank more hot coffee! By this time it was 12 midnight and we had left Edinburgh at 3pm! So 9 hours we had driven, and still just 50 miles to go, but that 50 miles would prove to be a nightmare! As we sat in this cafe, we pondered whether to take the chance and try and get home, or give up and bed ourselves down in this cafe, which a few other motorists had decided to do.

We chose to battle on, and yes, it was a nightmare, at one point getting stuck in the snow, and having to be rescued by a snow plough! By now, there were more cars being rescued, and once the snow plough got us all out, he told us all just to follow him, and we did! He scooped the snow up and made a passage for us all to drive through! We followed him for about 5 miles and giving the driver of the plough a farewell 'toot' we managed to get off the road and onto a safer road heading towards our home! I have never been so glad to get home in one piece!

It was now 3.30am! Exactly twelve and a half hours to get home!

Isn't it worth the journey though? How many times throughout the year I have had a flight to take me there, but nothing can beat the drive up there, to be with your family!?

Christmas is a time for travelling, even though it might get you down at the thought of snow, ghastly weather, and even more snow! It is worth the risk just to know you will be with the people you love most!
There is the other factor though, that you could be seen as irresponsible by venturing out, knowing you could face dangerous conditions!
I would say we had no choice but to try and get home, as we had work commitments etc, but if we had had that trouble driving UP to Edinburgh, would I have still done it?

I must be honest and say, yes! Nothing could keep me away from my family at Christmas, and nothing ever will again!

Where ever you travel to for Xmas , there is one thing that bonds everyone! We are all celebrating the same thing! No matter what that journey entails, it really is so much worthwhile, as when do we ever make the same effort? I would travel the globe to be with my loved ones at this time!

Merry Christmas everyone!

J x

Summary: I would walk 500 miles to be with them!