Le Mans 2012 - Ayse's Story
Page 23 - Monday
Time to go Home
Unsurprisingly, there was no rush at all to be up and about in the morning. Tony was catching the same ferry as James and I so he didn't need to dash off for the coast as he'd done the last two years. We headed up to the bar as usual for our coffee and bought some cakes for Monsieur and Madame at the hotel. It was quite amusing actually, as after we had presented our gifts and when we were about to leave, Monsieur went and fetched them from the kitchen to give back to us, as he had thought we were just wanting him to keep them cool in his fridge until we left!
We made a second trip up to the bar for coffee with Julie and Andy before loading our gear into the cars. We said our farewells to Monsieur and Madame for another year, and they were clearly taking it 'as read' that we would be back again in 2013. It was then off to make our way back to the coast and Le Havre on what was, quite typically for the post-Le Mans Monday, a beautifully sunny day....
We pressed on direct to Le Havre, both James and Tony needing to get petrol and we had a bit of a struggle finding our way off the main drag to a petrol station right down on the quay. It was now getting on for 2.30 and having gassed up, the next stop was not for food but to find a hypermarket as James in particular had a small shopping list to fulfil before heading for the ferry!
It was at this point that we lucked into what was virtually a hidden supermarket approached from an underground car park! It was very quiet and very cool - perfect. The shopping done it was time to head for the ferry terminal which we reached at about 3.45. Our ferry was due to leave at 5 pm and there was already quite a queue of cars waiting - as well as a London bus!
We got onto the ferry relatively quickly and stood on the deck in the sunshine watching the strange parking technique of the ferry workers and then, as the ferry left a little late at about 5.30, we enjoyed the inevitable 'car alarm symphony'....
After the initial rush had subsided, we managed to bag a table in the restaurant where I had a perfectly reasonable non-Indian curry. It was then just a case of waiting out the time to our arrival in Portsmouth. We docked pretty much on time, and to our surprise (after saying 'See you at Silverstone' to Tony) we were amazed to be among the first group of cars off the ferry.
James had kindly agreed to deliver me to Rownhams services on the M27 and we said our final farewells for another year. James headed off and I had a coffee while I waited for my son - another James - to arrive to pick me up. I was home by 11.45, having made the final journey of the 2012 Le Mans trip.
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