Carmarthen - Wales - Info
- Thread starter an capall
- Start date
K
Kathy
Guest
How did I know you would come back with a different time Brian. :blink: Working in the transport industry you learn to over compensate for things like traffic jams, high winds on the bridge, following a caravan and women taking their kids to school depending on the time of day etc etc. Which is why I said "approx" 2 and a half hours.
Yeah, tell me, Kathy! :angy: It used to take me around 47 minutes to get to Fontwell Park from Hove, when I lived that side of Brighton. Since the move to the eastern side, it now takes a minimum of 1hr 15mins. On the Sunday meeting, it took no time at all to get to the Littlehampton/Arundel split, where we eased forwards at 1/2 mph for the next 20 minutes, then spurted like corks from a bottle past Arundel, to have another go-slow at the Fontwell/Chichester roundabout.
Racegoers were incensed to find that they were backed up for a mile or more at the Fontwell roundabout, though, because of the decanting hundreds from John Dunlop's Open Day in Arundel, all charging down to the course for a day's racing. Some took over an hour to travel 1/2 mile!
Going home, it was a fairly okay trip, apart from the usual bottleneck going back into and through Arundel (about 15 minutes in line), but I then did the really silly thing of thinking how nice it'd be to tootle back along the Hove-Brighton seafront. This exercise took an entire HOUR! The engine counter went almost into the red, and we never got past 2mph during the whole bloody mile!
The lessons learned, which I'll probably forget by the next Bank Holiday, are to add on an hour to each side of the trip. Even that doesn't allow for really bad hold-ups due to the obligatory holiday shunt, though. h
Racegoers were incensed to find that they were backed up for a mile or more at the Fontwell roundabout, though, because of the decanting hundreds from John Dunlop's Open Day in Arundel, all charging down to the course for a day's racing. Some took over an hour to travel 1/2 mile!
Going home, it was a fairly okay trip, apart from the usual bottleneck going back into and through Arundel (about 15 minutes in line), but I then did the really silly thing of thinking how nice it'd be to tootle back along the Hove-Brighton seafront. This exercise took an entire HOUR! The engine counter went almost into the red, and we never got past 2mph during the whole bloody mile!
The lessons learned, which I'll probably forget by the next Bank Holiday, are to add on an hour to each side of the trip. Even that doesn't allow for really bad hold-ups due to the obligatory holiday shunt, though. h
K
Kathy
Guest
Sounds like a horrendous journey Krizon. I rarely venure anywhere near the sea during bank holidays if I can avoid it.
At work, when our clients ask "how long will that vehicle take to arrive" we always slightly over estimate, just to be on the safe side. There is nothing worse than having to explain for the upteenth time that there was a bad accident, a vehicle spillage, high winds, etc etc on the M4 for example. All our vehicles are satellite tracked so at the push of a button, I can see exactly where they are and the speed they are doing - which is normally a pretty accurate clue. (doing 3mph on the M1 - is pretty normal on a Friday about 4pm!) My satellite can see them even when they are in MacDonalds! B)
When I go racing, I am always there about the same time as the Tote ladies arrive to start work. I hate rushing, and I hate being stuck in a traffic jam knowing that I have an urgent appointment to see a client for instance. Suffice to say, I am very rarely late anywhere. OK, I arrive before the racecourses open sometimes but very rarely late!
At work, when our clients ask "how long will that vehicle take to arrive" we always slightly over estimate, just to be on the safe side. There is nothing worse than having to explain for the upteenth time that there was a bad accident, a vehicle spillage, high winds, etc etc on the M4 for example. All our vehicles are satellite tracked so at the push of a button, I can see exactly where they are and the speed they are doing - which is normally a pretty accurate clue. (doing 3mph on the M1 - is pretty normal on a Friday about 4pm!) My satellite can see them even when they are in MacDonalds! B)
When I go racing, I am always there about the same time as the Tote ladies arrive to start work. I hate rushing, and I hate being stuck in a traffic jam knowing that I have an urgent appointment to see a client for instance. Suffice to say, I am very rarely late anywhere. OK, I arrive before the racecourses open sometimes but very rarely late!
