Apple Picking in Kent

When Missing Home

When I got on my flight from Orlando to London, maybe it was the fact that I had barely slept as the flight was picked with overzealous children ready to start a revolution, but I couldn’t sleep. I was quite anxious and don’t think I was completely ready to go back to daily life. I kept thinking about the wonderful memories I had just created with friends and family back home, most importantly, I tangibly felt unconditional love—this is something you don’t experience regularly when you’re an expat and my Expat Experience series breaks out the emotional intricacies. I was in a half-awake / half-asleep state and has quasi lucid dreams of me rebuilding another life in America.

When I landed, the guilt of wanting to go back to America made the journey from passport control to my flat that much longer. But alas, I made it and climbed into bed after putting a few of my home edibles into the cupboard. I woke up after a couple of hours and organized a little corner of what I was going to wear the next day and what I needed to take, which was just me getting back into routine.

The next morning, I got on the train and met a friend at Victoria station. The energy of the chaotic station at rush hour was just one step towards assimilating myself back into everyday life. We took the train out of the city and into the edge of Kent. It was still quite dark when we left as it was a grey day (welcome back to England). Another friend joined us one station later and then the dark skies lightened a bit and in came a thigh fog. As we got to the station, we took a cab to Hop Shop at Castle Farm. If you’re looking for apple picking in Kent, then this is by far the most charming place you can go. We drove up to the farm and it felt welcoming, warm and just perfect to ease myself into English life and the Autumnal season.

Tips for Apple Picking in Kent

I wanted to have this post up just after the experience, but with jet lag and a schedule that forced me to play catch up, I wasn’t quite ready. So I guess for next year, you can save this as part of your autumnal to do list for 2019. It’s an easy commute from Central London and Kent is just so stunning!

• Opt for comfortable shoes over cute shoes
• Aim to go on a weekday rather than a weekend
• Be sure to buy the dried lavender things from the shop
• Take a basket or tote bag and get the basket weighed before filling with apples
• Have small bills and change
• Take wet wipes for after picking
• Carry an extra bottle of water to off a fresh apple if you’re impatient
• Support local! The farm shop has lots of treats made by locals.