BACK IN THE UK - KENT

KENT -  August 2011
We arrived in Dover making a very loud noise due a hole in the exhaust pipe near the manifold.

Dover Castle on the horizon 

We spent the next day searching for a repairer who had a heavy lift or a Pit suitable for the height of a motorhome. Leaving Dover we travelled to Canterbury to continue our search. We managed to get a new pipe and then found a truck repairer in an industrial area just out of Canterbury. We were thankful we found someone to do the job but when the noise started again 100k down the road, on inspection Kevin found really shoddy welding and we had to find another repairer who did the job properly. Maybe it was a case of we will never see them again syndrome.

CANTERBURY
While walking around Canterbury we came across a river boat tour.

The boat was an Oxford Punt  

and our journey took us down the River Stour bordered by ancient weeping willows as it winds its way through the city passing many 14^th century  buildings and under very old bridges and tunnels right  through the main city. 

We passed this very old beautiful building which I am sure could tell many a Canterbury Tale then back to were we started.

Next stop the Canterbury Cathedral, part of a World Heritage site 

a Norman Castle and some of its gory past.

 

We thought this sign was rather cute, although there wasn’t too much sunshine anywhere for long.

then it was time to go back to get Harry from the repairers.

On the way we came across this lovely 15th century  pub in a small village in behind the main road. I suppose it was once out in the countryside.

For the next week we travelled around Kent enjoying the countryside. We stayed overnight in farm stays where up to 5 caravans or motorhomes can stay on the farm usually in a paddock. You are provided with a pitch, drinking water and a place to empty the chemical toilet and gray water tanks. All we need for a peaceful overnight stop. No need to worry about the neighbours noise here.

The roads are very leafy with very strange signs and many of the farm houses have a strange conical white tower.

SISSINGHURST CASTLE

We visited Sissinghurst Castle, now a National Trust property and formerly the home of author Vita Sackville West and Harold Nicolson. I had been told of the beautiful gardens by my friend Eleanor who visits them each time she visits England and I wasn’t disappointed.

As we walked down to the castle entrance we found out what the white conical towers were we saw on a lot of the farm houses here in Kent. The were Oast  Houses, a freestanding kiln  for drying the hops, a very important crop in the last century.

 

The gardens were beautiful. Very different to the French chateau gardens we have previously been visiting with lots of garden rooms and cottage garden atmosphere.



LONDON

After our fill of country life it was time to visit the Big Smoke.

London here we come!

We wanted to stay close to London at the Chrystal Palace Caravan Park which was inside the pollution zone.  After a phone call we found out it was OK to travel into the zone as far as the caravan park in 2011 but in 2012 we would need to pay $100 per day while in the zone.

It was really exciting seeing the icons of London as we drove in.

On our trip into London proper by bus we passed rows of town houses, the red lines on the roads indicate there is no parking or standing, it must be difficult to own a car here and find somewhere to park it.

and then we were at

Trafalgar Square

.

We caught up with the “Queen” doing a bit of PR.

And then we were at

Leicester Square

. It was a bit like playing Monopoly. This was the place to buy reduced price show tickets and to see the sights..

We took in the view from the bridge to the London Eye but the clouds were coming down to meet the street so that was left to the next time we are here.

After 3 days looking around it was time to head north away from the rainy weather. Of course heading north in Australia means hotter weather but here at the other end of the world it probably means heading to colder climes. We crossed the Thames via the Dartford Tunnel and headed off to Norfolk.