Blog ≫ 2026 ≫ Ramsgate work experience trip - part the first
Starting my little holiday, off to Ramsgate for a couple of days. Got a lift to the station, and I feel like I'm off to Glastonbury or something. Even though I'm travelling with my little "city" sling bag and the small wheelie case we use for holidays, and I've taken neither of these to a festival. They could work though. One to think about for the future...
T1 is already there in Ramsgate, he got a lift this morning and has been shadowing a GP for the day. And yes, if the GP finds out we're in big trouble, hoho. No, it is work experience, lined up with a doctor that wife met at the gym. We actually don't know much about this guy, I hope he is a real doctor. Will find out one way or the other when I meet T1 after work today. It's lunchtime now, I worked this morning, afternoon off. I need to check into the hotel and find somewhere for dinner. I think Ramsgate is mostly closed on a Monday.
It's weird getting the train this way out of Folkestone, we never go this way. Station quite busy, but almost everyone else going London direction. Even when we went to Margate at the weekend we started off London bound and changed. This way feels wrong, I'm heading into the upside-down. At least the train is direct.
We have been in Ramsgate for about a day now. Strange place, I thought very run down when I first got here, and mostly it is. A lot like Folkestone and Dover in parts and a lot like Portsmouth and Southsea. The seafront is quite lively.
Our hotel is right on the marina that's quite a nice spot. When I first got there I had a room on the first floor with a view. But it only had one bed, so I said "I think I booked the family room" and the lady at reception said oh yes, you didn't say you wanted an extra bed in it.
The whole family sleeping in one bed is unusual even for around here, surely? Instead of putting another bed in that room they moved me to a different room. It's on the ground floor and it still smells faintly of smoke even though no one has smoked in these hotels for years. Nice and close to things anyway.
Once I had checked in I walked slowly up to the doctor's surgery where T1 was, he came out as I arrived. Then we went back to the hotel, dropped stuff off and went to investigate places for dinner. We had some ideas in mind, we had planned an Italian, a couple of Italians actually. We found one that had a good menu, but it had only just opened, and it was too stark and off-putting inside. I thought we'd have table cloths and candles in a mateus rose bottle, but it was wipe-clean like a Wimpey. Maybe this was the one that had just reopened after holidays, maybe they weren't quite ready? We thought we might go back there later, but then kept walking around and found somewhere really nice. I have to add the name in 1 something like Marechiara 2, sea something, sea side maybe 3?
We'd picked that restaurant, but before actually eating we went in a micropub - The Hovelling Boat Inn - and that was good. T1 thought it was very weird as the guy started talking about only wanting cash, because the government tracks you if you use cards. Luckily I had some cash. Friendly place, and someone came in later who did pay on a card, so I don't know if the landlord was just messing me about. I had an ale, then I wished I'd had a flight of three thirds. I sort of thought we'd go back and I'd try again. I'll leave you to guess if we did return.
Dinner was great, I had ravioli and salad, the boy had a pizza, all vegan. He's all vegan now. The lady taking our order looked out for me, she said the house wine was not vegan but she had one that was. She must be mad whoever heard of booze not being vegan? Anyway, very nice food, and a nice spot outside where we could survey the harbour. And just remembered when looking at my photos, we had a starter too, a trio of bruschetta, lovely.
Afterwards 4 we went to the Pavilion Wetherspoons which was really nice too! I'd heard it is a good location and a good building and it is. Big old staircase inside, by impression of it is "The 'Spoons on The Titanic". They had a cider festival on but they'd mostly run out. We sat and played more cards, then back to the hotel. The air conditioning kept me awake.
A clear sky and a fresh breeze, 11 - 23℃.
- I was dictating this while I was there, I am back now fixing up spellings.
- And yes it is that, but I still don't know what it means, I could look it up.
- Seems to be "clear sea".
- I'm editing this on the google mail and it wanted me to change "After" to "Afterwards" here, so I did. I don't think I like being advised on my writing style though...
⬅️ Exercise stats 5/8/26 :: Ramsgate work experience trip - part the second ➡️