Tuesday 29th August 2023

Got up around 0800 and prepared breakfast. Finished off the smoked salmon, with egg and hollandaise sauce. Made a packed lunch to take on my travels, and packed a bag. Popped round to the GP with my stool samples before starting the car up and heading south-eastwards via the A2. A few miles north-west of Strood, I took a detour to the village of Higham to get sight of Gads Hill Place, Charlie Dickens' final home, where he died at the age of 58. Bumped into a small group of ageing pilgrims doing the same thing...but the house has long been a girls' school, and there's no entry to the general public. Noticed there's a foot tunnel, the entrance of which is on the other side of the road...a local reckoned Charles had had it built to allow his mistress to visit without disturbing the rest of the household!

Stopped off in Strood to get some lunch items and pick up a coffee, then headed out to Grain. Had my lunch in a car park overlooking the coastal path, and had a brief walk in the sunshine afterward, taking in the view across the estuary to Southend. Carried out inspections in Cliffe and Hoo before ending up back in Strood. Drove to Gillingham and checked in to the Premier Inn. Looked at the menu for the Ship & Trades pub, but the calorie counts were too high, so ended up walking to ASDA and getting a pot noodle for dinner!