Oh, I do like to be beside the Seaside...

After five days in London, we decided a seaside holiday might be nice!

In November.

In temperatures ranging between 5-10 degrees.

Ah, a beach holiday!


Anyway, we took the train from London to Brighton (helpful tip for new players, make sure you book online in advance, you can end up spending three times as much booking on the day as booking online) and were met at the other end by our lovely host Shannon who met us at the station with - get this - cocktails in takeaway coffee cups.  Start as you intend to continue!

Then, after dropping our stuff off at the house and a quick dinner, we headed out to an quintessential British Experience - The Pub Quiz.  We came fifth, but who cares, we had so much fun!  And we met a few other locals who gave us their take on the city.  Plus cider.  There was cider.

So a quick tour of a couple of other local pubs (there may have been more to drink), we made our way back to the house.  

First evening, a success!

The next day we made our way downtown to the Lanes.  After a lovely brunch of Smoked Salmon Benedict and a soya mocha (yes, a real soya mocha!  Sorry, it's been a while), we window shopped in all the cute little stores in the middle of town.  Yes, I tried on a purple top hat.  Sorry folks, had to be done.

Then we made our way down to Brighton Pier - it's kinda gray, depressing and plastic.  But, as we are wont to do, we made the most of it.  I tried to win a stuffed Dalek and failed.  Brighton Beach is similar to Nice in that there's no sand, it's just pebbles.  So it's not that great for just walking or sitting on.  Plus it was raining and gray, so all in all...

After that, we made our way to the Royal Pavillion.  We didn't go in, but had a good look around the outside as well as a look around the museum.  It's an amazing building from the outside, with Indian style domes - very flamboyant.

After more coffee and chocolate, we had a quiet night in.


Day two started off with home made eggs benedict.  While we were going to head outside of the city and see the Seven Sisters, it was too late by the time we got out of the city.  So instead we just hung out at local places:
 - We drunk mulled cider and ate chocolate guiness cake
 - We had lunch in the gay district
 - Then headed into the lanes and had delicious chocolate brownies
 - And then Shannon cooked us home made Paella
 - Before we went out for drinks in the Gay District again.

So yes, essentially a day of eating and drinking.


So Brighton was absolutely lovely.  It's a funky city full of fun, hip people, amazing shops, great eatings and drinkings.  I think it would be lovely to go back for a long weekend in a slightly warmer period.

Next stop - Bath.