M1 to Involution and Ikea

If anyone is thinking of hiring a van from The Kings Cross branch of 1Car1 then make sure you check that the seat-belts work!!

After much fannying around from the aforesaid company, we finally began the long journey from Canning Road, London, to Canning Street, Edinburgh.

I haven't driven in ages but used to do a lot in my earlier touring days - because my career has been that varied and outrageous that I can now refer to the past as being important and inspirational full of nationwide challenges and anecdotes! Cough. But driving up the M1 (and others) for 10 hours was actually quite enjoyable. There aren't many driving experiences similar to that of entering into the lake district and the northern reaches as the sun goes down and the mists clear. Excitement grows and the beauty of the north, stirs.

On arrival at around midnight it became clear that our flat was not a place to leave a van outside, as pounding on the door from the local police, soon had us realising, but a hasty unpack and trip to overnight parking, soon allowed us to sit back into our new one month home and relax for the night.

What followed the next morning was beyond understanding, but bear with me.

We needed to get a few things from Ikea. Now, I've never been to Ikea before but stories of getting lost amidst the shelves of Ikea Oblivion has filtered down to me through the years. I was going with two girls...I didn't expect too see daylight again for at least 3 days. Luckily, we only had the van for an hour longer and being late back to the drop of point would have cost Mokita Productions an extra 200 quid. Wandering through the airy and lightly decorated halls of the student warehouse of choice, with the Producer of the company had it's benefits. Suddenly the shelf-shopping extravaganza of majestic proportions became a frenzied rush from teacup to mattress corner to light bulbs and lunchboxes and before I knew it, we were escaping back into the sunny delights of Edinburgh.

But we're here now so hopefully the dizzy excite mental heights of an Ikea trip will be eclipsed!