MOG 2000 ADVENTURE
PAGE 2DAY ONE
We spent the first night in the air over the Atlantic and I tried to sleep, but it seemed that everyone on the plane conspired together to keep me awake.
We landed at Gatwick airport, just outside of London, on the morning of August 10th. There, just on the other side of customs were two people holding a Mog 2000 sign, Ann and Quentin English. They helped us with our luggage and then kindly volunteered to drive us to Southampton, a two-hour drive, where Squeaky was anxiously waiting.
They helped us locate and retrieve Squeaky and we loaded up. Quentin just had to have a ride in Squeaky, as I don’t think he had been in a Drophead Coupe before. Our new friends gave us advice on driving in England, pointed us in the right direction and sent us on our way. It was a sterling example of real Southern English Hospitality.
Some discussion about driving in Great Britain is needed for those of us of the United States. Great Britain is an island of 88,619 square miles, about the size of a medium state in the US. However, the population of Great Britain is 58.5 million, about as many people as live in California. So, driving on the island is like everyone in California driving in the San Francisco Valley, on the wrong side of the road, with great politesse. British roads are divided into categories. There are Motorways, like our highways. There are "A" roads which are double carriage ways ideal for Morgans as they pass though the countryside and town centers. There are "B" roads, often single carriage ways, country roads, and there are the others, on which you take your chances.
The British sense of humor often shows itself in the form of a single carriageway B road with ten-foot hedges on each side, without shoulders, and no speed limit. The British do not believe in straight roads even on flat uncontoured terrain. Every road must have its bends, and if there is an error and a straight section is unavoidable, they compensate quickly by putting a roundabout in the middle of the errant section, even on the Motorways. Stop lights are very unpopular as well. When we remarked on this, we were told that Lucas made the original English traffic lights and the discussion ends there.
There are some rules of English drive that Americas should note. Always stay on the left hand side of the road.
Don’t park where there is a double yellow line, (and since the Traffic Control Officer has a yellow line on his hat, you can’t park on his head).
Always stay on the left hand side of the road.
Always count the number of exits on a round-about. You can get very dizzy after several times around and asking direction from the English is like asking directions from a Georgia country boy, "Just down the road aways and turn right at the third bend at the Squire's house".
Always stay on the left hand side of the road.
No matter what the map said follow the signs.
Always stay on the left hand side of the road.
Learn the name of every town in England so you can follow the signs.
Always stay on the left hand side of the road.
N.B. To get a better idea of Briitish roads signs please click here.
N.B. To get a better idea of Briitish place names please click here.
After getting organized we said good-bye to Ann and Quentin and headed for Milford-on-Sea. We drove up to a beautiful Bed and Breakfast on the South Central coast of England over looking the Isle of Wight. The owners were so happy to see a Morgan that they moved the Rolls Royce so we could park out front. Squeaky looked at home at this luxurious house built in 1897. This house is still vibrant after 100 years, with lavish wood panels and stained glass windows. From the room you could see sail boats bobbing past the Isle of Wight, and trees bowed by the constant off shore winds. We enjoyed a wonderful dinner, and a long walk along the beach. We began to relax after a hectic twenty four hours.
Quentin English email to MSCC Discussion Group on August 10,2000 Ed Judy & Squeaky are now all together, and were last seen, disappearing (at a suitable rate of knots) in the direction of Brockenhurst, and their first night's accommodation on the fringes of the New Forest.