Lovedean - Tuesday and Wednesday (Brighton, Petersfield)

Tuesday 14 August 2018

We've been watching the weather forecast closely, and even if there are a few changes, they are minor.  We were therefore hoping the weather would be good on Tuesday, because it was our last chance for visiting Brighton.

And even though the sun disappeared now and then, the weather looked well enough to hold and we set off on our trip.  The tyre had also kept its air, so everything was looking good.  It was supposed to be a 1-1/2 hour trip, but on the Brighton foreshore there was so much congestion that it took a few changes of traffic lights to get us through.  As we had seen an ambulance racing past us with flashing lights we expected there to have been an accident.  When finally the first car park came into view we pulled in and found a spot.  Not cheap at £10 for 4 hours, but you can't expect anything less so close to the pier and centre of Brighton.  We were happy to pay and walk the short distance to the nearest pier.  This was to be the East Pier, as the West Pier had been destroyed by fire in 2003. I vaguely remembered this calamity, but had to look it up to find out if my memory hadn't been playing tricks.

Brighton foreshore, with its stately age-old hotels, the elegant East Pier, the pebble beaches with deck-chairs and the rows and rows of beach huts was everything I had expected.  For me it was a must see, because it appears in so many books I have read and I had become quite intrigued by it.

(Photograph pinched from the internet)

As we had arrived a lot later than planned we got ourselves a box of hot chips for lunch and sat down at the seaside, just watching people go by...

After that we walked onto the Pier where we avoided the crowded game hall, proudly called "The Brighton Palace".  The reason why eluded me.... The reason why so many people want to spend so much money on noisy, flickering machines that gobble up coins, eluded me too...

We kept walking, first on the windy side and ended up at the rides section.  Busy and noisy as well, but not as oppressive.  

We walked back on the lee side and followed the example of many other people who enjoyed a quiet moment on a deck-chair in the sun.

Waiting for the sun to come out again

And there she is... :-)

After all the walking we were due for a cup of coffee, for which we hadn't had time all day.  We sat down at the restaurant and watched the greedy seagulls polishing off a plate of French fries while sipping our coffee.

I also had the Royal Pavilion on my bucket list for the day, so after we had enough of the Pier we walked the 10 minutes to the Pavilion.  As we were a bit strapped for time by then we just walked around the grounds, taking it all in and taking pictures as well, without getting tickets to see it all inside.

By now our parking time was about to expire, so we walked back and made it just in time, with only three minutes to spare.  No time for poor Jose to find a toilet, but we would try and stop on the way home if possible.

As it was, we made two stops, because the car's tyre had to be filled up again and later we made another pit stop where we also bought a quick snack, because I started to feel peckish and it was still quite a trip home.  We even got diverted by our navigator because of severe congestion, but were home in time for dinner.

After dinner we had to get quite busy, because it was Jose's last day and I had to move to a different room.  We vacuumed, dusted, cleaned toilets, showers and floors and still had time to sit down for a last glass of wine together to reminisce about the past week.

Another great day, and great week, to remember.

Wednesday 15 August 2018

Today is Jose's last day, but since we have done most of the work yesterday we can take it easy.  Jose pops the bedlinen and towels in the washing machine and only needs to pack her last things.

While chatting I discover a small deer in the back yard.  Something I really hadn't expected here.

A cup of coffee together, after breakfast, is all we have time for, as she decides to leave an hour earlier so that she has some extra time to look around at Waterloo and St Pancras stations.  Not a bad idea.

At 9:30 am we drive off to Petersfield where we have to say goodbye.  We had a great time together and goodbye won't be for very long as the plan is that I'll be back in the Netherlands next year.  In the meantime we've got our Whatsapp messages and Wordfeud game to keep in touch. ;-)

When the train leaves I quickly drive around Petersfield for a bit of sightseeing, because I haven't been able to do so before.  Unfortunately it's pay-and-display everywhere and I am not that interested at the end of my stay here, so I make my way to the Lidl to get some groceries to tie me over for the next few days.  As they don't have everything I need I also pull into Morrisons' later for the rest and then I go home.

After lunch there still is a lot to do.  Washing and drying a double lot of bedlinen and towels, making the beds, swapping rooms with all my stuff, cleaning kitchen, bathroom and toilet (my side), getting rid of rubbish and then I can finally sit down and relax until dinner time...

After dinner I write my blog and am going to have an early night as Ken and Gill will be coming home tomorrow and I am going to pick them up at Heathrow airport at 5 am!!!  ;-)