Callou! Calais!

Away from all that sappiness from the other day, and back to England where we complete our story of the trip. Who knew it would take me longer to write about it than it did to actually do it?

After the big family gathering in Kent, Pete, my daughter and I parked the car at the Dover ferry port and booked ourselves as foot passengers to travel across the English Channel to Calais, France. The weather had generally begun to turn into what is considered typical English weather...gray, wet, chilly. This thumbnail above shows it well: it really looks like a black and white photo, but was not adjusted in any way.

We stood outside on the deck so that we could watch the white cliffs of Dover recede as the ferry pulled out of the dock. The water was pretty choppy that day, and as we waited there feeling the wind blowing in our faces and smoking cigarettes I felt it start.

I was totally going to be seasick.

I've been seasick before. An ex-boyfriend of mine was really into fishing and wanted to take a trip on one of these charter boats off the Jersey shore. Thankfully we only did the half-day trip. They bring you out 5 miles into the ocean and then anchor and everyone lines the railings with their rods and hopes to catch something. I spent the majority of time in the tiny bathroom, puking my guts out, and the rest of the time clenched over a table inside the center part alternately dozing and reeling. Being a glutton for punishment and a pathetic people-pleaser when it came to boyfriends, I tried again. I bought sea-bands for my wrists and tried a better medicine. It worked! I was fine for the whole 3-hour tour and did not get queasy at all. I have it licked, I figured. So we made plans to take another trip, this time with his parents and his sister and her husband. I put on my wrist bands, took my medicine, and got on the boat. Before we even came to our stop I was done. I got sicker than I had the first time, and it was aggravated by my stress over the fact that his family was with us.

I had not been on a boat like that since...until Dover. Now, these ferries are much bigger than the fishing boats I was on, and I figured I would be OK. But standing there waiting to depart, we could feel the whole boat rocking with the waves and I could feel the nausea starting to creep into my gut. I looked at Pete nervously. I tried staring at the horizon line. I breathed through my nose.

Before the boat left, we watched as a seemingly endless stream of 'lorries' (trucks to us Americans) pulled into the lower levels of the vessel. I mean endless. My daughter was getting a tiny bit nervous watching this and kept looking at me and saying, "We're going to sink!" We made our way inside to find seats in one of the million cafes on board, my kid holding my hand tight because she was worried about me once she saw how pale I had become. We sat down and her and Pete went to get hot chocolate for her and coffee for Pete and I. They brought it over and I could not even look at it. I breathed. I clenched my fists. I tried putting pressure on the points in the wrist that the bands put pressure on. I had to pee, but knew if I went into the bathroom I may never come out. Finally, I just had to do it.

I went into the bathroom where I could really feel the boat rocking. The stall doors, even though they are secured into the open position, were rattling. The metal cabinet with cleaning supplies was BANGING again and again. I went in, peed, then sat on the floor and waited for it. And waited.

Nothing.

I got up and went to the sinks, washed up and put cold water on my face. Nope, not ready to go back out. I went back into the stall, sat on the floor, and waited. I put my arms on the toilet seat and put my head down on my arms (I know, gross, but a girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do). I waited and waited and then I fell asleep. With my head on the toilet. I hadn't done that in a very, very long time...not since the days on heroin when I spent the majority of my time in bathrooms either ingesting or regurgitating drugs.

The ferry trip is about an hour and a half. When I woke up I felt a little bit better, and realized that there was only about 15 minutes or so left. I braved it and came out of the bathroom to join my fellow travelers who were both relieved. My daughter had come in twice while I was in the bathroom, "Mommy? Are you okay? Momma?"

I made it the rest of the way and felt immediately better once off the boat. We then went to the rental car desk and picked up our "Picasso"--a car that is shaped like a minivan but isn't exactly a minivan. It was cute, and drove well, actually, though it was  a standard and I hadn't driven one in many, many years. I had to practice in the parking lot a bit and only stalled out like twice, then I was fine. It all came back to me.

We drove the two hours to Brussels to visit my friend M., his wife, and their new baby girl.  For one night. Yeah, it was a bit insane, but our schedule was tight. Yet I felt we had to try to squeeze this in since we were relatively close and there was a NEW BABY involved! We had a very mellow time there, just relaxing and not doing much of anything except talking, which was fine by me. My kid was pretty bored, but did get to check out a fair that had set up down the road.

The most insane thing was our trip back. We drove the two hours back to Calais to return the car and get the ferry, with a hilarious detour to find petrol so we could fill the car before returning it. Then the hour and a half ferry ride back to Dover, on which I did NOT spend the time in the bathroom because I asked my friend's wife if she had any morning sickness medicine left over (she was sick her ENTIRE pregnancy), and had downed some of that. I was a tad bit queasy, but fine. The seas were also calmer. But THEN, we had to get our car and drive north back to Sharnbrook, a three hour drive. That was a long fucking day. I'm amazed we didn't kill one another, actually.

I said goodbye to England and to my honey two days later. If we learned anything at all on this trip, it was that we are going to make it through anything. To spend two full weeks together traveling, with a child, and not get into any fights--only one 'discussion' that was difficult--well, we felt really good about our relationship at the end of this vacation. And that is something.

Comments

[DMouse]

Such familiar pictures!

The ferries always rattle when going out. There was one (Pride of Bruges, I think) that was so bad that staff would have to hold all glass to stop it breaking.

They have to reverse out of Calais too, and that doesn't help.

Glad you had a great time, seasickness notwithstanding!

[Cecily]

Getting along while traveling is amazing. Getting along together while traveling in England and meeting your fiance's family for the first time with an 8yo in tow who only like to eat mac & cheese is MIRACULOUS.

Just saying.

[amy in bc]

You are amazing to have even gotten on the boat with your history. Hats off! Directed here via Cecily :) All the best to you and yours.

[Sheri]

Sorry you tummy doesn't water travel too well. Mine doesn't either. I'm sad my England trip is over...thank you so much for sharing your journey with us! I'll look forward to the next one.

Huge congratualtions for passing that couples milestone of traveling, with child and still speaking at the end!

[Amanda B.]

Husbando and I are going to have a European vacation at some point. I want to see England, Scotland, Ireland, Spain, Italy...etc. I would like to spend a month or so just traveling from country to country. Hmmm...now to save that kind of bread...