Harwich International Train Station

After a very emotional day afternoon with my sister and niece, I decided to get an earlier start that way I could cope with any delays, cancellations and still get on board on time.

But before I went I requested a last meal in England to be a great British classic, and my sister was so very kind enough to go out and buy all the ingredients just so that I could have my way, and so it was that on a Monday afternoon I had a lovely traditional Sunday roast, complete with best beef and Yorkshire pudding.

To add to the treat we had strawberries and double thick cream afterwards and that just set me up for the whole day ... yummy.

After a train journey, a half hour walk { in order to figure out how long I could walk with the full rucksack when it matters - which for the record is about half an hour before I seriously start looking around for a place to rest } a tube journey and another two train journeys I made it safe and sound to Harwich International train station at around 8.35.

Finding the port entrance from inside the train station was a doddle, so was check in and I even found a place where I could use the Internet prior to boarding, which for the 11:45 departure was no earlier than 9:15. Only thing was that the Internet isn't free and they don't have any signs for wi-fi, so I wasn't going to risk letting everyone know I'm carrying a laptop.

I'm looking forward to a super quick trip to the ferry casino { lets see how long I can make £5 last } and maybe even a trip to the cinema and bar before bed.

With an inclusive full English breakfast to wake up to tomorrow, the only thing that would make the night better was if there was a place on the ferry to grab a quick back massage as damn a thirteen kilo backpack gets heavy after awhile, and how on earth soldiers can carry up to sixty kilos without killing themselves in a mystery to me.

Well my twenty minutes is almost up and I want to save the rest of the change for drink, cos I bet the ferry bar will cost an arm and a leg!!!