Firstly I want to say thank you to everyone who has wished me luck on this trip, it really means a lot.
After a manic few weeks I’ve finally made it to the start line.
This wouldn’t have been possible without the help and support of my family and friends so my thanks go out to them.
The day started with frantic last minute packing including the all important toilet roll.
After a quick journey to London and the obligatory photos and goodbyes, I set off into the unknown.
London at 8am on a Sunday was bliss, I had the roads to myself. Following the Q1 cycle route meant taking some rogue roads through housing estates but blindly following the GPS was the order of the day.
I was heading for a campsite near Dover which fortunately was on a cycle route almost the whole way.
The riding was easy but the sun was hot so frequent rest stops in the shade were required.
Outside Rochester I went past an elderly couple who were seemingly also on a bike trip. Their aim was to eventually cycle the whole coastline of the UK so every year for their annual holiday they take the train to where they left off and cycle for several weeks until they headed home eagerly waiting next years trip. Laden with panniers and guiding themselves with an OS map, they were clearly doing it the ‘old fashioned way’.
I reached the campsite looking forward to dinner. Setting up my tent was less eventful than I predicted which was a bonus and after a quick shower I headed to the pub.
Sadly they didn’t do food, but they allowed you to order a takeaway and eat it there. Having skimmed through the flyers the 18” pizza deal caught my eye and certainly did the trick.
Tomorrow I’ll be heading to Dover and seeing what France has to offer. The first stop may have to be a patisserie…
My Belated Gap Year 
Well done ‘off the starting blocks’. Looking forward to your messages and photos. We can all enjoy vicariously, your journey that many of us wished we had the guts to do. Pity you haven’t got knome to photograph in every town you visit. X
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