April 25

Heavy traffic out of London; very kind lorry drivers letting me change lanes as the Sat Nav and I get to know each other and I learn the difference between turning and bearing, and what a mile and a quarter of a mile actually is. On the motorway there are no speed limit signs; I know it’s not Germany, but how fast am I allowed to drive? (70; thanks Fliss.)
Stopped at Maidstone Shell Deli2Go; Jacqui set me up with some bags of Easter eggs as incentives for five questions and she was my first interview. Phew: one down. I was strangely nervous.
Into Maidstone proper; parked; walked into the town centre.
“Excuse me, can I ask you five questions for a research project?”
No
I’m in a rush
No
Sorry – need to somewhere
Sorry – need to be somewhere at 12.00
No
Aww, I don’t think so
I don’t like chocolate
No – sorry
Nah, I’m alright
Sorry – I’m in a rush
It’s interesting how quickly your enthusiasm fades in the face of rejection. I walked around the rather grim Maidstone Mall and am now rethinking things at Café Nero.
I think I need a sign, so people can approach me and maybe offer £5 for five questions rather than a chocolate. It might be interesting to try both in each town and then we can have chocolate towns and money towns…