faustus | Expotitions

For the last week I've been the owner of a Gold Megarider ticket and staring at the word BLOG (which is gold, from the other side) and have been travelling over (east) Kent and (thanks to a steam train) Sussex. It is remarkably difficult to get to Sussex and likely involves some strange rituals at Lydd Camp which gain you entry to Hastings. In order I've been to Reculver and from Broadstairs, from Ashford to Brookland to Lydd to Hythe to Canterbury, to Dover to Ramsgate to Canterbury, to Faversham and back, to Ashford and Tenterden and to Whitstable and back. Tomorrow I aim to do Westwood Cross and Ramsgate, likely via Broadstairs as there is no number nine on Bank Holidays but there is an eight and the Thanet Loop.

Today's trip to Whitstable was all about going in the sea - but I got there to find it pleuting and the tide out. Way out. I attempted to walk to Sussex, or at least Sheppey but curious whilst I would have been in trouble if the tide turned on a l-o-n-g flat beach, it was the sand nearer the shore that felt more dangerous - suddenly swallowing a foot. I eventually got back to the shore and the Saxon Shore Way, passed Peter Cushing's house, grabbed a pint of Whitstable Raspberry Wheat Beer, a 99 and browsed superior remainders before catching the bus to UoK. By then the sun had come out. Chiz.

Rather disturbingly there was a large plume of smoke over Canterbury, from what might have been Thanington Without or Chartham.