Allison's Wonderland

 What's a girl suppose to do when nobody is free to do anything?  Sit by herself on the weekend and twiddle her thumbs?  Not this GILL!  It was time for a "Me Party" and I was about to have one all weekend!

Wendy had told me earlier in the week that Bill would be out of town and that I was free to go somewhere on the weekend if I liked.  This is not a normal occurrence as weekends are normally when their band plays and I have to babysit.  There was always London, but London seemed more of a day trip as it's only a 30 minute train ride away.  I also wanted to go to Bath, Stratford-Upon-Avon, Cornwall, the White Cliffs of Dover, and Stonehenge.  But after watching Sherlock Holmes 2, my mind was made up that I would have to go to the seaside town of Brighton.  I never really had a desire to go to Brighton before seeing the movie, but afterwards, it piqued my interest and I was sold after visiting their tourist website.  I bought my train tickets online for super cheap, got a cheap hotel right on the seaside and was set to go.

Victoria Station

I left early that morning to fetch a 9:56 train into London.  I had never been into London by myself before so this was an exciting little adventure.  Come to think of it, I've never really been on vacation by myself before.  This was a first time for me and I was very looking forward to it.  Victoria station is absolutely massive.  Never knew it

Just enjoying the train ride

was going to be so big.  They had little flags all waving up all over the place.  I love Union Jack.  He's just so pretty.  I had time to kill so I visited some of the shops.  I was very tempted to buy a London pin, but knew I should wait till I really actually "do" London. Anyway, I hopped on my train and didn't have too much trouble finding my little place to go.  Although in my train car I got stuck next to some really obnoxious people.  Like REAL obnoxious.  The worst!  Umm...and I kind of look scary in the picture, but whatever...:)

Victorian Clock Tower

The Royal Pavilion

The train ride only took about 50 minutes and once I was in Brighton, I was excited to hit the town.  The train station is old and Victorian on the outside.  I love this place because it's like a Victorian Myrtle Beach.  The weather was a little chilly but not too bad considering the kind of weather I've been experiencing since I got here. I got out my little map and made my way to the Royal Pavilion and gardens.  Now the Royal Pavilion is the building that looks like it came out of India.  It does not look like it belongs in the middle of a British seaside town.  I took some pictures on the outside and decided to leave the inside for the next day.  I was all about going to the sea so I headed down to the Brighton Pier.  The Brighton pier is such a cool spot.  It looks kind of like the Santa Monica Pier (which I've never been, but have seen pics) but with a Victorian spin. The pier is so beautiful and I loved the history that is involved with the place.  During WWII half of the pier was taken out and the rest was heavily mined so the Germans wouldn't be able to land.  Brighton is right by the English channel and only about 50 minutes from London, so it was a serious entrance point for the Germans. 

The Brighton Pier

Insert Handsome Man in Face Hole

On the pier, I met a nice little couple who I asked to take a picture of me alone by Philip and the Queen, and Kate and Prince William.  Did the little stranger get the whole shot?  No.  I even asked if he would take it twice.  This is what's annoying about traveling by yourself.  No one to take good pictures of ya.  I didn't want to ask him again, so I

Yummy!!

just thought forget it.  Found myself a nice little spot on the pier and ordered none other than the British classic of Fish and Chips.  It was so yummy and only 6 pounds 45.  I almost got attacked by a seagull but I held my ground.  I may have held my ground with the seagull but I was totally bested by the ketchup packets. What are French fries or shall I say chips without ketchup? I sat there and tried

On the Pier

to open six different packets and not a one would even budge. I felt a little like I was Candid Camera or something because it was such a joke. Bizarre. I finally had to just eat my fries without ketchup. Which is not as good for sure.  After walking around the pier I decided it was time to head to the hotel for a little thing I like to call a nap. :)  I walked down to the King's Hotel and I honestly wasn't expecting too much for the price I paid, but I was happily surprised.  The hotel was right on the water and was beautiful.  There was a nice Italian man too who was working at the front desk.  My heart will always have a soft spot for Italy and Italians, so I felt like I knew him.  My nap felt absolutely wonderful.  I felt like I had walked for years.  It was time for me to do more walking once again.  I was off for a night at the theater!

The King's Hotel

 My dinner for the evening?  A Krispy Kreme doughnut and a Cappuccino.  Disappointment number one, they didn't have the doughnut I wanted.  They actually had hardly any selection but remember it was like 6:30 at night.  Secondly, the cappuccino was the grossest I've ever tasted.  Yuck.  Krispy Kreme you totally let me down.  I grabbed my ticket at the Theatre Royale for only 12 pounds and then had to walk around and find something to do as the show had about an hour left till it started.  I sat on the lawn of the Royal Pavilion and just people watched.  It was very interesting.


The show I was seeing was based on Agatha Christie's novel and was called "Murder on the Nile."  It was a straight play.  I often prefer musicals, but I wanted to see a show, so here I was.  The first act was brilliant.  I absolutely loved it and I was sitting in a 205 year old theater which made the whole experience even better.  Kate O'Mara was absolutely hilarious.  She played an older lady who was on the cruise boat on the Nile and I couldn't stop laughing.  It was kind of one of those embarrassing things where you're like gutteral belly laughing while the people next to you are only chuckling.   Reminds me of my friend Brian back in college who would do that at every play and you would always know he was there.  People kept looking at me, but I didn't care because I was enjoying myself. :)  Other than the disappointing dinner at Krispy Kreme, my second disappointment for the evening was after the first act was over, I stood up to go to the restroom, and what did I find?  A big wad of gum stuck to the bum of my pants.  GREAT!  I only brought one pair of jeans for the trip so I had to wear the same pants again tomorrow.  I was NOT happy.  I headed to the bathroom to try and pluck off the gum on my pants.  I mean seriously who does that?  And in a 205 year old theater too.  People have some respect!   I got most of the gum off my pants and angrily told the usher about my seat.  I was then moved to the lower level onto a better seat with a better view, so I wasn't too angry.  The show was wonderful!  I was not looking forward to the walk home though.  I had my pepper spray out for everyone to see as there were drunks and weirdos all over the street.  YIKES!  Don't let my father know. :)  I went down to Pebble Beach and took some really cool night photos of a Victorian Band Stand.  Afterwards I went and sat at the hotel bar and had a sandwich.  Told you...Me Party with a Table for One.  Ha Ha!  Bed never felt so good!

Victorian Band Stand at night on the beach