Friday 19th August 2022

We had a very good weekend planned.

A fellow GWUKer was coming from America, and Simon K would get tickets for Cambridge playing at Charlton, we would meet up in London before, have beers, chat, then go to the game before returning home.

And then the railways went on strike.

Again and again and again.

And one of these was to be on Saturday, the day of the game. Meanwhile London Transport workers went on strike on Friday, but the network began to close Thursday as David and his family were trying to get back to Stratfor to their hotel at six in the evening.

As the main reason for meeting up on Saturday was to go to the game, and neither Simon or I could get home after it finished as both our last trains home, or on the way to getting home left before half five, no time to get to Liverpool Street of St Pancras for that train. It seemed mad to go up to London using the reduced services that were planned to run, with no real guarantee that we could get back home.

Reluctantly, we cancelled the trip to London.

With no public transport in London on Friday, David said in his last mail that they were coming to Dover.

Dover? I live near there.

So, a plan was hatched, if they did come down, we would meet up at two once Jools was home with the car, and we would do "something".

The BBC said there was a 2% chance of rain through the day. It seemed perfect.

I just had to get through work.

I mean, work is fine, things are liling up, but through little fault of mine if I'm honest. Six hours work, no break for lunch, then be ready for when Jools got home.

Jools went to work, and I started work too.

The morning flew by, as meetings were held, calls made and arrangements for an audit next month which means a chance of travel, and not using airports.

Which will be nice.

I got regular messages through the day from David that:

trains were running.

They were on one, heading to Kent

Where could they get a good lunch?

I told them Blakes on Castle Street, and so that's where they went, dining well on Dover Sole and real ale.

The plan was to meet them at the Market Square, so once Jols was back and changed, we drove into town, and down Castle Hill.

Now, I knew what David and his wife looked like, and they were there with Sam's sister, so they should be able to be spooted. And as we reached the traffic lights the bottom of the Hill, I could see a man and two ladies. I was sure that was them.

So, I turned left when the light went green, and pipped the horn to attract their attention. David recognised me.

I pulled in and they climbed in.

I said we would take them to St Martin's to look over the harbour, see the French coast and along the cliffs beyond the ferry port.

So, we went through the town and up Military Hill, pulling in at the car park, getting out and Jools and I telling them the hstory of Western Heights.

The view along the cliffs was indeed wonderful, and they were delighted, as with the views down to the Western Docks below.

Now, the dark clouds delivered the rain we were not forecasted to get.

We scampered to the car, and plans were changed and instead of churches, we would go up Castle hill for them to see the castle from the road as there was no time to go inside. That really is a full day's events.

As we climbed up Castle Hill in the car, the rain fell heavier and heavier, meaning that once in the coach park, they could not get out due to the rain.

First rain in five weeks!

We took Reach Road along the cliffs to St Margaret's, and took tjem down into the Bay to get close looks at the white cliffs. But it was still raining, David put on a rain coast to get shots of the cliffs, but that was it.

He got back in, and we would head to a pub for a drink and wait for the weather to blow over.

I had wanted to stop at the Freed Man in Upper Walmer, but there was no parking free. No worries, there is always the Green Berry.

We parked outside and went in, taking a large table in the window, David and I had pints of IPA and we chatted, even as the sun broke through outside.

We had a second pint, and with the clock against them, they said it was best to head back to London. Perfectly for them, as Jools driving, got them to Priory station 5 minutes before the next direct train to Stratford, while we realised we were darned hungry.

Jools took us to the chippy in Castle Street, and we both had battered sausage and chips, eating it sat at the tables outside, as the afternoon sun began to sink in the west.

Jools drove us home, back along Townwall Street, then up Jubilee Way, getting home at half five, in time for the music quiz. Had there been one, but its on it's summer break.

But no cards either, as Norwich were on the tellybox that evening.

City were playing Millwall, live on Sky, and a week after being bottom of the league, we were up to 16th with our first win in midweek.

City played oK first half, but Millwall defended well, and it seemed that the two sides would cancel each other out. But into the second half, City pounced on two mistakes and scored two.

Then saw of the rest of the game t ease to anoter win and up to 5th.

In the end, a rather good day.