The 7th Day in London

 April 10th. Many tourists take day trips to the west—to places like the Cotswolds, Bath, Stratford‑upon‑Avon, Stonehenge, or Oxford—so I decided to go east instead. I had booked a day tour to Canterbury, Leeds Castle, and Dover before leaving Japan.

The Golden Tours bus terminal was right next to Victoria Station, about a 15‑minute walk from my hotel. Since I had checked the route on a map beforehand, I found it easily.

Victoria is one of the busiest transport hubs in London, with National Rail, the Underground, and the Coach Station all gathered in one area.

The bus was comfortable, equipped with free Wi‑Fi and a toilet. There were about twenty participants from a wide range of countries—truly an international tour. I was the only Asian person on board.

Before departure, a gentleman dressed casually but neatly went around speaking to each participant with a friendly smile. I assumed he was the guide or a staff member from the tour company, but he turned out to be the driver. The guide, an elderly man, also greeted everyone individually in English, Spanish, or French. He spoke a little Japanese to me. Both the guide and the driver were very warm and welcoming.

It took some time to get through central London because of traffic, but once we left the city, the scenery opened up into beautiful countryside. We arrived at Leeds Castle around noon. The castle wasn’t large, but it was stunning—like a small treasure surrounded by greenery.

 

Leeds Castle

Leeds Castle

Leeds Castle


We reached Canterbury at around 1:30 p.m. The cathedral was a short walk from the bus parking area. On the way, we had lunch at a pub.

I thought we were supposed to meet at the cathedral entrance after looking around inside. I should have stayed with the group. While I was taking photos inside the cathedral, the others moved on, and I suddenly found myself alone. I went to the entrance at the appointed time, but no one was there. I walked out into the town—still no one. The meeting time had already passed. I tried to find my way back to the parking lot, but I didn’t know the route. So I returned to the square in front of the cathedral.

At that moment, a policeman approached me. “I’ve lost my way to the tour bus parking lot. Could you tell me how to get there?” “What tour bus?” “Golden Tours.”

He explained the directions, but I couldn’t follow them, so I showed him Google Maps on my tablet. He pointed out the location on the map. “Thank you very much,” I said.

The bus was already past the departure time. Guided by Google Maps and GPS, I hurried toward the parking lot. When I arrived, the bus was just about to leave through the gate. I ran toward it, waving my hand. The driver noticed me, stopped, and opened the door.

“Sorry—I completely lost my way. Really sorry.” When I got on, some of the passengers welcomed me back with applause.

  

Canterbury

Canterbury

Canterbury

Canteerbury

Canterbury

Canterbury

Canterbury

Canterbury


In Dover, we viewed Dover Castle and the White Cliffs from the beach at a distance. 


Dover

Dover

Dover

National Maritime Museum

The Royal Naval College

The Thames Cruising

The Thames Cruising

The Thames Cruising


We returned to London and arrived in Greenwich at around 6:00 p.m. I hadn’t expected a Thames cruise, but I was able to enjoy the long ride from Greenwich to Embankment Pier and the beautiful scenery along the river. 


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