hover reflection

We hovered across the English Channel.

I started trying to remember how I decided on this post subject. But you know what, who cares? Maybe if I did the twitter thing I could send out my stream of thoughts as the day dragged on.

I would like to know if you did something or been somewhere that doesn't exist anymore. I'm not talking about time travel (well maybe a mind trip if that counts). What I mean is the experience of knowing something/somewhere in your past doesn't exist anymore.  Been there done that - but can't go or do it again type of thing.

We can't recreate the past. But sometimes we try really hard to drag it into the future.

To be more specific, here's my example:

Our family had the opportunity to travel across the English channel (last I checked it's still there) years ago (1989). While planning our trip, I quickly decided the best way to go was book a hovercraft ferry. We traveled between Dover England and Calais France. This was before the Chunnel.

The above picture is the craft coming to France to take us back.

The hovercraft is not an option anymore. It stopped operation. Today I would certainly try the Chunnel experience given the chance.

The hovercraft was fast and a blast. I'm sure it depends on the weather but I recall getting off feeling like I took a ride at an amusement park. Just enough bounce to enjoy the movement. It had aircraft type seats that were comfortable and it could carry our car. It had more room to move around than a plane.

Airlines can be quick but they will never carry your car for you. Today, you are lucky to get them to include a second bag with the fare.

Here's a picture of the Cliffs of Dover taken from the hovercraft.

 
We spent a little time around Dover and visited a castle.  The cliffs are made of a white chalk type rock that you can grab and use to write on the sidewalk.  I'm sure all that is still there.

So there's my example, I can't go back with anyone and do another English Channel crossing on a hovercraft. I'm not sure why the service was discontinued. I assume it was not cost effective.

So I have mixed feeling about this memory. On one hand, I feel part of an elite group that tried a unusual mode of transport. Then, I'm sad that I can't take another trip on it with someone.

Note - I first wrote about this back 2009 and decided to brush the dusts off the bytes and update it a little.

 Do you have an example like this?  Please share.