I suppose it was inevitable that I’d one day wind up in that
most elegant of English seaside resorts so, when the call came, I couldn’t
ignore it. The time had come to break open the piggy bank, and damn the
consequences
On a wet and windy Wednesday night, with all my worldly
goods slung over my shoulder, I bade farewell to my home and family and didn’t
look back (and, after buying a mask in Keele services in the middle of the
night, I didn’t look forwards or sideways, either). Some 14 hours and 470 miles
later, my feet made contact with solid ground. I couldn’t help thinking “you
call this a coach station?” (They do, apparently).
It’s not all bad, though. Public transport is really quite
modern and comfortable
Anyway, I’d travelled a long distance and I was tired and
hungry. For a while, I couldn’t find anything edible
Eventually, I chanced upon a fellow weary traveller
and we
had luncheon in one of the area’s finest establishments
We soon realised that we weren’t the only strangers in town
so decided to split up for a while to gather our thoughts
and catch up on some rest.
Of course, once you get settled into your accommodation,
you’re free to explore your surroundings. After a while, it’s evident that the
pace of life is much slower here
though it appears that things may be a bit more racy over on
the cool side of town
Mind you, not everywhere in Kemptown is cool. Don’t sit for
too long in the beer garden of one of the local hostelries or you’re liable to
be cooked at gas mark 5. It’s safer to sit in the pub, proper, and sample some
of the local cuisine, which has been labelled to avoid confusion and to comply
with European legislation
I do like to be beside the seaside and, after being thrashed
at crazy golf, what better past-time can there be than a walk to the end of the
pier?
It wisnae me, I never touched it, honest!
This one was made of sterner stuff
which is just as well. Turner would have loved this.
You never know whom you might meet. Cutbacks at MTV meant
that this up-and-coming beat combo had to interview each other.
Mind you, the pressures of fame can be too much for some.
“You’re a celebrity, get me out of here”.
So much to do, so little time
But was it worth it? No, it bloody well wasn’t! I missed
THIS:
Soon it was Sunday morning. After breakfast, I thought I’d
have a last walk round, a few moments of quiet contemplation before engaging
with reality once more, but it wasn’t to be. The wind was howling, the rain was
lashing and, to cap it all, I walked right into a Mini adventure.
Wet and miserable, I headed back to London, unsure of the
course of the next few hours, but I needn’t have worried. Nothing could have
been crazier than that weekend…or could it?
Before I knew it, it was time to get on the Megabus again
for the return journey.
No wonder it’s only £1.
