A journey to and from Cornwall
By maximax8
@maximax8 (31053)
United Kingdom
July 28, 2012 9:56am CST
I drove my car with my disabled son aged 5 and my daughter aged 3 to Cornwall for a weeks vacation. We left at six in the morning last Saturday and the roads had hardly any traffic on them. It was my first time driving on the 3 lane motorway or freeway. I only passed my practical driving test 2 years ago. I felt fine driving on that motorway or freeway. We stopped off in a town at around nine in the morning so I could change my daughter's clothes after her travel sickness. Then we arrived at the Eden Project at around nine thirty in the morning. It was ever so enjoyable to walk around seeing the plants in that special garden project. We left there around two in the afternoon. I carried on driving and the traffic got more busy. We arrived at where we were staying at around four in the afternoon. I think that journey was relaxing and enjoyable.
I decided to drive back home today, all the way, without stopping. I drove my car out of there at around nine thirty in the morning. The traffic was fairly busy and the motorway or freeway traffic spent ages at a standstill and moving ever so slowly due to the huge volume of traffic. My daughter was travel sick a number of times in our journey. We got back home at around two thirty in the afternoon.
Have you ever left home at an early hour to avoid busy traffic?
Did you have a relaxing journey to your vacation spot?
Do you you happily travel on the motorway or freeway?
6 responses
@xx598907296 (178)
• China
29 Jul 12
what a wonderful day.my driving licence was forbitted to use in another country.so when i need to go out,i also select the subway.it is convenient,too.today i will go out with my new friends later.
@maximax8 (31053)
• United Kingdom
29 Jul 12
I hope that you and your friends will have a wonderful time later. I don't think I would feel comfortable driving my car in another European country. In my home country we drive on the left side of the road and the other countries drive on the right side of the road like France for example.
@xx598907296 (178)
• China
30 Jul 12
yes,in china,we drive on the right side of the road,but now i am in singapore,it is opposite.it is so unconfortable for me.luckly i don't need to drive here.otherwise i will meet many problems.
@ElicBxn (63252)
• United States
29 Jul 12
since I hate traffic lights, I would happily travel on any road that doesn't have them...
I have left at early hours to get places and I find a nice relaxing drive is always nice...
Honestly, driving is one of the few times I'm really happy to be alone, so I can play the radio or a cd or whatever, even talk to myself!
@maximax8 (31053)
• United Kingdom
29 Jul 12
I know what you mean about traffic lights. I like to play the radio and hear some lovely music when I am driving alone. It is so great to leave early and be one of the few cars on the road. I am glad that you have had some long relaxing drives early with very light traffic. I was surprised to see many lorries on the motorway of freeway. Most cars overtook those and the caravans.
1 person likes this
@Sandra1952 (6047)
• Spain
28 Jul 12
I lived in Cornwall for a number of years, and managed a holiday park and caravan site there for a while. I always advised people to spend the day in Cornwall before driving home - particularly on Saturdays. People would look a bit doubtful, but those who followed my advice always said it was the best thing to do.
Leaving at around teatime, most of the traffic has cleared, as people all have the same idea of getting away early to avoid traffic jams! Leaving at 5 or 6am on the outward journey is, as you found out, a good idea.
@maximax8 (31053)
• United Kingdom
29 Jul 12
Wow. It is amazing that you used to manage a holiday camp in Cornwall. It must have been an amazingly beautiful place to live and work. I heard the A30 road has very heavy traffic on a Friday and on a Saturday. Therefore I liked the A39, A390 and A38 before reaching that busy M5 motorway. Yes, I should have stayed the day in Cornwall and then driven home around teatime on Saturday. We left at a time everyone else was traveling home. Some people at the holiday camp had come down from the north of England like Manchester and the Midlands like Birmingham. Arriving there at check in a family had left at Birmingham at 6 in the morning and arrived a similar time to us. We had stopped off but they had spent all that time in the car.
@RawBill1 (8531)
• Gold Coast, Australia
31 Jul 12
That sounds like a great little trip, apart from the car sickness anyway. 
I always try to leave early and beat the traffic when going on a driving holiday. This habit is a good one to get into as you leave yourself open for a great day out along the way if you get going early. You can then stop in at random things that take your fancy along the trip. If you leave late and ten get caught up in traffic, it creates stress and you do not stop at those things you want to see due to time restraints.
I always try to leave early and beat the traffic when going on a driving holiday. This habit is a good one to get into as you leave yourself open for a great day out along the way if you get going early. You can then stop in at random things that take your fancy along the trip. If you leave late and ten get caught up in traffic, it creates stress and you do not stop at those things you want to see due to time restraints. 
@maximax8 (31053)
• United Kingdom
29 Jul 12
I know what you mean about leaving early for work. The road to Bristol from where I live gets way too busy around 8 in the morning. There used to be a way to avoid that but then the old bridge was closed so everyone has to go the same way. That turnoff is for the motorway or freeway both north to Bristol and South to Devon plus an A road to Bristol too. I hope that you will be able to take a vacation soon. Good luck.
@diezmara22 (818)
• Indonesia
28 Jul 12
interesting trip, especially done by members of your family, is one very memorable moment for your holidays. Maybe if I find out whether the path which I will pass it always stuck thinking I would go early to avoid traffic, as annoying if the vehicle should be in a jam situation.
Sure, I've had a relaxing trip where I did a day trip but could not stay in one place.
I think over the freeway is more wear because there are rare congestion and the time taken can be faster than using the road as usual.
@maximax8 (31053)
• United Kingdom
29 Jul 12
Thanks for you superb response. Yes, some people listen to their local radio station in order to find out about freeway traffic jams so these can be avoided. I wish I had turned off early to an A road that I know well. The traffic usually moves fast on the freeway so moving very slowly due to congestion can be a shock.
