Canterbury and Margate

Got the bus from Parker's Piece at 7.45, changed at Victoria for the Dover bus. The driver of this bus was so funny! For example, he asked everyone to not have their mp3 players too loud, especially if we were listening to Cliff Richard. And then he went up the bus to open the skylight, and I heard him say to someone, 'You can't be cold! Weirdo!'. Anyway, it started to rain in London, and just kept raining.

I got off at Canterbury and had a wander through the shops (including Kew, and I couldn't find anything to buy). Got a crepe, kept walking down the main street to the West Gate and the Guildhall gardens and the river (v pretty). Then back up to the cathedral, which was closed for the next hour and a half. So I explored some streets - there are some amazing old timbered houses there. I got some sweets, then walked to the Norman castle. It's sad that people kept pulling bits of it down throughout history so there's not much left. Then back to the cathedral, which is really awe-inspiring. Henry IV and Edward II are buried there. Beautiful glass.

Anyway, back to the bus station, and caught a local bus to Margate, through the rain. I got off near the hostel, which was right on the seafront. I walked through the door. And was convinced that I'd walked into a 1950s hospital. There were people sitting everywhere. The men were wearing army greens, and the women were wearing these red, white and blue uniforms with little peaked hats like nurses wear. Feeling a little lost because there was no sign of a reception desk, and convinced that I'd walked into the wrong place, I asked where reception was. Someone went to get a woman from the kitchen, and she confirmed that I was in the right place, and took me into reception. She said that a church group was booked in for the weekend. I went up to my room, and thankfully it was otherwise unoccupied, very cute, and with a big window facing the sea. At about this time, the gospel singing started downstairs.

I went into the centre of Margate, and was thoroughly depressed by the run-down-ness and tack of the place, and with the packs of roving chavs. I had the wonderful choice of KFC or Domino's for dinner. I skedaddled back to the hostel, had a shower and went to bed. Noise from the other occupants continued late into the night.