[Photo: Christopher Holt]
Due to a lorry fire on the M25 we have spent a mind boggling SIX AND A HALF HOURS doing a journey which normally takes ONE HOUR. AAAAARRGH !!!!!!!!!!!! Three and a half hours of that time was spent creeping from junction 7 to junction 8 on the motorway - a distance of what, 3 miles ? Once we were directed off the motorway at junction 8 we spent another two and a half hours trying to find an alternative route to our destination, but whichever way we went we kept ending up in yet another stationary queue of traffic.

The whole journey was spent in soaring heat on the hottest day of the year so far - the temperature inside the car was 35 degrees Celsius (95 degrees Fahrenheit). According to traffic reports on the radio, the Metropolitan Police were dropping water by helicopter to dispense to stranded motorists, but we never saw any of it. Thankfully we had our own supply of cold water, although no food... not even a boiled sweet between us !

Never again.... please !!!!!!