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| Port Entry Point |
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| South A-2 Highway |
We started our journey to Dover by luxury bus of a private travel agency which organizes tours abroad for Indians providing Indian meals twice a day as well as accommodation in hotels. The Tour Manager or Co-Ordinator is a middle-aged gentle man with many degrees appended to his name. Dressed in a formal suit he introduced himself in a friendly manner briefing us a few precautionary measures to be observed during out tour. He repeatedly stressed on strict adherence to time schedule so that we may visit all places . He often made fun of our habit of rushing in a group to answer the calls of nature whenever the bus stops. As there is no free toilet facility everywhere in Europe, he advised us to take advantage of free toilet facility wherever available. The bus driver, a retired British professional from Royal Air Force, seemed sombre with a dignified air. In most of the western countries we find one person doing many tasks unlike in India where one task is sub-divided and given to more than one person--may be due to the fact that in India the labour charges are comparatively cheaper and the population is large enough to get more hands for doing work. In U.K. the driver himself acts as a helper in loading the baggage, and in cleaning the bus as well. In restaurants also we noticed a single person acting as a cook, server and cleaner also.
The Tour Manager after assuring us of a comfortable and safe journey took us along the High Way No.A2 through Deptford and Blackheath towards Dover, the most ancient coastal town of south eastern England. The Luxury Bus moved smoothly on the broad highway with multiple lanes. After passing through the busy area of Wembley we came across vast green plains with small traditional English houses here and there. The dark green trees with dense bushes on wayside brought Nature's green charm to the forefront leaving aside the congested atmosphere of the city far away.
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| Light House built by Romans |
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| Dover Castle |
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| Chalky Cliffs of Dover |
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| Pride of Burgundy |
The distance between Wembley and Dover is nearly seventy-five miles and within two and a half hours the coastal town surrounded by white hills came into our view. Dover is a busy town with a spacious port area having nine docks and served as a center of transportation both for passengers and goods also. The French port Calais is just twenty miles from Dover and it takes one hour to go there by ferry service. Every year more than fifteen million travelers ply from Dover to Calais, and more than five million vehicles use this port for transportation. It is not an exaggeration to say that 90% of U.K.'s freight goes through this port only. An underground Euro-Tunnel was constructed in 1994 to carry passengers with their vehicles by train. A very wonderful achievement of engineering skill indeed !
The chalky hills of Dover is an added attraction to this historic town. Romans understood the strategical importance of this and built a tower on the hills in second century A.D.Normans built a castle here in 1066. During the reign of Henry II a castle was built in 1160s with enhanced security. In 1606 James I issued a charter to constitute Dover Harbour Board to look after the port activities and trade. These chalky hills stretching along ten miles and reaching up to a height of three hundred fifty feet, form a fitting backdrop to the gentle sea waters of the English channel.
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| Food Court |
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| The Club Area |
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| Shopping Area |
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| The Lounge Inside the ferry |
The English channel, a part of the Atlantic ocean joins the southern part of the north sea with the Atlantic Ocean. It separates Northern France and the island of Britain. It is approximately 360 miles long and is narrowest in the Strait of Dover measuring about 20.6 miles. To reach Calais from Dover by ferry our bus entered the dock and passed through barriers of tight security to get into the fifth deck of the ferry named "The Pride of Burgundy", a white floating vessel painted with blue borders. It appeared like a spacious multi-storey building with many rooms and halls. A floating mansion with so many restaurants, shops, lounges and book shops. It has a carrying capacity of 1420 passengers and 600 passenger vehicles or 120 heavy freight vehicles. It has nine decks of which the third and fifth decks are meant for parking vehicles. We were not aware of the fact that we were shifted from land to water. Only the humming of motor made us realize the that we are moving on the sea. The blue water seen through windows with retreating sight of the hills presented a fine view of the marine climate as our ferry moved freely like a sea gull flying through blue expanse of the sky.
The crowded halls filled with conversation of people in diverse tongues and interspersed with peals of laughter evoked a joyous climate. Some people seated in sofas were seen absorbed in reading while others sipped drinks or ate delicious refreshments with an air of contentment. On the topmost deck young couples clicked photos standing in amorous postures while children cheered looking at the sea gulls wheeling above their heads. In one and a half hours we disembarked our bus and entered Calais, the French coastal town to pursue our journey onward. Let me conclude this essay with the beautiful lines of Matthew Arnold from his famous poem "Dover Beach".
" The sea is calm to-night.
The tide is full, the moon lies fair
Upon the straits; on the French coast the light
Gleams and is gone; the cliffs of England stand;
Glimmering and vast, out in the tranquil bay.
Come to the window, sweet is the night-air!
Only, from the long line of spray
Where the sea meets the moon-blanched land."
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9th October, 2015 Somaseshu Gutala
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