The Perfect Storm

While all of our Maryland family and friends are enjoying a blizzard, we are enjoying the absence of snow here. However, we are not enjoying the absolutely frigid weather and whopping six inches or less of snowfall in Kent and Dover which caused a) four Eurostar trains to malfunction INSIDE the Chunnel with over 2000 passengers aboard and b) the Dover Port to completely shut down overnight into this afternoon. Hmmm, I think I am jumping ahead of myself.
This morning, we left the house before 8:30 to catch the ferry to Calais, France for a 12:30 crossing. On the way down, we heard that four Eurostar trains malfunctioned inside the Chunnel. It seems that when the trains left the frigid outside weather in France and entered into the warmer Chunnel, they malfunctioned and stopped. I can't believe that this happened but also that this has never happened before, but then again it is REALLY cold here. I am sooo happy we did not decide to take the Eurostar on thie trip. So, we went a different way to Dover (the Eurostar leaves from nearby Folkestone on the way to Dover) and were going to be so on time. But lo and behold, there was a traffic jam from here to eternity about four miles out from the port. There were more 18-wheelers lined up and parked ON the highway than in the movie Convoy! As it turns out, the entire port of Dover was CLOSED last night and through noontime. Yes, closed. It seems that there was such bad weather in France and then ALL of the snow (> 6 inches mind you) closed the port on both sides. So, here we are, sat in the car for oh, two hours. We would move five feet when a car left the queue to leave and then sit for 15 minutes, move another 10 feet and sit... You get the picture.

Luckily, smart mommy had packed a good-sized cooler with snacks and drinks and smart daddy had purchased chocolate croissants just before we left so we were not lacking for nourishment. The kids took a pitstop in the bushes and threw some snow around which was a slight distraction however, we realized we were not getting anywhere and it was 2:00 pm. Therefore, taking into account the time it would take to actually reach the port, secure a spot on another ferry, drive to Belgium and successfully find our hotel, we decided to leave.
We then quickly stopped at a (luckily) nearby Tesco Extra (think Wal-mart + Giant combined in one space) for a proper lunch and potty break and took off for home. After a detour for gas - we have to use Texaco stations to get cheaper gas - with another chance for a snowball fight and a missed exit off the motorway and a mini detour through London, we arrived back at the house by 6:00 pm. Craig managed to cancel two of the three hotel reservations but our ferry passage and the hotel in Luxembourg are still up in the air as I type. Craig is very dejected that this trip is not happening mainly because he spent a lot of time researching and finding good lodging. I am dejected because this country just has no idea how to manage snow.
On the bright side, we managed to take almost every M motorway from here to Dover and back that we possibly could, the kids got a taster of snowball fighting, and we had minimal temper tantrums from anyone (including me) during the entire day. Oh and we didn't have to drive in snow and/or ice or whatever was in store for us in France. Finally, we are all safe.
I wasn't going to add this, but I have decided to do it. As I think you know, traveling is one of my favorite things to do. Well, I woke up this morning and my first thought was, "I don't want to go on this trip" - no lie. Eerie premonition if you ask me!