It was a glorious sunny day in the beginning. Set my alarm at 730am but I overslept because I watched a Korean movie Changing Partners overnight and only slept at 4am after finish planning my Canterbury trip. So woke up at 930am instead! I panicked and got prepared in superhuman speed. Instead of cycling, I got into a bus. When I reached the town, it started raining...The weather is really unpredictable! I rushed to post office to collect my parcel. It was delivered to my home when I was dead asleep post night shift hence did not hear the doorbell rang. So I had to collect it at the office instead. It was my new crumpler Pretty Boy 5500 bag! Bought in ebay and really pleased with its quality. Not ciplak but original! It can fit my camera, a 500ml bottle, biscuit and umbrella (necessities for travelling). It also has a front pocket that can fit a wallet, handphone, passport and small notepad. The only thing is after a day of carrying it around, my shoulder became quite sore due to the weight :(
Got into a train to Dartford to meet Sherryne. I had not seen her for good 6 years I think. She looks exactly the same, as lovely as usual :) Train ride to Dartford was just about 1.5hr with 2 changes. Sherryne drove to Rochester and we reached there in less than 30minutes. Rochester is a lovely town. It is a town where Charles Dickens used to spend his childhood. It started to drizzle when we arrived but it lasted less than 10minutes and Miss Sunshine was out again after that. The weather was great for the rest of the day. We went to a pub to grab some lunch first before sightseeing.
The Rochester Castle is one of the best preserved Norman castle around. It was built initially in 1078AD. Much has been damaged in previous sieges. It has 3 square towers and one round tower. It is cold and breezy inside the castle and the view from the top is like sweet dessert after a main meal :) One get to see the beautiful expanse of Medway River, rows of yachts and the Rochester Cathedral. Entrance fee is £5. Audio guide has additional charge.
As we walked around town, we found The Six Poor Travellers House. It is a Tudor charity house founded in 1579. In the olden days, it provided free lodging for poor travellers and later used to treat soldiers during war. At present, it is a well maintained and charming house with a lovely herb garden at the backyard. Each bedroom has an ancient fireplace and a simple bed. There is no entrance fees!The Rochester Cathedral is the second oldest cathderal. It was first founded in 604AD but present nave was built in 1083 under Bishop Gundulf. The King's School was first built in 604AD and is part of Rochester Cathedral hence is the second oldest school in UK. The cathedral is certainly not as massive as the Canterbury Cathedral yet is beautiful in its own way. I love the crypt and the Chapter Library Door.
Lastly, we went to The Guildhall Museum. The Rochester Guildhall was built in 1687 and now is a museum. We like the Hulk, which is a depiction of what a hulk would look like in the olden days. Hulk is old or damaged ship that has been stripped of its masts and used as prison.
That end our journey in Rochester. We went back to Sherryne's comfy home in Dartford. Met up with Jon, Sherryne's hubby, a bubbly and friendly chap. Had a great dinner in a nearby Indian restaurant after shopping in Asda. Then while watching Xfactor, had huge helping of raspberry pavlova. What a perfect day! :D
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