| Before I get all you amateur astronomers | | | | few bags of sand and empty them in the living |
| reaching for your telescopes and directing them | | | | room so we can just pretend we are on the |
| towards the heavens I must point out that I'm | | | | beach. |
| not referring to the interstellar kind of Galaxy but | | | | I am pleased to report that this is all behind us |
| the exciting new Ford Galaxy. I apologise for any | | | | now as we are the proud owners of a new Ford |
| confusion I may have caused but to me the | | | | Galaxy. I had driven a Galaxy a few years ago |
| discovery of a vehicle that finally suits our family's | | | | when my friend organised a stag party and in his |
| needs is the cause for much celebration. | | | | wisdom turned up in a 2.3 petrol engine model |
| You see for years now we have shoehorned | | | | much to our consternation as we had to drive it |
| ourselves into all manner of estate cars and small | | | | all the way to Amsterdam. Suffice to say that |
| MPV's often resulting in miserable journeys that | | | | after satisfying the copious thirst for fuel this |
| involve everybody being cramped and arguing | | | | thing had there was very little left in the kitty for |
| with each other. Family holidays should normally be | | | | our drinking activities and certainly nothing left to |
| a pleasurable experience for all but all too often | | | | fund a night in the arms of one of those nice |
| ours seem to descend into petty bickering with | | | | ladies in the window which we had planned for |
| each other and the dog usually joins in for good | | | | him. |
| measure. | | | | Despite that I do recall the Ghia model which we |
| We finally arrive at our destination tired and | | | | had was luxuriously appointed with leather and |
| hoarse from all the shouting and with the | | | | wood although it did remind me somewhat of a |
| windows steamed up because my kids insist on | | | | gentleman's drawing room. I decided to opt for |
| the interior temperature to be more akin to a | | | | the Zetec model which is well equipped but has a |
| portable sauna. Sometimes I long for one of | | | | more high-tech feel to the interior. |
| those Perspex screens that taxis have that I | | | | There was just a question of where to make my |
| could just slide across to drown out the endless | | | | purchase. These days there is a bewildering array |
| chorus of "I'm bored" or "Are we there yet?." | | | | of different places to visit from the traditional |
| Then there's all the stuff you have to take with | | | | franchised dealers to car supermarkets and such |
| you, I vaguely remember in my younger single | | | | like. After spending what felt like a lifetime on the |
| days I could go away for a week with nothing | | | | internet I finally opted for Ford Deals Direct. They |
| more than a spare pair of underpants and a | | | | purchase from Ford and by cutting out the |
| toothbrush and could always jettison the pants if | | | | middleman are able to offer big discounts on new |
| required. Nowadays it seems we have to | | | | Ford cars. We saved a few thousand on the new |
| transport every conceivable modern day luxury | | | | list price which is great as the money we saved |
| with us and frankly might as well just hook the | | | | will go towards next years' holiday to Wales. I can |
| house up to the back of the car and drag it with | | | | hardly wait as we now have dual zone air |
| us down the motorway. | | | | conditioning and a DVD system not to mention |
| There have been a few times recently when I | | | | acres of space and room for seven. I might even |
| have lost the plot and said to my kids that I'm | | | | have room for two pairs of pants! |
| going to go to the builder's merchant and buy a | | | | |