Sunday 22 June 2014

Hello Brighton.

The morning after I arrived in London I jumped on a train to the seaside town of Brighton with a few new friends. As we're all from Australia (albeit opposite ends, which sometimes makes it seem like we're from different countries anyway) the hour long train ride flew by as we joked and shared stories that probably annoyed and lowered our fellow passengers opinions of Australian tourists. 

The weather was perfect and we strolled down to the beachfront to find that the locals had let loose- a scorching hot temperature of 24 degrees seemed to be more than enough reason for them to get in their swimsuit and jump in the water. Those Brits, so thankful for the mid-twenties weather we take for granted back home.



Walking along the boardwalk was insane. The only thing that outnumbered the shops, stalls and food vendors was the amount of people trying to weave their way through the crowds. And it's easy to see why so many tourists flock to Brighton- it's gorgeous and has an incredibly fun and creative atmosphere. There were a lot of people selling really lovely handmade items (like the post cards below, which were £4 each and made me laugh all the way to a generic corner store to buy a 30p post card to send home instead. Sorry mum and dad- I love you but not £4 for a rectangle piece of cardboard worth)


Eventually we made our way onto the famous Brighton Pier, where we promptly bought an overpriced ice cream and strolled around singing to the One Direction songs that were being played (I knew there was a reason why I loved this place so much) Although we didn't go on any rides or play any games, it was nice to just stroll up and down the Pier in the sun, people-watch and take it all in. It could be said that this part of Brighton- arguably the most famous part- is a tad tacky with all its stores selling cheap and yet overpriced items to wide-eyed tourists, but I think that just added to my love for the place. It has a carnival vibe to it in that it was quite loud and obnoxious and yet incredibly fun at the same time.


Then Jess saved me from drowning.


After we were done on the beachfront we walked back into town in search for The Lanes- interweaving little passageways filled mainly with jewellery stores, cute little cafes and small stores selling creative little knick knacks. Being the brilliant tourist I am, I didnt take any good photos of these lanes.

We then slowly moved our way through the rest of the town, and I say 'slowly' because there is just so much to see in the streets of this city. Practically every time we'd turn a corner there would be another street full of eclectic shops and random little markets that cluttered the street. You had your regular clothing vendors, your Bob Marley themed shop, your man doing nothing but holding a Herron he had apparently found the day before and decided to bring to work with him, your tarot card readers, your three story adult store which would probably even make Samantha from Sex and the City blush. This is perhaps the best way to convey what Brighton is like- it's an eclectic mix of everything you could think of, all working together to make an incredibly interesting and fun experience. 



We spent a full day in this town and left feeling as though we had barely scratched the surface of what it had to offer. If you're ever in London and have the time, I would definitely recommend making your way down to Brighton for a day of wandering through the streets and debating whether or not you should pay £2.50 for an ice-cream with a flake in it (granted, they are about 10 times better than McDonald's 50 cent cones).



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