Travel Blog: Brighton

Travel Blog: Brighton

England has for perhaps good reason become known as one of the coldest, wettest and most dismal countries in the world. Now, while it may be true that England is not shy to a bit of rain, what I think a lot of people forget about our magnificent country is that it is actually an island, and therefore has a lot of beaches. Granted, they may not be the white sands of Australia, but don’t write off just yet…

After venturing down South for the weekend to visit family in Surrey, we popped down into the cool, indie seaside resort of Brighton. I’ve only ever been here once way back in 2014 and it was November so it kind of ticked all the boxes that assumes England to be this cold, dark place…! However, this time, we arrived midday, and after spending a good half hour to find parking (we eventually Googled cheap parking – Church Square in case you’re wondering!), we were able to run free in the bright sunshine and see this fabulous little place!

Nicknamed the ‘Gay Capital of England’, this place has no hidden agenda – each person is there to express themselves to the full. That doesn’t mean to say you have to be homosexual to live in this area, what I means, and what’s great about the place, is that people are themselves and no one is judging you- this attitude should be worldwide! Think crazy hair colours, vintage clothes, double denim and Doc Martins. Brighton breeds creativity, and this isn’t just on the people. The buildings are covered with street art, housing estates are multi-coloured; everywhere you turn there’s a real electric vibe! It sort of reminded me of England’s version of Berlin – for anyone who read my previous blog or have themselves ventured over to Germany, they might be able to draw some connections!

Head to The Lanes for unique, quirky vintage shopping, and take a break in some of the quaint little cafés and restaurants. There’s also tonnes of pubs so you’ll never be too far away from quenching your thirst! The Lanes is real old English style streets and has a real buzz as the people weave in and out of stalls and shops!

Alternatively, have a beer on the pier! There’s lot of bars and pubs that line the coast for you to sit out and enjoy the sunshine! And of course, no seaside area would be complete without the nation’s favourite combination: Fish and Chips! There’s literally hundreds of chip shops to choose from, so take your pick…!

Unfortunately, we were only there for the day – so we didn’t get to see everything. But I think come summer time, I’ll be booked in an Air BnB, sunbathing in the day, and then head out for a cheeky little bar crawl in the evening– after eating my body weight in cakes….!

I always love finding cool places in England, I think we get a lot of stick from other countries about how cold and miserable our great country is. There’s a lot to see here – we’re great for a reason after all! If it’s the sunshine you’re after, head down South where the weather might be a bit kinder! There’s certainly lots more places on my list to see down there!

• brighton
• england
• lgbt
• travel