Image by Artturi Mäntysaari from Pixabay Been a little while since we last sat down together for one of these, right? Crazy to think about how much has happened in the meantime. I'm glad we could catch up with a cuppa. Me? Well, weirdly enough, I had this flash of remembrance earlier today. I saw something on TV that reminded me of a party that I attended. I think it was organised by the neurological department at Basingstoke, but it's so long ago that I can't remember exactl

Photo by Ash Hayes on Unsplash Causeway Bay has always been a destination for demonstrations. Historically, the nearby Victoria Park was the site for the yearly vigil to remember the Tiananmen Square Massacre. In 2019, it was a gathering point for the street protests. Now, a food and goods fair conveniently appears in time to occupy Victoria Park on the anniversary of the massacre, and a heavy police presence deters any but the most fatalistic from openly showing their subver

Photo by Benedict Wan It was chilly in Chilham this morning. The birds were out in force singing their chorus, and I was eager to set out as soon as possible to meet the day. Before I left, the family’s dog took one more chance to bark at me as much as he could during breakfast, and I lost patience and literally snapped at him with my fingers. Luckily, he didn’t steal any of the lovely fry-up that the household shared in the morning. I swear I’ve eaten more fry-ups in these l

It’s the night before the final day. Tomorrow, I will have finished walking the Pilgrims’ Way entirely, from Winchester all the way to Canterbury. Today, in a way, felt like the last day of routine before the big finale. I travelled to different sites, interviewed experts, tried to interview animals, took video and photos for digital media, and got lost in the woods. Truly it was the condensed experience of the entire trip, minus the sore feet for once. For the second time, I

Sleeping in a church is fun until you try to go to sleep. Then you get stressed from all the bumps and creaks during the night. Churches are simply too big to feel secure in when you want to rest. The same feeling would apply to sleeping alone in a shopping mall. I did have a woodlouse next to my head in the morning that was curled up, though. It flexed slightly but remained curled up, before relaxing and going off on its adventures. I too left rather quickly, as I was eager

Some days are easier than others. Some challenge your endurance, others challenge your mind. Today was the worst since the long march from Oxted to Otford, and I felt challenged in both ways. While the breakfast at the Friar’s was large enough for me to fill up, it was hurried, and I was out of the door barely 15 minutes before sitting down. I was happy to be leaving Aylesford if only for a change of scenery. I was also growing impatient about moving forward towards Canterbur

Rochester is far too large to be a detour, in hindsight. I should have treated it more like I treated Winchester at the start, and dedicated a full day to exploring each part. Alas, time was against me and I could only afford an afternoon. But what an afternoon it was. I met Will (the pilgrim I had joined at the end of yesterday’s walk) again at breakfast, so I had the chance to say goodbye and wish him luck. I hope he finds what he needs from his walk to Canterbury. I, meanw

I really could have combined today with yesterday. The only saving grace in separating it out is that I don’t have to consider it alongside the amazing tree tunnel when I remember this trip. I say this only because there was so little to speak of for today’s stage. To begin with, it was short and easy, which is a terrible start to any story. The train to Halling at least had some rowdy teens playing music loudly. I took the opportunity to visit the Old Palace just behind Hall

Rut-ham to Hall-ing. That’s how they’re pronounced. Who says the English language needs consistent pronunciations? It adds character (pronounced char–actor). Parts of today’s walk were some of my favourite of the entire trip so far. With the wonderful late-summer sun, chirping birds, and gentle breeze, the miles-long tree tunnel was enough for me to feel enchanted. Were I in a fairytale, I would have laid down to fall asleep and never woken up again. It was that exceptional.