As I walked towards the golden sand beach, the yellow flowers along the path imbued me with happiness and energy. My feet grounded me the moment they touched the sand, so soft and warm. An unobstructed view to the horizon gave me wings to fly. I felt free……
I had my heart set on Kent ever since I moved to London and it was time I visited. Botany Bay in Kent, a 2 hrs 30 minutes drive from London was an easy choice because who does not like to go to a beach in the summer…
Day 1: Botany Bay
As soon as we parked the car, I could feel the damp air and hear the cheeky seagulls. I started walking towards the beach and my eyes fell on the yellow flowers which filled me with happiness and energy. The bay was neither deserted nor too crowded. Its golden sand so soft and warm together with the unobstructed view to the horizon liberated me and gave me imaginary wings to fly. The white tall cliffs taught me to stay put and believe in myself come rain or shine. I discovered new me like never before….
freedom achieved by living the moment with no fears of future
Botany Bay cliffs are made of chalk, a soft white finely grained limestone. This limestone is the accumulation of coccoliths – dead phytoplankton, over millions of years. So, when you touch them, be mindful of what they are and how long it took for these spectacular cliffs to form.
I’m looking at 
this…..
Also, the rock pools make this bay very special because during low tide your family can go for treasure as well as fossil hunting, makes it super interesting for kids as well as adults. We saw small crabs, krill (perhaps) and sea-weed like a bubble wrap.
We are treasure hunters 
this is what we found!
Pro-Tip: I highly recommend to take a walk to the cliffs because behind them is a huge beach area which is quiet and less crowded. Do not forget to bring some natural chalk back home as a keep. You will be surprised to see the unique shapes and sizes of the chalk buried in the sand. Also, they are pre-historic and precious.
Day 2: Ramsgate
Ramsgate is a popular seaside town in Kent. We wanted to see the famous Ramsgate Tunnels but due to COVID, the entry was restricted to only online pre-booking. So instead, we decided to take a stroll to explore the coast. The town was brimming with life; a couple walking hand in hand, a girl sitting on her dad’s shoulders, a dad-son duo self-docking a yacht, two friends fishing along the shore, people laughing and gorging on food….
After a sumptuous meal (paneer wraps oozing with mayonnaise and tomato sauce), we headed to the beach.
ichigo ichie moment – I was standing gazing at the beauty of the sea so vast and calm. Suddenly, I zoomed in to see a small piece of limestone, perhaps broken from the cliff of Botany Bay and seaweed washed up on the shore close to my feet. This made me realise that sometimes we are so engrossed in the bigger picture that we forget to acknowledge the beauty at our footsteps. Appreciation of beauty in simple things is important, isn’t it?
Day 3 : Canterbury
A de-tour to Canterbury, a quaint medieval town in Kent, while on our way back to London was a great decision. Had a picnic at Westend gardens post which we strolled on the High Street. Found some really interesting old buildings like The Crooked House, The Weavers’ House and some medieval time structures.
The Westgate Gardens 
The Crooked House
Not to mention that the High Street also had pop-up food stalls which filled the air with appetizing aroma. I loved Canterbury, especially punting. There were two types of routes, upstream into the countryside and downstream into the city. The city punting was fully booked so we went ahead with the countryside and oh man! the experience was so calming and relaxing that words fall short. The surroundings were lush green and our punt glided smoothly over the shallow waters of Great Stour river whose long green strands gently waved at us as we meandered our way through its curvy body. The willow trees gracefully bending over brushing our faces made the whole experience dreamy. This surely was an Ichigo Ichie (once in a lifetime) experience.
Gorgeously green
Pro-Tip: Book the ‘city’ punting (45 minutes) in advance from Canterbury punting company to make sure you do not get disappointed. I did not get to do it but it is definitely on my list. Believe me, its worth as the punter will tell the history of Canterbury and many unknown facts. Also, a great way to see the city if you are short on time.
About the Stay : Margate House
We had friends with us on this trip so we stayed at Margate house, a spacious and comfortable Airbnb close to Botany Bay. A beautiful stain glass entrance door opened to fabulous photography prints on the left wall overlooked by a period style sculpture. I liked the one with patterns on the beach sand. The library room, complemented by a piano in a corner, had books of various genres. The living room was cosy and colourful. The paintings and display collection were from different parts of the world, perhaps mostly from Asia. I admire Katsushika Hokusai’s paintings and to see two of his great works in the living room brought back lovely memories of Japan.
The rooms were big and comfortable with something to gaze onto. Kitchen was well equipped. While exploring the house I found …ta-da…..a mural art at the back of a toilet door. The kooky and stylish interior of the house gave it a quirky character.
The cottages at the end of the garden were beautifully done. The garden had massive sunflowers, apple trees, herb spread and various plants. I could sense that the owner had put much love and thought.
We all loved the property, so most of our time was spent chatting, eating, drinking and playing.
If you found this informative or if it inspires you to live the Ichigo Ichie moment, let us know.
We will be overjoyed to hear!