The hundred miles thing (cue for music link?) may be related to the population density, and therefore the closeness of things. Average journey length is less, so the increase in distance does seem long, because it is unusual. Also, if the end of the journey is nearer the fringes of the island, the roads are narrower, and more wiggly, and slower. You try driving 100 miles along Cornish lanes with high hedges (disguised stone walls) and passing paces, meeting people who don't know that the one driving uphill has right of way, and all the men who strongly believe that women can't reverse, but strangely can't find that gear themselves, or offroad vehicle drivers who have to stay on the blacktop and force little minis onto the soft verge, and then tell me that 100 miles isn't long.

"It looks like rain" can be an ancient joke referring to the strength of the tea, said while gazing abstractedly out of the window.

We do proper Bolognaise, some of us even not involving tins at all, sometimes.

Penny