Jim & Happy : Brighton

We seem to get stuck in stand still traffic when we hit the motorways. Ipswich to Brighton was meant to take 3 hours but the journey turned into a 5-hour drive.

When we finally arrived in Brighton our hotel was easy enough to find (with the Sat Nav guiding us of course). The hotel is in a great location across from the esplanade but the parking was a nightmare. The hotel’s website said it had parking for 12 pounds per day, what they didn’t say was it was 2 blocks away. We eventually got the car parked after sitting in more stand still traffic to go round the 2 blocks and waiting for cars to leave the car park before more cars were let in. Needless to say it was another time when we both just had to be quiet and not react to each other’s anxiety.

OMG! The crowds on Brighton beach. Londoners had invaded Brighton for the weekend because summer has been declared at least the next 2 weeks as the weather reports keep saying proudly. Brighton Pier - what fun with lots of rides, amusement games, ice-creams, fish & chips, rock candy all the normal English sea side resort stuff.

Our second day in Brighton we jumped on the double-decker bus tour (45 minutes for the full trip) – great fun, we went round twice. The history of the place was interesting and seeing all the buildings from up high adds to the tour.

We went to the beach in the afternoon. We walked in the water and straight out again. The water was freezing even though it was a warm sunny day. We sat on the pebbles near the waters edge for the next hour and watched people. Most people ducked under the water really quickly or stood in the water for a few minutes squealing as hypothermia set in.

It is one of my phobias to be stuck in a public toilet and yes – it finally happened in the ladies toilet at the IOW ferry terminal. Jim was waiting in the car in the queue to drive onto the ferry (we had a half hour wait) so I said I am off to the toilet. When I realized the lock was stuck my first thought was ‘See, I knew this would happen one day so don’t panic’. I banged on the door a few times and yelled ‘Hello, hello, I’m stuck in the toilet’. No answer. I couldn’t crawl under the door the gap was only 8cm (if that) and I couldn’t climb over the wall into the next cubicle it was too high. What to do???? I took a few deep breaths and starting banging and yelling again. After a few minutes a ferry terminal worker came in and said hello. I explained what had happened, he laughed and then he turned the lock from his side of the door to let me out. When I got back to the car Jim said where have you been. I had to breathe deeply for a few minutes to relax before I explained. While I was stuck, which was probably ten minutes all up I didn’t really panic because I thought eventually (hopefully) Jim will come looking for me as the time came closer to having to board the ferry. The man that let me out said your husband has probably driven off – I said I’m sure he thinks about it often enough!

The ferry ride was only a half hour and what a beautiful half hour. The water and sky were perfect.