Brighton or Barbados?
‘I don’t know why people want to go abroad,’ my husband said as we sipped at our glass of fizz in the evening sun on Brighton beach.
I nodded and, in a rare moment, agreed with him. I love Brighton. Having lived there as a student, it was such a joy to go back again. Our first ‘holiday’ since the pandemic began and what a place to celebrate the completion of my edits for The Beach Reads Book Club. When I wrote it, I imagined it being set in a town similar to Brighton with its pebbled beach and quirky shops.
The next day, feeling invigorated, we set off for a long walk across the downs. Okay the sun wasn’t out, but the scenery was stunning and the forecast only had a bit of rain at 1 o’ clock, so all good. Err, no. The rain did come at one, and then disappeared. For an hour. After that it rained, and rained. Oh and it rained a bit more. I think the below photo of us sums it up. But then for tea we had the most amazing fish and chips and the soggy day was forgotten.
The sun was out (now and again) on our second full day so we set off again for the sea. And nearly got blown away. Bloody hell, when it’s windy on the coast, it’s really something. The spray, the rush of sea air against your face, the sensation of trying to walk when the wind is pushing you backwards. Then there’s the sea itself, so dramatic as it churns up against the pebbles. Who needs turquoise clear waters and sun-drenched soft white sands when you have blustery winds and foaming waves? Hair raising indeed (ha, see what I did there? And that is me with the supposed-to-keep-my-unruly-locks-in-place hair band!). On the bright side, I managed to persuade the hubby that a walk through the famous Lanes would help us escape from the wind. And that to really get away from it, we’d have to actually go in some of the many, many fabulous shops …
On our final day in Brighton it poured down. The forecast said sunny intervals but there was just the one interval, and it lasted 2 minutes. Yet still I was sad to say goodbye to the place. Even sadder when I saw that the forecast for this weekend was warm and sunny. But that’s what you get with the great British staycation. Fabulous views, lovely coast, quirky places to look around, but very dodgy weather.
I love it but…next year can we go to Barbados please?
