BRIGHTON!!!

HIYA friends! Ari here. After our looooong day in London, we woke up at around 9:30 a.m. and started packing... I'm not really sure how we have managed this, but some how, without buying anything large (really, face lotion is not big), we are finding it harder and harder to pack our bags up. It's like our bags are shrinking while our clothes are growing. It is quite the challenge.

Carolyn found out last night that we could leave our big bags at the hotel and they would hold them for us, so with this glorious news, we packed little day bag type bags to take on the train to Brighton. After the fiasco in London, we didn't want to risk having to drag our suitcases across the small seaside towns. Successfully shoving everything into bags, we proceeded to check out of the hotel downstairs.

Handing over our suitcases and with them a large cumbersome burden, we headed off to the tube station (on Finchley Rd.) to ride until Waterloo Station. Something about the tube, it is very warm. VERY warm. while this is nice at night like last night, when we're walking around in skirts/dresses, it is not nice in the morning/afternoon when we are feeling nauseous already from not yet eating. Sat on the tube for a bit before arriving at Waterloo Station. Went up to buy our tickets from a nifty little machine...

card declined.

What? Try again...

Card declined.

WHAT? Try another card...

Card declined...

CAROLYN! YOU TRY!!!

Card declined...

I am in full panic mode now. There is no way my card could be without money in my account because Ive been watching it really closely... We head over to the ticket window and I'm about to throw my stupid cell phone against a wall because it wont let me check my bank account. get to the window and successfully purchase tickets. Hope on the first train heading toward Clapham Junction which is where we need to get off to switch trains. Get off at the junction and we are both wilting flowers (admittedly I'm being a pain but for some reason I'm feeling incredibly stressed out...) so we decide food is in order. Buying some yummy breakfast items we head to our platform and plop down, devouring the food before scouting for more.

11:23 a.m. our train pulls into the station and we hop on. This train is confusing... at some point it is going to split into two trains, and if we are not on the right half, we will head in the opposite direction desired. sightly confused and concerned, we wait until the conductor comes through and tells us which car to be in. Head forward and I have a thought about our heavy luggage and how glad I am that we don't have it on us.

Sit down and wait out the rest of the trip. Forgot to mention that we didn't actually head into Brighton Station, but to Shoreham-By-Sea Station (yes the dashes are part of the name), the quaint seaside town of our host family, Helena and her two kids who, of course, I have forgotten the names of. Helena picks us up from the station with a hug and two kisses, and can I just say how nice it is to be greeted with such open arms and warmth.

After a brief tour of the city, we head to Helena's house where we meet her 16 year old daughter - (Imi? We will check in the morning...), while her 14 year old son is MIA.

Have a quick tour of the house which is amazingly cozy and warm, we sit down and talk to Helena and her daughter for a good 2 hours about university and the states and travel and languages and such... her daughter is looking to go to university in the states and had some questions about the system we were more than happy to answer. After a lovely chat, we head out with apples and directions to Brighton, which is just a short bus journey away.

The seaside towns are amazing.

Brighton is amazing. This was the place I was most excited to see and I'm so glad we did. Brighton is thriving and pulsing with shoppers and foodies and people blending from all cultures and all walks of life. it was glorious my friends. GLORIOUS. I could see myself living in that city, so easily.

Did a walk about that ended us up near Brighton Pier. Across the street from the entrance was a restaurant claiming the best fish and chips since sometime in the late 1800's. Deciding we were really too hungry to look any further, we stopped in for some food.

Really the scent that greeted us should have been a strong enough indicator. The fish and chips meal was sub par and though it was beautifully presented, it was bland and kind of icky.

(Side note, we found out that lemonade to them is not what we call lemonade, but in fact Sprite or 7Up.)

After the sub par meal (that made both of us rather nauseous), we headed to the pier across the street... If only we had waited to eat... there was fish and chips everywhere on the pier.

We bought some candy floss (cotton candy to us in the states) 

and wandered the pier, enjoying the amazing size of it. I have honestly never seen a pier with a casino in it. Santa Monica has nothing on this pier.

Headed down to the beach that is covered in stones and rocks and played for a bit before heading back up to the shops. Wandered some more before heading to dinner at a delicious little Italian place. Ate then sat for about two hours before heading out and wandering some more... I will give Brighton this, it sure does have a strong nightlife. There were possibly more people out at night than during the day. Wandered down to the pier again and got some dessert before trying to figure out how to get back home. By this time it was 10 p.m. and the last bus to Shoreham was at 11:13 p.m.

Hopped on the wrong (different) bus and ended up in downtown Shoreham... Now, how do we get back? waited at the bus station for a good 40 minutes before I realized not only did i know where we were, i knew how to get back... Carolyn, doubting my navigational skills (honestly cant blame her) suggested we wait a few more minutes... Right as I was about to start walking, a cab pulled up and we hopped in, giving him the address of Helena's house.

He took the long way, of course.

Still, we got back and home safe and as soon as I got into the house my phone started ringing... A 951 number...

An old schoolmate of mine had pocket dialed me. Really, of all the times she could have pocket dialed, now?

Spoke with her a few minutes before hanging up and getting ready for bed.

Carolyn is currently planning out tomorrow as I write up our day. I really wish we had more time here, but I'm just thankful we got to see it at all... Tomorrow's stop... back to London!