Glorious East Kent!

Hello! Thank you for looking at my details, and the tours I offer. I cover the South East of England, and it really is the most interesting part of the United Kingdom - castles, cathedrals, famous gardens and houses, fabulous historic coastline, literature, art, and of course all the famous characters. . . Dickens, Churchill, Fleming. . . I could go on! I can put together your own personal itinerary for whatever tour you would like to do in the South East - gardens, castles, cathedrals, literary themed tours, wine and beer.......tell me where you want to be collected, and I can arrange transportation and I will be your guide. Sorted! My name is Maxine, but everyone calls me Max. I live in the village of Herne, which is a few miles from Canterbury, on the way to the seaside town of Whitstable. I was brought up in the centre of London, but I became proud to call this part of Kent my home in 1995. As part of my working life, I travelled a lot, and on one occasion my employer booked a Blue Badge tour guide to give us a guided tour - it was as they say, a light bulb moment! This is what I wanted to do. I have a wide range of interests and hobbies, and as part of my job I had to be able to communicate effectively with people from all walks of life. So the journey began…. . I started by training to become a BBG for the South East of England in 2010. The Blue Badge is the highest professional guiding qualification you can get in the UK, and is very rigorous, but it was a huge sense of achievement when I finally got my prized blue badge in my hand. My passion for my area, and in particular Canterbury, was ignited, and in 2018 I undertook the training to become a Green Badge city guide for Canterbury to add depth to my knowledge of this incredible place. I had already become a Canterbury cathedral guide in 2014 and this made me passionate about learning more. I have spoken to you about Canterbury, but Kent in general has so much to offer. Whether you are arriving by train or car in Canterbury, or I am meeting you at the cruise terminals in Dover or Tilbury, I can offer you tours to suit all interests and tastes which are truly bespoke. I recently did a private tour for an Episcopalian Floridan priest. The brief he gave me? Reformation Canterbury. We had a great day, and he was absolutely thrilled to visit the little Church of St. Martin's. Last week I met a great family who had celebrated Thanksgiving dinner at the Savoy in London. On my tour the next day they came to Kent, and I took them to a fantastic medieval pub for lunch. Totally different, but that was what they loved about their experience! I have had the pleasure of working with Rick Steves in Dover and Canterbury when he was updating his TV show and guidebook. His enthusiasm and passion for his subject shone through and this is something that has stayed with me. It would be wonderful to share with you my love and passion for this place called 'Kent, the Garden of England'. ITG Blue Badge South- East of England 2011 (award winning) ITG Green Badge City of Canterbury 2018 Canterbury cathedral guide 2014 Endorsed Windsor Castle guide 2011 Member of the Institue of Tour Guiding (MITG) Member of South -East England Tour Guides Association Member of the Guild of Registered Tour Guides Registered and fully licensed by the Guild of Registered Tour Guides I am not a driver-guide, however I am able to provide transportation and I can provide guiding services in your own vehicle.