AND we all thought it was going to be easy to get away once the pandemic died down.

Little did we realise that we were about to be hijacked by a transport nightmare waiting in the wings.

First there was the plane pain, with hundreds of flights cancelled, resulting in families missing out on beach time in Spain.

Then the trains passed the strain onto passengers, with strikes causing plenty of disruption and chaos for travellers and commuters.

My solution? Go merry by ferry to Guernsey.

The trip started in Taunton with an early-morning drive to Poole, in Dorset, avoiding the fuel protests and the decamp from the Glastonbury Festival.

Once in Poole, it was an organised drive onto the aptly named Liberation ferry run by Condor Ferries and a smooth journey past the Isle of Wight and onwards towards the Channel Islands.

Food and refreshments are available on the three-hour crossing and who can resist the Duty Free shop, even at 9am?

Arriving refreshed in St Peter Port, we headed for the three-star Driftwood Inn, overlooking Perelle Bay on the west coast of the island.

A word of warning - I think I put the Gurn in Guernsey on the short drive, pulling some very strange faces as I brushed against hedges and mounted the odd pavement to avoid vehicles coming the other way.

While the locals negotiate the narrow Guernsey roads with ease, it's best to drive with great caution if you're used to wider mainland British roads.

And you have to remember to filter at roundabouts.

At the adults-only Driftwood Inn, we were greeted by owners local man Jamie and his wife Suzie.

The rooms are sizeable and comfortable, there's a restaurant, a separate bar, lounge area and outdoor space with swimming pool. And plenty of parking.

Guernsey has a deserved reputation for fine food and drink and the Driftwood did not disappoint. My favourites were the lobster and chips and the homemade fish pie.

The island may be small, but there's plenty to do.

We headed into St Peter Port, a bustling town with plenty of shops and bars and restaurants and a marina full of bobbing boats and yachts.

Another warning. If you're there at midday, be prepared for a big bang. That's when a cannon is fired at Castle Cornet daily.

Having been built some 800 years ago, it's steeped in history and was taken over by the Germans after they invaded the island in the Second World War.

You can't travel far in Guernsey without being reminded of the German occupation.

Nazi bunkers crop up all over the island.

But one of the highlights for me was La Valette Underground Military Museum, with displays giving a feel of what life must have been like for the islanders during the two world wars. It's a moving experience.

If you're into your military history, you'll not be disappointed by the German Signals Headquarters or the German Occupation Museum.

There was great joy when British troops arrived to liberate Guernsey in May 1945, with reminders of freedom restored all over the place.

A must see is The Little Chapel, in the parish of St Andre de la Pommeraye.

It's just 16ft by 9ft and beautifully adorned with shells and pieces of broken china.

On the subject of places of worship, the tiny 14th century Sainte Apolline's Chapel, just around the corner from the Driftwood Inn, is a place of peace and reflection.

For the more adventurous, how about a bit of island hopping?

We booked a ticket for a boat trip to Sark, which has its own set of laws based on Norman law, as well as its own Parliament.

It's small - just 2.10 square miles, with a population of 500 and no cars. So you'll have to enjoy walking.

Closer to the main island of Guernsey is Herm, another size-challenged plot of land.

One of the things that surprised me about Guernsey was that there surprisingly seem to be far fewer seagulls than we have in Taunton - and they're also far better behaved than our flying thugs. You don't hear the Guernsey variety endlessly squawking and ripping open black bin bags. They're a much more civilised bunch than our urban invaders.

Which makes a trip to any of the gorgeous beaches a pleasant experience.

Walks, shops, bars and restaurants, history. Guernsey's got it all and we'll certainly be heading back there some day soon.

If you're interested in following in our footsteps, check out further details at driftwoodinn.co.uk and www.condorferries.co.uk