Where in the world was David today? London, Rochester and Chatham

Today's word: grace (as in gift). We'll come to that shortly. The day began with the stream of workmen arriving at Pickets Street bright and early. Breakfast was taken in the garden - it was very warm again - and overdue blogging was done before finally getting away. I guess I was slightly procrastinating because my plans included a visit to the Confraternity of St James in Blackfriars Road and their office doesn't open till 11am. In fact that meant there was time to chat with Rhona about the state of the precious metals market and to feel slightly nostalgic for the times when we worked together in a couple of college holidays on that sort of thing. It was lovely to see how it still energises her. Go Rhona!

Anyway, when I finally got away I misread my itinerary and ended up in the Southwark area first. I enjoyed a mooch round the Borough Market, and finally rolled up at the entrance to Southwark Cathedral. I had just parked the bike and was about to take pictures when I noticed a group of people walking towards me and immediately recognised one of them. It was Fr David Stephenson, now Vicar of All Saints, West Dulwich, but formerly Vicar of St John and St James in Stockton! David was a great loss both as friend and colleague when he left Stockton, although his move led to Jane Bell joining our ranks, which was a very good thing. To all my Stockton-based readers, David sends his regards. That was today's moment of true grace. Fortunately, David and his companions were just leaving something, rather than just arriving, and in no really hurry, and so we were able to have a really good conversation and update each other.

From Southwark I made my way to the Confraternity office round the side of Christ Church in Blackfriars Road. So many things go on at that church, and they all seem to have their own entrance doors and doorbells! I was glad to have called in and thanked them for their advice and help when planning my trip. Let's hope I don't have cause to curse them later. I doubt it, very much. From there I made my way into the City to St Paul's and photographed the bike outside a second cathedral. I didn't run into anyone there, but instead, as it was about lunchtime, I munched on my world-class, Rhona-provided (in fact Rhona's-fair-hands-cooked) crab quiche. A touch of class, eh? Pity there was no ice-cold Vouvray to accompany it. At this point I had been hoping I might be able to meet up with the CMS riders on their way to Woodford Wells, but their schedule had only got them as far as Richmond Park, so we had to give up on the idea. (They only have two more legs to go!)

Quiche eaten, I crossed to the south again over London Bridge and got caught up in some very confusing roadworks, but found my way onto the road out through Bermondsey. At this point the day had warmed up considerably, and I shed a layer (it had started out cool). I never needed to put it back on as the temperature averaged 74F again today, and I have tanned arms to prove it. I nearly had a disaster in Bermondsey when one of my panniers jumped off and got caught in the spokes of the back wheel at a busy roundabout. Fortunately drivers around me were very kind and patient, and no harm seems to have been done to the new wheel - so far. I headed out through Greenwich and made a stop in Cutty Sark Gardens where the remains of the Cutty Sark are being worked on under tarpaulins after the catastrophic fire in May 2007. The hope is for the work to be complete by 2011, but for now it is still a sad sight for anyone who saw her in the past. Visiting Cutty Sark, passing the Maritime Museum and Observatory, and seeing signs to Abbey Wood all reminded me of childhood holidays in London - good memories.

Looking at the map just now has made me realise that most people would recognise these places from the map that forms part of the credits of East Enders! After Greenwich I made a stop at the Thames Barrier, which I had never seen close up. Of course that meant I also had my first close-up view of the Millennium Dome. I walked along the bank of the Thames by the barrier and had tea at the visitor cafe - an absolute bargain, and my last proper food stop before Rochester.

Beyond Woolwich I was into unknown territory, but the first area I found myself in was the massive new developments called Thamesmead. I found myself thinking of a wedding couple due to be married at Wynyard soon who live there, but I wasn't about to seek them out. At this point I was starting to put in a prolonged spurt while the road was still level. Erith and the outskirts of Dartford came up quickly, and soon I was passing under the flyovers of the Queen Elizabeth II bridge at Dartford. I didn't stop to take a picture, but I felt for the first time the true size of the bridge - 137m high! From a bicycle I can tell you it looks absolutely enormous. Greenhithe and Swanscombe came up quickly, and brought the first hill of the day. Gravesend followed after that, and the real hills began. The Medway was surprisingly high after what came before, but the climb up was rewarded with a lovely run down and across the river into Rochester.

I had seen but not visited Rochester Cathedral before, so I took time out to have a good look around. The Norman interior features reminded me very much of Durham, but it was very different in many ways. What I appreciated most of all in the interior was the openness of the choir area straight through to the altar, and the sense of a living church (not to mention the lack of admission fees). Outside, the cathedral gardens were delightful. A painter was at work, there was a beautiful Easter garden with a large crucifix, and just a lovely atmosphere. At this point I went in search of the refectory, but it was already 4.45pm and the refectory had closed at 4.30 so I pressed on after just some water. The final pull up to David and Kerry Green's was a stiff one with the weight of my panniers, but I am pleased to say that my carefully-planned route paid off and I got there with no pushing.

To say that I have been made welcome and well fed and entertained would not do justice. David is another of those people with whom I can talk freely about pretty much anything, and we had a very stimulating conversation about what his generation needs from my generation if we are to pass the Church of England on in a good state. We talked about plenty of other things too, as well as watching American sports programmes on ESPN, and a repeat of the England-Brazil match in the 1970 World Cup (Brazil 1, England 0, but very tight). A lovely evening, and possibly my last before crossing the channel as I am thinking I may take a ferry straight away when I arrive in Dover tomorrow. Thankfully, the wonderful Kerry has run my cycling things through the wash, and they are drying ready for morning, so I will leave here with everything clean and fragrant in the best sense. I go to bed feeling well and truly 'graced'.