BrianH
At the Start
Perhaps because I have done the journey more than a few times? And many others over the years.
Not in a an HGV though, I agree...
K
Kathy
Guest
I am not talking HGV's Brian. The transport industry in which I work also operates small vans, short and long wheel based vehicles, 7.5 tonnes, 18 tonnes, Hi-abs and it is those smaller vehicles (ie vans) I am referring too.
If I were An, and I were in a car I would allow approximately two and a half hours depending on the hour of day he travels.
If I were An, and I were in a car I would allow approximately two and a half hours depending on the hour of day he travels.
BrianH
At the Start
Make sure that the horse is properly hitched to the caravan
K
Kathy
Guest
Look An, if you don't leave yourself 2 and a half hours, you will be bloody late and it will be your fault. :angy:
For god's sake don't come back and say you did the trip in less than 2 hours, or I will never hear the end of it! Make sure you stop for a nice coffee and sticky bun en route too, as driving when tired is very dangerous and 2 hours is a long time to go without a coffee break.
For god's sake don't come back and say you did the trip in less than 2 hours, or I will never hear the end of it! Make sure you stop for a nice coffee and sticky bun en route too, as driving when tired is very dangerous and 2 hours is a long time to go without a coffee break.
archie
Senior Jockey
Actually AC will probably require a different kind of break. 
It gets us all in the end!
It gets us all in the end!
K
Kathy
Guest
Yep, I have heard wee breaks are a must for men over a certain age.... evidently. Not in the hedge though chaps, use the service station after you have had your cup of luke warm very overpriced Costa Coffee!
I would say 2 hours with a clear run and I spent 7½ years travelling up and down the stretch of M4 in question daily.
The drive from Cardiff to Holyhead is indeed, very scenic but will take 4-5 hours. The roads are single lane A or B roads all the way. If you fancied getting down to the South West (which is my favourite part of England) it will take about 3½ hours from Cardiff to Truro (a drive I did recently) barring any M5 traffic.
Swansea does have a few 'rough' nightspots as do most towns. The Mumbles in my memory is not too bad at all, being full of University Students. It must be 12 years since I did The Legendary 'Mumbles Mile' pub crawl where you have to attempt a pint in each of the pubs along the front. I think there are about 18 pubs and the club on the pier at the end. Happy days.
The drive from Cardiff to Holyhead is indeed, very scenic but will take 4-5 hours. The roads are single lane A or B roads all the way. If you fancied getting down to the South West (which is my favourite part of England) it will take about 3½ hours from Cardiff to Truro (a drive I did recently) barring any M5 traffic.
Swansea does have a few 'rough' nightspots as do most towns. The Mumbles in my memory is not too bad at all, being full of University Students. It must be 12 years since I did The Legendary 'Mumbles Mile' pub crawl where you have to attempt a pint in each of the pubs along the front. I think there are about 18 pubs and the club on the pier at the end. Happy days.
Carmarthen does indeed now have a University:
http://www.trinity-cm.ac.uk/english/news/p...rsitystatus.asp
http://www.trinity-cm.ac.uk/english/news/p...rsitystatus.asp
Diminuendo
At the Start
Sometimes it can take 2 hours just to get across the bridge! :angy: Ask Chepstow races!!!
Shadow Leader
At the Start
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I'd be inclined to say more like an hour and a half - 2 hours, having done Wantage-Cardiff many times in around an hour (then again, I do drive fairly fast!!!). The trick is to come off at Membury Services, cut through Lambourn to Wantage & thus avoid the A34 & effectively cutting off a large corner!!
Don't people buy road atlases or join organisations like the AA before setting out on these snake-infested, malaria-ridden, terrifying journeys through some of the most threatening places on earth? 
Blimey! It's only the bleedin' UK - it's not overland to Ulan Bator by camel.
Blimey! It's only the bleedin' UK - it's not overland to Ulan Bator by camel.
K
Kathy
Guest
Krizon, An said he was going to Oxford not Birmingham! :blink:Originally posted by krizon@Jun 2 2005, 11:46 PM
snake-infested, malaria-ridden, terrifying journeys through some of the most threatening places on earth?
K
Kathy
Guest
Sometimes, that's the best way.