Chieveley
With the country still in lockdown and the wearing of masks, social distancing, and screaming manically at Pharmacy staff all compulsory, Ian, Misty and I were heading For Dorset. We had booked three lovely looking dog friendly hotels strung across the South coast, and the Travelodge at Chieveley services. The hotels were all pretty expensive so better be good. The Travelodge was £20, with an extra charge of £20 for the dog! Today Ian was coming home from work early (I know!) so that we could get a head start before The traffic. He would be leaving work at 1pm he said. Ha! He arrived home at 1.15. Wow!
While waiting for him to pack, I studied the weatherman’s map in order to see if the small hole in the forecast torrential rain was over The Isle of Purbeck. It does appear to be for Saturday, but Sunday looks a literal washout. Never mind, we will be on holiday and I have the new, 100% waterproof, trousers Ian has just bought me.
Around 2.30 we were ready to leave for the services. Chieveley, as you all know, is where the M4 and the A34 Cross near Newbury. As we travelled south it seemed that every route except ours was blocked or had horrendous queues. The M6, M5, M25, M4 all had major delays. A multitude of A roads were blocked. But we sailed down to Chieveley with barely a hitch, just a bit of rubbernecking as an accident on the A34 north blocked it completely. We even had time to view a rival service station.
Misty was a great hit with the Travelodge woman, who regaled us with tales of the many dogs that had passed through before her, one of them the size of a bear! The room was a travelodge room, same as usual but you can’t go wrong really. After catching the second half of Switzerland spain in the Euros (Never a red Michael Oliver!) we headed over to the services for some tea. A Greggs provided sandwich’s and the Costa a fruit and nut flapjack. While eating at the outside table a rat the size of a small dog ventured out of the trees, but Ian pointed and it scuttled away. Our first wildlife spotting of the hols. Our second came soon after. Ian had noticed on his phone that there is a path leading off from Chieveley services to a farmers field. Right next to the M4/A34 junction is a little piece of nature, complete with at least a hundred rabbits. Misty missed Every. Single. One. All except one little fellow who sprinted across her path. She managed to raise herself for a half hearted chase.
Back at the room we finished off the day with the second half of the Italy Belgium game before I retired for the night. Ian, of course, had to take Misty out again.
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