Finally our summer holidays have arrived and we are off to France on Sunday (26 July 2009). For the last couple of years we have gone on holiday with our eldest daughter Laura and her family, but this year it is just the three of us- my wife Liz and myself and our son David.We are looking forward to it immensely, for all the usual reasons. The beautiful peaceful countryside, the dramatic scenery, the fantastic food and the lovely wine.We are particularly looking forward to some sunshine! We had a good spell of weather in June here in Swansea but since then it has been rain all the way. After a busy year at work for both of us, we need to feel the warmth.We are driving right down to the south, to Bacares, which is on the Mediterranean near Perpignan, about 20 miles from Spain. It is a long drive but it gives us an opportunity to stay at two of our favourite hotels, Val Moret near Troyes in the Aube (www.le-val-moret.com) and Chez la Rose in Julienas in Beaujolais (www.chez-la-rose.fr)As always we will be crossing via The Channel Tunnel. This will be our 38th crossing under the sea. It is so easy and generally trouble free, though we have had some memorable delays. But usually you sit in your car, you sway gently from side to side for a while and then suddenly you emerge into the sunshine of France you hope!The Channel Tunnel is a wonderful thing, an engineering marvel. It had been talked about for many years. The Victorians talked of a tunnel to match the achievements of the Suez Canal and the Panama Canal. The geology under the channel was checked during the 1870s and trial tunnels on either side were dug in 1881 and within the first year each side had bored almost 2 kilometres of tunnel. But the political will didnt exist for its completion, especially since there were vociferous objections from the military about the possible compromise to national security that it would represent.It was over 100 years before it was eventually completed in 1994.The French developer of the Suez Canal, speaking in Dover in July 1882 said that the one day England and France would be equally desirous of it, seeing the benefits to both countries.Well we certainly see the benefits, for it speeds us so quickly towards our holiday and still represents the perfect cure for sea sickness!As a result of our holiday I wont be around for three weeks, so my pages will remain untouched until the middle of August. But I am sure I will return warmed and refreshed and ready to throw more stuff at Americymru in a random sort of way!So thanks for reading and enjoy your own holidays if you have the chance, swine flu permitting of course!