Hola

Went to Spain. This isn't it, this is coming back through the gorges... knock out. We went to La Jonquera to stock up on booze for the forthcomings  - last years' visit was a misery, as the locals know it is hell on earth, - but we wanted a day out and we needed to shop.
Took the Carcassonne/Narbonne direction and the road was pleasant and empty, after the fog had cleared. Just into Spain we saw the traffic coming back - huge, I mean maybe 20 miles, of stationary or slowly snuffling traffic. Roadworks. The thought of going home that way caused a dampener on the old high spirits.
We did a garden centre and bought cheap fruit trees and then we had a splendidly oily and garlic laden lunch. We bought bottles of spirits. Many. We headed for Perpignan and came home that way, clear all the way. So if you too are looking to do the duty-free ritual, consider that route and save yourself some grief.

All mourning the death of Johnny here. He was a kind of community metaphor; as the Presidential office said this morning, 'there is a bit of Johnny in all of us'.