On the Road Again!

Every year as a way of increasing tourism in Kent, the tourist authorities organise the Kent Big Weekend. Attractions from stately homes to zoo park to heritage railways are all available with free entry for the weekend.  Each available by ballot. Some of the places would usually cost good money and others only a few pounds. Plus some have very few tickets like Port Lympne Animal Park and others loads.  In typical human avarice the "expensive" sites are very over subscribed and others have just about got all their tickets taken. I tried for quite a few across a range. Mostly places we've never been before. Last year neither Claire or I were successful. This time I got an email to say we had tickets for Ightham Mote. We are members of the National Trust already and so free tickets for two people  to one of the sites isn't that big a deal. There is an option to return the tickets and dip into the returns bin for an alternative but by the ti...

Yesterday was quite busy.  Firstly I had the monthly Meldrews MCC meeting at the Blue and White Cafe in Smeeth. Quite a decent turnout with six of us. I collected a few quid for the 1916-2016 Anniversary pins that I got off the Royal British Legion. In the afternoon we had a "Kent Big Weekend" trip to Grove Ferry and a boat trip. It didn't look very dog friendly and so I took Reggie out for a walk before we went out. " The Kent Big Weekend " has been running a few years and is an initiative to get people out to the attractions the county has to offer tourists. With 90 minutes between home and the boat, we should have had plenty of room.  I set the satnav, mistake, and then set off. It took us on a route I would never have thought of and then we hit a snag with roads closed due to a railway bridge needing repairs, In the end the 45 minute journey took 80. At least we did get the change to visit Patrixbourne 3 time and have a drive through two of the for...