Welcome to The Cherry On Top.
We just returned from England, yesterday. My husband surprised me with the trip for my birthday. I knew we were going somewhere, but I didn't know where. I know, right?! I wanted to jump right in here and blog all about it while it is still fresh in my head and because we were all really surprised how smooth and easy the trip was with the ferry.
We live in East Flanders, Belgium. It took us just about 2 hours to get to Calais where we embarked on our adventure to England. The hubs and I have been to England plenty of times, but it was the first time for our boys and they really enjoyed it.
We did travel with a dog which is actually a royal pain in the ass. If you can ferry without a dog, it will save you hassle. However, if the thought of leaving your pooch at home or with someone else is not an option, you're set. Dogs were not only allowed in a lot of places we went in England, they were welcome. This was new to us. I don't remember it being like that before, but I've never really been into dogs and never traveled to England with one.
People in England, at least the south east part, love dogs. We had to stop continuously and talk with people about our dog or ours and theirs. It was odd. I even found myself dreaming about dogs. Hehehe...It was endearing and really great to have our furry family member receive so much attention.
Back to the ferry and dogs. You'll need special papers from the vet and unfortunately required and up to date vaccinations. Ugh! I didn't realize that dogs could make people sick? Anyway...You need a kind of doggy passport, the chip in the neck and ya have to pay extra. Even if they just stay in the car. If you take them aboard, they can only be in one area and it is the coldest, most uncomfortable area of the ferry. At least with Irish Ferries. (I still get a giggle out of that one.)
The staff aboard the ship that deal with passengers are very, very nice. I forgot how awesome it was to be completely surrounded by English and the English language. What a relief! After more than 20 years on the mainland of Europe, I didn't realize that I'd feel that way. Anyway...
Where the dogs are not, the ferry is very comfortable. There are loads of places to sit in between the many international truck drivers and handful of others. These days, it might not be appropriate to mention, but if I want to be thorough, I do feel it is important to mention that the ferry was full of men from the trucks. That being said, I never felt uncomfortable or had any inappropriate situation of any kind and there is always staff in the area. I would not let this deter me even if I were traveling alone. Just a thought for young, single ladies. Unless, you're looking for that kind of thing. wink wink
The time of travel was winter. I'm sure it's busier in the warmer, summer season. There are vending machines, games, a playground for the little ones, restaurant, faster foods, restrooms and more. There were sleeping chambers and even showers. Most convenient! A tax free shop was available with booze, chocolate, perfume and other pricey unnecessaries. It's not a "regular" kind of shop.
Perhaps it would be ideal to take you step by step through the process? My hubs was a bit concerned because we never took the car and a ferry on an international trip. It was a breeze, y'all! We were so relieved at how easy and fast we were in England.
So, he ordered and arranged everything online, including the doggo, our passports and important to note, you need an ETA (Electronic Travel Authorization)in England which for an old fart like me, really really sucks. I'm so disgusted with the English government, but I guess they are just the trailer for what's to come to Europe? Again, I digress. Besides the paper passports you also need this kind of electronic permission slip as well. Tell that to the lads arriving on rubber boats with no documentation at all.
Most major ports have signage on the main roads. Simply follow them in. The directions in the port where clear to the point of ridiculous. That's how easy it is. I'd say the same about driving in England. The redundancy of travel directions, rules, where exactly and how fast to drive can help even the worst, most simple minded drivers. Hehehe...I suppose it could be considered as "helpful" or perhaps even polite? Don't worry too much about driving on the "wrong" side. Hehehe...
Speaking of polite, most of the people we encountered were the nicest most friendliest people I've ever met. Rather refreshing after over 2 decades of my current region. I felt lighter and my chest was filled with warm joy that we all seemed to share with each other. Weird! But lovely.
Ya have to arrive at the port much earlier than the departure hour. I believe it's an hour early and an hour and a half if you have a dog. They thoroughly check your canine's papers and zap the chip. Put on your patient hat and be ready for it. Follow all the signs through the port and the number the staff gives you. That number is for the aisle you park your car for the wait before entering the ferry. We watched a TV show while we waited and the kids gamed (in the car). Our ship was at least a half hour late. There are places to pee on the port, but I wasn't so keen on going myself, as a woman. It was a touch chaotic with all of the trucks, cars and other forms of transportation and all of the men.
