A ridiculously early start allowed us to be on the world famous pier for 6am. It was the end of Route 66 for most but the beginning for us, so with numerous photos and video taken to record the start of this once in a lifetime adventure we prepared to embark. The Brickster chose to be vehicle DJ for the first leg of the days drive, choosing Slade's Gudbye to Jane as the beginning of our trip soundtrack. I could'nt think of a more perfect accompaniment to our sta...

Painless journey to the airport was complemented by a concerned check-in supervisor who was anxious to seat myself and 'mer colleeg' and CSI Essex representative Aiden Brick (ret) together. It was obvious to this writers eyes that she had assumed we were 'fans of the theatre' and therefore felt compelled to say 'Can I just say that we're not gay'. We ended up in separate rows with the added bonus of an empty seat next to me. Excellent. Several bottles of red w...