Two whole years since my last installation of The Whole Picture, I'm back with my latest monthly update. I've already written an explanation of where I've been and what I've been doing these past months. The plan was to get back into blogging this year, but I didn't expect The Whole Picture to return so soon, because my usual routine of travel, press trips, meeting friends and the like is still very much on hold. That said, I've managed to squeeze enough out of July 2020 to rustle up this blog post.
What I've done in July
I've been furloughed since April, so work events have been non-existent and I've had a lot of free time on my hands. I've kept myself busy with my virtual travel blog series, Lau On Tour, in which I virtually visited a different destination each day and experienced its culture and cuisine. The travel aspect of it was fun, and has given me plenty of places that I want to visit in real life, but I also enjoyed the blogging side of it, and it's given me the push I need to restart this blog properly.
Where I've been in July
Travel is still very much a no-no, but local attractions and sites are starting to open again, and I've been treating it as a chance to visit places nearby which I usually take for granted. You won't catch me at Thorpe Park any time soon, but gardens are ideal at this time of year.
Penshurst Place is a gorgeous building in Kent, and although I've been to the cafe in the car park before, I've never been in the ticketed area. The house itself was still shut at the time of my visit, but the gardens were open, and looking beautiful. Social distancing was excellent, and I barely saw another person on my visit, let alone came within 2m of them. The giant Union Jack flag rose bed is a particular highlight, and it's worth wandering into the petite village of Penshurst for an extra dollop of quaint while you're there.
The second stop on my whistle-stop tour of West Kent's outdoor attractions was Riverhill Himalayan Gardens. Its obscured entrance halfway up a winding hill means that many locals don't even realise it exists, but that same hillside location makes for some spectacular views. I've always believed that Chartwell offers the best panoramas over Kent, but I take that all back - though you pay for Riverhill's views with a stealthy climb. Other attractions include a maze, various gardens and the famous yeti. Again, social distancing was managed very well.
Hever Castle has been on my must-visit list for a while, and furlough meant I finally had time to go. I didn't venture inside the castle itself, charming though it is, but I spent a lovely afternoon upping my daily step count around the gardens and gawking over the gorgeous lake. Unfortunately, social distancing wasn't as well managed here as in the other places I visited, so there were large parts that had to be avoided completely.
The remainder of my entertainment this month came from discovering new walking routes near where I live. My curious nature combined with the Footpath Map website and the excellent Walk Tonbridge across fields has allowed me to finally find out where all those 'footpath' signposts in the local area lead.
What I've eaten in July
I've not yet ventured back into any restaurants since they reopened - though I did have a cheeky in-car McDonald's with family, and there may have been one or two takeaway milkshakes from the local ice cream shop. But I have been whipping up a (mostly) successful storm in the kitchen for my Lau On Tour series. The Portuguese custard tarts were less than successful, but the Key lime pie is now a permanent addition to my repertoire, and I've got some ideas pertaining to scones.
What's next?
I know I always say 'who knows?', but really, anything could happen in August 2020. I'd like to hope we're going back to some semblance of normality, but even as I type this, the news is full of reports of a second coronavirus wave washing across Europe. I'm hoping for a possible part-time return to work, and some more exploring of my local area and attractions - but honestly, I'd settle for just not going back into lockdown.
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