If I had to do it all again, I'd definitely bring a really good snack or small meal and a bottle of wine and glasses or a six pack of beer. The prices on the ferry are way up there and as you might imagine, the quality does not reflect that. We didn't go to the restaurant. We just grabbed some warm pastry things and bottled drinks. The pastries were around 8 pounds each. The bottle of Italian beer, just under 7 pounds. It certainly was a great convenience.
When it is time to board the ferry, clearly identifiable staff will direct you where to go. Again, just follow their directions or the vehicle in front of you and board the ferry. Turn the car off, engage the emergency brake, exit and lock your vehicle taking only necessary items with you. You'll have to go up some stairs. There should be plenty of people to follow. All the "floors" or levels of the ferry are clearly marked. I left my jacket and purse in the car and just took my small bag of snacks and drinks.
The ride over is 90 minutes. That's Calais to Dover. Our ferry ride was very smooth. We hardly felt anything. The weather was typically abysmal for both routes, but the drive remained exceedingly smooth and I'm just a touch receptive to motion sickness.
You'll hear an announcement when the ferry is ready to leave port and of course, another when it's arriving to port. Gather your things and follow the masses back down to your vehicle when instructed via intercom. Don't turn your car on until the one in front of you starts leaving. Finding your way out is even easier than in. Follow the masses and those signs with the image of a car if that's what you are driving.
We did not have to stop for any kind of checks on our return from England, but we did have to stop for a quick check in the trunk on the way over to Dover and had to reprimand a cheeky guard trying to pinch a bottle of bubbles. Most of the staff on both ports spoke English. The stereotypical "rude" French were full in effect whilst the Brits radiated with kindness. Go figure?!
OK! So, we had four days on our trip. We left Calais in the late afternoon and arrived in Dover in the rainy dark. I would have not planned the trip this way. Consider starting bright and early and having a nice, full afternoon in England. Think of that on your return as well or if you don't mind driving in the dark in France and or perhaps on your familiar ride home. If you know the return well, you may want to spend that last day savoring England. We left around 5 pm English time which gave us a few hours to explore more of the south east.
I'll share our experience and maybe you'll consider doing something similar? This way you won't have to do all of the hours of planning like the hubs had to.
Arrive in England in the early afternoon if possible and consider driving immediately to your place of accommodation so you can scout it out? We stayed in Herne Bay. It's very quiet and small, though it is compact. You can tickle your neighbor's arm pit whilst they shower, through the window of your place. Hehehe...Our BnB was great. It did take me a bit of figuring out with some things, but once sorted like smells and noises and the cold, it was great.
If you're not much of a walker, then you will definitely need a car for this area. We were on the second line. So, in just a few meters we were walking on stones and shells. There are no sandy beaches here. FYI.
The only thing close by or easy walking distance was a fantastic pub with food. We went three times! The staff at the Hampton Inn were so nice. The food was, wow! The prices were quite ok. There were daily specials and excellent menu items to choose from. It was hard choosing. Make reservations if you can. I liked all the beer on tap and would highly recommend the fish pie. Dogs are treated better than people hehehehe...Just joking! There are a lot of dogs coming in and out. Keep that in mind if you've a dog. Most of the time, the dogs were very well behaved. Not at all a bother. Our bill for 4, was around 100 pounds and that includes quite some drinks for the four of us. We pay that much around Europe as well. This really was the standard price all around England.
If you don't mind a bit of a walk, you can walk to the local, small shop. We were very impressed! They had everything we needed and even a bit of fresh fruit and veg. The guy behind the counter even tried helping a little bitty with some road directions. You can check out the pier and huge games arcade. It's a bit like going to the Jersey Shore. So, it brought back some memories. There is a boardwalk, tiny cabin shops and lots of goodies for the kiddies. There's a tiny garden along the beach and plenty of shops, playgrounds and cafes in the area. I wasn't super crazy about the town and was fairly appalled at the state of the larger grocery shops. I would highly recommend the area for kids and teens.
