So it is off on a road trip down to Spain. An outline map is here. I am always excited to be on the road in the opportunity to encounter unexpected sights and sometimes unexpected people. The Brittany Ferries service from Portsmouth to Ouistreham has served me well over the past two years and seems to be doing fine as I write this while crossing the channel again. The ferry is not busy and when I arrived, very early, I was only the fourth car. There are fewer Royal Navy ships to be seen this time with HMS Dragon and the aircraft carrier Queen Elizabeth out protecting us. The aircraft carrier Prince of Wales looked ready for sea with no obvious work going on. For some reason I could not see HMS Victory and my conclusion, not proven, is that there has been recent, in the past year, construction between the ship and the Solent. HMS Warrior is still easy to see and the timing was perfect for a hovercraft arrival from the Isle of Wight. The channel was like a mill pond and the haze, maybe Sahara dust, helped cerate a little colour around the setting sun. A nice way to kick of this journey but the trip proper gets underway tomorrow but not until after I have enjoyed my first complimentary beer with a few more to come along the way.