Here’s a toast to those intrepid pioneers and can-do-ers who – in most cases – went for the prize and came back a winner. For example, Davy Crockett, Edmund Hillary, Bear Grylls, Sir Ranulph Fiennes OBE, Karen Darke, Freya Stark just to name a few. These luminaries and dozens more have made our lives better in innumerable ways. We thank them all.
Now, we wouldn’t be us if we didn’t offer similar platitudes, but of a different kind, of course: those adventurers who didn’t quite make the grade. We’ll even get a bit more focused – on one of the most well-known and tricky adventures that has captured the attention of thousands over the years: the English Channel. Countless have tried to cross the Channel using any number of methods but have, alas, failed. It was only when the Chunnel was finally opened in 1988. (The Channel Tunnel, also known as the Chunnel, is a 50.46-kilometre underwater railway tunnel that connects Folkestone with Coquelles beneath the English Channel at the Strait of Dover.) It is the only fixed link between the island of Great Britain and the European mainland. Read more here. Two of our favourite YouTubers, Paul and Rebecca Whitewick provide us with rather interesting details about the wins and the losses, but, as ever, do it in their own chipper style.
But, back to the present, taking the Chunnel from the UK to Europe (or the opposite) is super-simple and, most of all fun and efficient. The Channel Tunnel (often called the ‘Chunnel’ for short) is an undersea tunnel linking southern England and northern France. It is operated by the company Getlink, who also run a railway shuttle (Le Shuttle) between Folkestone and Calais, carrying passengers in cars, vans and other vehicles. You purchase your tickets (best to do it in advance, although not necessary. Drive your car to your chosen port (Folkestone or Calais,) receive your tickets at the gates, and then hop on to the train. And the off you go.
For fun, did you know that The Channel Tunnel is 31.5 miles long or 50.45 km? That’s the equivalent of 169 Eiffel Towers stacked on top of each other. Watch the video below to see how easy and fast it is. Once you’ve done it, you’ll love it. (Some content courtesy of Wikipedia.org)
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