Brighton
On a day as glorious as today with 31
degrees in London all you can do is run off to the seaside and so we went on a
trip to Brighton.
A difficult train ride
I was surprised by how cheap the tickets
were, only £14 return for
two people from London Bridge with First Capital Connect. I should have been
suspicious at the time, but instead I was in for a big surprise. Luckily the
tickets were open and not tied into any train times as we missed the train we
originally planned on taking due to the joy that is construction in London,
i.e. no Northern line and chaos at London Bridge Station.
When we got on to the platform, the train
was so packed, there was absolutely no chance of getting on. So we had to wait
for the third train and somehow managed to squeeze our way into the farthest
carriage.
Food in brighton
Anyway, all was forgotten when we finally
arrived in Brighton. Anyway, all was forgotten when we finally
arrived in Brighton. On our tourist-filled way down the main road we chanced
upon a Chinese supermarket selling snacks, so strategically placed we had no
choice but to go in and buy some tasty treats. That’s what I call intelligent
marketing.
As our stomachs were grumbling we decided to have lunch in
JB's American Diner. The steak was delicious and the portion was huge. My
potato skins with cheese and bacon starter was so filling I could not even
finish the whole portion. And I was introduced to “American champagne”, a mix
of Southern Comfort and Mountain Dew and my newest poison. Great, if slightly
heavy lunch. And the decoration was so themed with images of all big stars of
the 50s, you were waiting for Elvis Presley to walk through that door in his
Blue Suede Shoes.
Brighton Pebble Beach
The beach was a very interesting experience. Crammed with tourists, we managed to find a quieter spot after walking along the shore for about 15 minutes. Since people generally fear the cold-water there was loads of room to swim as well.
The beach was a very interesting experience. Crammed with tourists, we managed to find a quieter spot after walking along the shore for about 15 minutes. Since people generally fear the cold-water there was loads of room to swim as well.
Since this is a pebble beach, not a sand
beach, the experience was also different from my usual trips to the sea. The
great thing was that you did not end up with sand in your bag, your shoes and
many other unpleasant places it is almost impossible to get out of. On the
other hand, if you are not well prepared with flip-flops getting in and out of
the water is a most painful act.
The water itself is freezing and the
current strong, so it is probably best to go for a swim right when you get
there before you start to heat up through the sun. Otherwise the temperature
difference carries a serious heart-attack risk. If you can get in the water, it
will be worth it, swimming against the strong current is not only a good
work-out but comes with the feeling of utter freedom, that swimming in the sea
always gives me. When you get out you can simply lie on a towel and get dried
off by the sun.
If you don't want to swim, there are many
entertainment options including roller coasters and a Ferris wheel. Or you can
just go for a walk along the beach and escape the heat of London city, which is
around 5 degrees hotter than Brighton. Only one hour away it is the perfect day
trip, however I personally find it a little too touristy and will probably try
a more secluded location next time I want some seaside swimming.
