I wake up at 5.00am - two hours later than planned and roughly the time I had been told to check in for the Brittany Ferries fast crossing to Caen. Amazingly - despite the 70 mile drive to Portsmouth from West London and the fact that I am usually the world's slowest driver - I make it with half an hour to spare. And I am now writing this en route back to France, Biff (hopefully) sleeping in the car on the deck below. With a bit of luck, he will be romping through poppy fields by dusk.