No Anne, we can't fit the suitcases in as well as driver and 6 passengers - and the picnic

First the times of the flights from Liverpool were changed to 3 hours earlier. Not a show stopper - we're resourceful.

Original plans of me driving over from Le Colombier to Nimes, meeting up with the Liverpool contingent; waiting Jean to join us 30 mins later from Luton had to be changed.

Not a real problem ... we're resourceful. My workhorse Kangoo was never going to do the group of 6 crumblettes (plus Jean and me). So we'd booked the rental of a Ford Zafira. I'd drive over .. and we'd have 9 people, 8 sets of luggage, 2 cars. No problems.

Change of schedules? I drive over. I do the paper work for the Zafira. We put all the luggage in the Kangoo. I leave the keys for the Kangoo at the Hertz desk - where Jean can show her passport to be put on to the Zafira hire - she picks up the Kangoo, and meets us at the end of our picnic and trip to the Pont du Gard.

Gosh - no problems. A doddle really.

Yes - but. As I was leaving Le Colombier I had received a phone call from Jean. Though they'd set off with hours to spare (her husband Pierre was being the gentleman and driving) - the motorway between Leicester and Luton was closed. They were probably going to miss the flight.

They missed it.

Jean will not be beaten. They had found there was another flight - from Stansted to Marseille. They'd head off to catch it.

So now I am at Nimes with the group of 6 and their luggage; my Kangoo, the 7 seater Zafira; and our picnic.

The only reason that the Zafira is a 7 seater is because it's an estate car with 2 seats in the boot. With 2 seats in the boot, there's no room for even a picnic, let alone lots of luggage.

So, no, we were not going to fit everything and everyone into the hire car. No, I can't guarantee that Jean will be able to pick up Kangoo with luggage tonight.

Plan B ... but it's hard to sell the benefits of Plan B to people who had in their mind Plan A. Plan B is to continue with Plan A, but you might not get your luggage until tomorrow. Can you make do for one night with just a toothbrush? No! You're sure? OK...

No Anne, it won't fit. OK - try if you want. But it won't fit. Plan B is not to fit it all into the Zafira.

The die was cast. The holiday had begun!