What seemed like a good idea, turned into a four hour round trip in the car, with the only stop a Tesco Extra in Rainham. The Dickens Christmas Market in Rochester was what we had intended to visit, and we really should have turned around when we hit the queue just off of the motorway. But we persevered, only to find that we had to drive straight through Rochester as it was heaving! There were police directing the traffic and we could see a huge crowd in the High Street. I caught a glimpse of a Dickensian looking top hat and then we were off! We just kept on going, as we didn't want to queue all the way back through Rochester. We saw some very interesting buildings up on the hill in Chatham. We kept going and ended up having a drive through some tiny and very pretty country lanes. We saw sheep, horses, wild birds and men on a shoot. We saw glimpses of the river Medway in the distance looking steely blue, and we drove past the most amazing house with an orchard in the front garden. No photos though as we didn't stop.
The Tesco Extra on the way back to the motorway was where we eventually did stop. We needed to do our Saturday shopping and thought we might as well do it here. I do like to visit an unfamiliar, out of town supermarket every so often.
This strange sign in the carpark, like a water tower, was what we followed. Very useful.
The industrial ceiling of the cafe where we had a very tasty Christmas dinner type meal.
Comfort baking was called for. Blueberry muffins. Very tasty!
The day turned out ok considering it was not what we wanted to do, but I couldn't help feeling a little cheated!
The Tesco Extra on the way back to the motorway was where we eventually did stop. We needed to do our Saturday shopping and thought we might as well do it here. I do like to visit an unfamiliar, out of town supermarket every so often.
This strange sign in the carpark, like a water tower, was what we followed. Very useful.
The industrial ceiling of the cafe where we had a very tasty Christmas dinner type meal.
Comfort baking was called for. Blueberry muffins. Very tasty!
The day turned out ok considering it was not what we wanted to do, but I couldn't help feeling a little cheated! 
6 comments:
Yes, I can't help thinking the DIckens market would have been much more fun, not least because so many people were coming along, they obviously knew something about it!
Better luck next year!
Who would be feeling cheated with those muffins at hand?:) More than once we have found ourselves in similar situations - what is it with traffic these days, anyway?- and a visit to something new other than what we were planning has often taken the sting of missing what we hoped and travel far for.
I hope your weather is nice, alas I am sure by now cold. Here is very cold and not particularly nice. I am trying hard to remember what the sun looks like up there.
Hugs from here, something is flying your way from Portland...
Oh my word! CROWDS! I hate them! What a shame you didn't get to see it, after the drive. Still, nothing like a Tesco Extra trip ;-)Those muffins look delicious! Have a good week. Not long to go now.Ros
P.S. The little bell sound is made by the windchile in the top right corner of my blog. I love it!
Nuts! I hate it when that happens...you get a great idea and then find out everyone else had that same great idea. I've waited in lines for meals and programs, or got stuck in a back-up in traffic...never much fun.
It looks to me like your solution turned out to be a good one though. Just wishing a little for a photo of those "tiny and very pretty country lanes."
Oh, my Sarah... not sure whether to laugh or cry along with you... LOL... Pity about the Market! Very fun interior at the Tesco Extra though. And they did have muffins! ;o) Thanks for taking us along. ((HUGS))
What a shame.
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