The next, full day we went to Canteburry (about 20 minutes drive). To say the least, it has changed. As has most places, I guess. Tell me if ya feel me, but when you go out of your way to visit a very, very, very, very old, English village you want to see old, English stuff? The market was much too, international. Boring! Leave that kind of thing for the larger towns, please. As you may have deduced, we did bother with the cathedral, but it would have cost us nearly 100 pounds for all of us to go in! Are you kidding me? As a spiritual person, it is rather upsetting to have to pay to go to church. Especially that much. Actually, we were super disgusted that we had to pay for everything. And I mean everything. Don't even think about parking anywhere for free or cheap. Plan on dropping at least 15 pounds a day for parking. Keep that in mind if you are looking for a place to stay, too. Our place had a driveway. Thank goodness!
We had a great time at The Shakespeare. Now, this was the kind of place we were looking for. Super old, cozy, conveniently located, pets welcome and super nice, staff. My son had a fabulous looking fish sandwich and the three of us shared the Smoke House Platter. That was totally my thing. Loaded fries, jalapeno poppers, wings, chicken nuggets, onion rings. Delicious! I haven't delighted in many of those for over 20 years.
We were all a bit underwhelmed with Canterbury, but at the same time, glad we went. There are a lot of shops and if you're into any kind of older architecture, you'll be delighted. I can't believe people live in such tiny homes! You can easily spend an entire afternoon in Canterbury. Travel one way there and another back? This way you can see a touch of the country side. Though also a bit underwhelming. The roads are really quite horrendous and despite a country prone to much precipitation, there seemed to be little to no sewers? I wonder how often the litter is cleaned up from the street sides as well? Travel in the dark and you won't even notice. Hehehe...
Our third day was a bit of a bust. It was Valentine's Day and by a miracle of God, the sun actually appeared, briefly. So everyone and their uncle was out in Whitstable. I have no idea how to pronounce that. I would have loved to have asked. Whitstable was pretty darn cute. We drove and drove and drove all around the village and could not get an empty parking spot. I can't even begin to imagine what it would be like in summer!? The hubs was totally put off by this and was not at all pleased with Plan B the pier, shopping and arcade in Herne Bay. I was glad to see the pier did have a few things open in winter.
Personally, I found Whitstable way too overcrowded. They didn't' have any pedestrian streets which is a shame. We actually toured it quickly through a freezing cold down pour on our way over to the Dover Ferry and back to France. There are adorable, little mom and pop shops and super cute, old time, seaside architecture. It is mega touristy, though. Even in the heart of winter and torrential rains. Again, get ready to pay to park. Even when the place is nearly empty. We had breakfast at Farm & Harper and hated it. They put us upstairs where it was absolutely freezing. This, after coming out of the freezing rain?! They served hot drinks in plastic cups. There were a lot of young people there which our boys didn't seem to mind, but if you're looking for cozy and quality, this is not the place. That being said, there are a lot of alternatives.
On your last day in England and on your way back to the Dover Ferry, you could visit Chilham Village. Do not go to this village if old, tudor buildings and fachwerk are not your thing. If you cringe at the thought of an old, tiny village surrounded by woods and a vibe of time standing still or even throwing you back a few hundred years, this is not the place for you. This is the kind of place I just love visiting.
Overall, everyone enjoyed the trip, but we all prefer European and American travel. Just say'n! We would all totally go back and try another trip around a different area. Cornwall is on our short list. As is Scotland and maybe a cruise from Calais to Ireland? I just wanted to pop in and share the idea of a long weekend trip from France to England with a ferry. The entire trip was just skirting around 1,000 Euros for four people and a dog. That includes everything. So you see, it's really quick, easy and somewhat affordable. The train was way too expensive for the five of us.
Have you been to England? Did you have a good time? What are your future travel plans? Maybe we'll all get some ideas from your comments.
I hope you've found this entry on ferry travel and travel in south east England of value if not entertaining.
I do plan on scrapping our photos in a quick printable, travel journal like this one here. We'll see if I can whip up a free design for our scrappy fans.
Thanks for stopping by The Cherry.
