Free day

Day Trip! (day 8 to Brighton)

March 24 2016

Logan and I had quite the adventure on our day trip to Brighton, England. First obstacle of the day was the journey to Brighton. The London Overground was doing maintenance on the railway between London and Brighton so we could only take our train from Saint Pancreas International Station to Three Bridges Station and from there the London Overground has buses step up to take us the rest of the way to Brighton. Once at Brighton we had to mind maps at the visitors center to find our way to anything in Brighton. Our first objective was to find the sea then find everything else. After we made it to water we then ventured to Brighton Pier which was open!!!! We got to walk all the way to the end and enjoy all the different people enjoying the piers many amenities. Logan and I got some wonderful fresh seafood in a little restaurant on the pier. After lunch we had dessert from the pier vendors. Logan had some Nutella crepes and I had some churros. Next we took about out our map to see where to go to next! We decided it was time to find the Royal Pavilion. After about a 15 minute walk we started to see the wonderful tops of the Islamic architecture peaking out from behind the other buildings. It was beautiful. After seeing it we decided that facade entrance would make a great sketch for our sketchbooks. We found a park bench and sketched to the sound of street performers drums and saxophone. After a good amount of sketching time we decided to ask around and see where else we could go before the sun went down and we needed to head back to London. We heard about a shopping center with all the hughstreet shops in it that sounded like a great option. We took out the map and journeyed to find Churchill Square Shopping Center. After we spent some time looking around the center we decided it was time to head back. To our delight on the way back we got to sit on the top at the very front of the double decker bus back to three bridges. Logan took a time lapse video to show the bus route back with was very cool to watch afterwards. Once we got back to London Trace, Rachel, Logan, Cori and I took our last dinner in London at Garfunkel’s right next to the hotel. We discussed all the wonderful times we had on the trip but also how we were ready to go home. Overall it was a fantastic day.

Stone beach

Brighton Pier

Lunch!

Brighton Beach from the Pier

Royal Pavilion

Trying to use up all my change before we went to the airport

Day 8 stats

Brighton

March 20 2016March 24, 2016

For the free day I decided to visit Brighton. We had to take the tube to Victoria Station and from there we took a train to Three Bridges. Here we had to get off and transfer to a bus that took us to Brighton. We got off the bus and started to walk, when we turned the corner we immediately saw the water. It was amazing. Our first stop was the Royal Pavilion. We couldn’t get inside, but we walked around the exterior and through the garden. After this we went down to the water. The beach was so fun, and it wasn’t even that cold! Next we went to the pier. We thought it was going to be closed, but we were wrong. We walked to the end and looked back at the shore. There were seagulls flying around and a lot of people were out walking. We got lunch at a small sandwich shop and then walked around The Lanes. We looked around a chocolate shop, a few home goods stores, and then stopped at a bakery. I got three macaroons, they were delicious! After this it was time to go. We made our way back to the hotel and had our final dinner in London.

March 19 2016March 19, 2016

While I know pretty much everyone went out on some sort of adventure for our free day, I have been making quite relaxing, enjoying the last day slowly and freely. My morning began not too early, around 8 and after breakfast, I headed to cogent garden. I arrive too early and most venders were not set up yet but I found a chocolate store to buy some goodies and wandered around the streets around covent garden.

At 10:00 or so, I went back to cin vent garden and toured through the isles of venders, which was great because most shoppers for not out yet and it was peaceful. But once I went through the venders, I walked south (maybe) but I was trying to get to temple. After a lot of wrong ways and turnarounds. I found the shop I was looking for twinings tea shop. Although small, it had many many options and it was hard to decide. I ended up buying quite a few types and two cute tins.

So after leaving twinings, I was walking towards the underground. Or I thought I was. I ended up finding covent garden again so, I wandered through it again. Today it host arts and crafts such as hand made items. I didn’t find anything that interested me but it was mid afternoon now and I loved the atmosphere. There was a man singing very loudly to a crowd and a man doing magic tricks for children. There were so many people that were just out for a fun afternoon. I enjoyed just people watching for quite a while. Eventually, I bought gelato and headed for the underground.

I stopped at a bakery and bought a sandwich and returned to my room for a nap and tea. I plan on going out a bit later again for supper and such but, I got exactly what I wanted, a relaxing day.