My intention had been to visit Brighton and the south coast when Durham County cricket club were playing Sussex but there was no inexpensive accommodation available and then I noticed some £10 a night rooms for the second week of June, immediately after the school half term and the Diamond Jubilee weekend. I was able to book a double room for five nights for a total of £57, one night at £15 plus booking fee. I had to wait in order to book the train getting a ticket to Brighton with seating at a return price cost of £80.90 more expensive than I usually manage but satisfactorily in the circumstances. It would cost well over £100 for petrol plus £30 parking for the week.
I hesitated about setting off when the time came because the journey was to commence a week after the allocation and fitting of the Sleep Apnea treatment machine. There was no anxiety over managing the travel luggage because as previously mentioned an excellent carry case has been provided although it would pose a challenge. My concern was being able to continue the process of adjusting to the treatment in a new situation especially as the weather forecast was poor so the opportunity for good walking could be limited.
I am now at the half way stage in the visit and pleased that I made the decision to come although I still have someway to progress in the use of the machine before able to judge whether the outcome will be as positive as hoped and I can write to the DVLA in confidence.
I have stayed at the seafront Travel Lodge in Brighton before and which just around the corner from the Brighton centre, the sea front, pier, the Churchill shopping centre and bus station and the town centre and sea front restaurants and entertainments. I noted before travelling that Sussex are playing their first 20 20 game, and evening match on the Thursday evening and that Susannah Vega is also performing on the same night.
The weather forecast for the period was one of showers and moderate temperatures. I am not inclined to sun bathing at all these day although I enjoy sitting on a bench overlooking the mouth of the Tyne, sometimes reading, sometimes dozing something, Brighton has a pebble beach which while avoiding the sand getting everywhere problem is a disincentive for a relaxed stretched on towel during balmy days of summer which I presume occur with greater frequency than in the north east. Later during the stay I may reprise my memories from the immediate post war time childhood and subsequently. I brought with me the supply of Cineworld vouchers as there is a cinema in the city/town. England play France on Monday evening and i will find a pub to share the experience.
My preparations for the travel were comparatively relaxed given the circumstances and not commenced until the Thursday and then some final sorting during Saturday afternoon and evening. Given the weather forecast there were no short sleeve shirts prepared and I packed two brown zipped house jackets to wear restricting shirts for the travel with my suit and taking only one pair of trousers (the green) with the green outer coat.
I only packed some packet soups and the two salami sausages intending to purchase some crusty bread and eat out more than usual or purchase prepared food to bring in. I packed cutlery. For the journey I used half the half price full baguette from Saturday made crisp again with a short spell in the oven and filling with a small tin of red salmon together with olives stuffed with pimento. I also bought a small carton of cherries and took a small flask of iced water. I arrived at Newcastle station in good time to enjoy at leisure a standard coffee with milk at £2.20
The train arrived over five minutes late and from the number of people waiting I sensed the train would be near full so I positioned myself for entrance to reserved seat carriage. As is usually it was the wrong end for my allocated seat but seeing a vacant space in the main luggage rack I seized the opportunity and then made by way through to find that I had been allocated a window seat at a table at the window next to the electricity supply with the three other seats occupied by a couple and an attractive young girl. However the next pair of seats were vacant next to the luggage rack at this end next to the toilet, and although this meant balancing computer on the pull down table it served my purpose well. I was able to check my emails at some point using the free 15 minutes now only available for standard fare passengers..
The reason for the full house was soon apparent with York the only other stop to Darlington before the Kings Cross destination and therefore one of the quickest routes taking just over three hours. I was lucky to find the unreserved seating.
The journey has been uneventful and fast moving. I enjoyed my lunch and completed one important aspect of the writing of the end of the A Clash of Thrones and with only half an hour before the end of this part of the journey I I packed up ready to leave finding it difficult to concentrate as a mother allowed a child to scream and shout with disregard for everyone else. The lock on the toilet was not working which caused some problems and involved climbing over a large sleeping dog. However I remained in good heart.
Arriving at King Cross is such a joy now because of the light from the vaulted ceiling and the ability to move about freely. Fortunately the exist barriers were left open for easy passage as all the passengers had their tickets checked on the train once York was departed. I used the lift down to main underground thoroughfare but the walk to the Victoria line platform is very long and involves going up an incline and then down steps. Because of the early arrival I was in time for the earlier train to Brighton but the ticket instructions were precise. In the event there was no check during the journey. The wait provided opportunity to look in Smiths despite the luggage and effort was rewarded with the purchase of a book about the Royal family as a gift to those who were providing an evening meal.
The train was a long one with 12 carriages so I could take my pick of tables although by the time we set off most seating areas had a least one person despite being in carriage 4. About 50% of the passengers got for off at Gatwick airport preferring this cheap route stopping only at Clapham Junction and East Croydon rather than the morning expensive non stop to the airport. A young woman sat with her back to me across from the table keeping one eye on her luggage. I was tempted to purchase a drink from trolley but resisted when it passed towards journey’s end. There were no lap top points but I used the battery to commence the writing of these notes.
It has been raining along the way so a taxi may be required down to the hotel as I have no wish to balance the luggage with a brolly although the road is a straight one and down hill. Haywards Heath and Burgess Hill are stations I have passed through countless times and Preston Park is for local trains and a pleasant suburb with a large park on the main road into Brighton.
There is always a sense of anticipation as one reaches the station despite having lived on a coast for forty years and which is derived from childhood visits when living at Wallington. Today the skies were grey with spitting rain. It was not sufficient to take a taxi and with the hotel a ten minute walk downhill I decided to make my way although I had stop and use the brolly shortly before arriving because the spits turned to heavy rain.
I was allocated the same room or similar on the seventh of eight floors looking inward which was not surprising given the price paid. The room is more compact that most others experienced but obtained a double bed and was adequate with plenty of electric points, I did not need the extension unit for the breathing machine when I returned from an evening visit and meal. The 700 bus leaves a short walk back up the hill from Churchill square so it was not such a disaster when I realised that having changed I had left all my cash behind and although in fact it was not require I thought it was better to return missing the first available bus. The frequency is reduced from ten minutes to fourteen on Sundays.
The 700 service is well used by local people and is great service because of the range of destinations along to coast, Hove, close to the cricket ground, Shoreham, Worthing, Littlehampton, Arundel, Bognor Regis Chichester, Portsmouth and Southsea. Not all buses complete the three and half to four hour journey with the last bus leaving Brighton for South Sea at just before six although last bus for part journeys other than Sundays continues including limited Night bus service.
It was just before ten pm back having been driven in the pouring rain to find that across from the entrance to the other side from restaurant and bar there is what is described as the Latin Lounge from which came the loud beat of West Indian and I looked through door to see the dancing area packed which gave an additional insight to Brighton as a swinging city. It had been a long, tiring but enjoyable day auguring well for the rest of the visit.
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