The post title is the only Chas’n’Dave mention you’ll get here.

We went away. Almost to Margate, at Westgate-on-Sea, our first revisit to Kent since 2011.

I’d been expecting a right Kent of a drive; we left out later than usual, but actually, the traffic gods were smiling upon us, with one very small hold-up near the M25. M6T, M1, M25, A2, M2, A2, A299, A28, 4hrs 3 min, 56mpg.

Our property was just a short hobble from the town centre and station. Last time we were in Kent we used the train a lot, this time we didn’t use it at all.

The town centre, at first sight, was lively on a Saturday late afternoon/early evening, during the week it was quieter. Quite an attractive High Street and obviously fairly affluent given the bars, restaurants, and shops. Notably though, there was an absence of traditional pubs which seemed very odd. There were bars, but not pubs.

We got a bit of shopping, and went for a curry at an Indian restaurant that (in a good way) was like being in one from the 1990s.

So what else did we do? We went to Reculver and looked at the tower, we went to Herne Bay and Deal and wandered down the piers (Herne Bay was closed off last time we were here, and it’s now a fine pier, even with the end of it still some distance out to sea). We went to Hever Castle, Canterbury Cathedral, and went into Margate where we totally failed to get into the Turner Contemporary (they were changing an exhibition), but did get into the Shell Grotto.

Margate itself was a tiny bit rough around the edges, but has a good beach and some great restaurants: there’s clearly gentrification creeping in, but Broadstairs or Deal would be more your thing if you want genteel English seaside. If you’re prepared for a bit of edge, Margate is fine.

There were a few pubs.

The week went fast: before long it was time to pack up and pay another Dart charge. Home to kittehs.