Day 146 - Home to Calais - Not a good hotel

Day 146 and back on the road again but this time a bit of an indirect route.
The route today was to go via Halifax to pick up my Halifax colleague and then down to Nottingham to collect my Nottingham colleague (obviously I suppose).  So today it was like a road trip down to France and despite one conversation they seem to insisted on having about eating placenta which made me feel quite queasy, it was a good trip.  Once we passed ten o'clock the road was not too bad and we made good progress.  With one stop at Toddington services which i suppose is becoming my favourite stopping point, I suppose due to the location, the last before the M25 and as it has good facilities.  So a brief stop to allow my colleagues to stock up on their own fuel we were off for the last leg to the Channel Tunnel.
I have now used the Tunnel about a dozen times and have to say the management have got that right.  The check in is so simple, the choice of train is good and then if you do have time to go into the terminal building it is well laid out and has stuff to do to while away your time if you have to.  The boarding is well signposted and simple.  The only pain is if you get pulled over by the border police for a check, I realise this is important and I'm not really moaning it just seems that rubbing the door handles etc seems a bit pointless, but I do accept I don't understand the technology they must be using and it may be very effective.  All I do know is that we sit there for about 10 minutes before all the staff disappear and the front car makes a run for it and we all follow, it really does feel like that.
Once through passport control you are lined up and then loaded in a very quick and efficient manner.  So overall a good experience and one that really does work.
We arrived in Calais just 12 hours after I left Goole and after a very quick check in we were off to the supermarket for some provisions.
The hotel leaves a little to be desired, it looks nice on the photo's but I think this is more a case of knowing a good photographer rather than something nice to take.  It is part of the Holiday Inn chain but looks like it hasn't had any work done for some time.  My room has a balcony but the door is locked and there seems to be no key to get out onto it, maybe they suspect we are working people and tempted to launch ourselves to the floor below if we have had a bad day.
It is no problem in reality as there was work to be done and I spent the whole night staring at my computer and now it is time for bed, so making a quick exit.
Night All