Folembray Ferry Times

[PetrolTed]

If anyone else is considering changing their ferry times, could you please just consider the fact that it might affect our relationship with the ferry company and our ability to negotiate block bookings in the future (they've been in touch with us).

I appreciate it would have been ideal if we could all have crossed earlier but the booking made was the only one we could all get on en masse and get the bulk deal we got.

The main throng of drivers will be meeting at Maidstone services at 18:30 for a leisurely drive down to Dover to catch the 20:15. We'll then convoy to the hotel. If we're lucky, we'll catch last orders, if we're not then it'll be straight to bed and up bright and early for a stonking track day (don't want to be hung over for that!).

There's no rush back on Sunday so we'll have a very big night on Saturday and enjoy a cross country drive back in the sun hopefully.

Let's travel together if we can - it's more fun.

[johno]

Ted,

It is not and never will be anyone's intention to jeopardise your relationship with the ferry company.

The reason wishing to cross earlier is that I will have been at work at 6am on Friday morning and to then drive across to France and arrive at around 1am followed by a 7:30am breakfast means that on Saturday I will be shagged. This also goes for my passenger whose car it is that I'm driving. He is also driving on Saturday.

The opportunity to get to the hotel a little earlier and relax (with a couple of social beers) was I'm afraid to tempting.

All those who have booked earlier will have paid an additional fee for the privilege and I hope this will support the relationship with the ferry company.

Cheers

Mark

[jeremyc]

quote:Let's travel together if we can - it's more fun.

Couldn't agree more. And one of the attractions of the weekend for me was the opportunity to get to know everyone on the ferry so that hopefully the driving at the track would be even more courteous and less intimidating for any newbies.

[AndrewD]

Agreed with all sentiments but since the ferry company saw fit to charge me 69 pounds to change my booking to an earlier one I think they are doing very well out of the relationship from my humble position! (69 for a car plus trailer compares to 24 for just a car)

I want to avoid being shagged out (i.e. tired) so that I can enjoy the Saturday as much as I can.

Andrew

[johno]

quote:
Couldn't agree more. And one of the attractions of the weekend for me was the opportunity to get to know everyone on the ferry so that hopefully the driving at the track would be even more courteous and less intimidating for any newbies.

With only 25 cars and a common bond I would hope that this will be an inevitability of the trip as I would not drive a friends car over there and onto track otherwise.

I do agree with your comments Jeremy and believe this will happen at the hotel/breakfast/pit lane aswell as the ferry.

[CarZee]

Fair comment Ted, but to be honest, if I'd have realised in the first place how the ferry bookings would turn out, I'd have sorted my own out.

Not meaning to sound unappreciative at all to yourself and the BaT guys for the considerable effort you've put into organising this event, but I'd like half a chance of getting a decent night's kip before the event and not getting to the hotel until nearly midnight precludes that for me..

[james]

They seem quite happy with the change. I've just been speaking to them, and there's no problem. They're charging extra, because we're changing from an off peak crossing to a peak time crossing, but I don't think they're particularly worried.

By the sound of it, the reason we've got the odd crossing times is because that's when the ferry is quietest, and the fares are cheapest. The late evening on the Sunday is because they couldn't fit us all onto the earlier crossing.

[PetrolTed]

No worries, guys, all fair comments. I'd rather get there sooner if I could. All I'm asking is that if you were dithering about bringing your trip time forwards then it would be doing us a favour if you stuck with the main group/original booking.

[MikeE]

OK fair enough Ted (I was just worried that I wouldn't sleep, due to the excitement, with several beers to help me on my was )

It's probably worth pointing out that we don't have to have breakfast at 7:30 and arrive at Folembrey by 8:45. I assume BookaTrack are prepared for late arrivals at trak and will do extra briefings for the straglers (they have in the past). As there's going to be more than enough tracktime for all (it's an open pitlane day) then I might well have an extra hour in bed (otherwise it means gettin up at 6:00am in real money[i/])

So now I've got Friday afternoon free to get my new tyres fitted and bedded in (in the works car park)

cheers,
Mike.