I love Brighton. There’s something about it that instantly cheers me up on a bad day; the smell of the pier, the busy lanes, the independent cafes. I live 45 minutes away from Brighton, so I go whenever I get the opportunity to – I also studied there, so I know the area well. But not as well as I thought, it seems, as Visit Brighton introduced me to some new sights last week.
I’ve been working from home for seven years now – long before the pandemic first started – but with the multiple lockdowns, everything became harder. My mind has become more cluttered and my anxiety has increased a lot. I don’t go away a lot, and as a new mother, our little flat gets quite busy and messy, and I definitely needed a breather.
We went to Brighton courtesy of Visit Brighton, and stayed at The Old Ship Hotel. The hotel has beautiful period features and an old-fashioned, retro feel. The room was immaculate and we had a large bay window to overlook the shops and the cafes.
I instantly felt more at ease entering the hotel room. You know that feeling where you just feel instant relief? That’s what it was like. It made me realise just how cooped up I had been for so long, much like everyone else who had also been working from home during the pandemic, and it made me feel free.
Of course, I had my baby with me, and once we got settled in, we decided to go for dinner at the hotel, which was lovely, and then took a walk along the beach.
Walking is something that I don’t do enough of, admittedly. It’s something I forgot felt so good. Often times things have been too difficult to muster the energy to go for a walk, and of course I am not writing a piece about how walks are the answer to all life’s stresses, but it was mentally relieving to be out in the fresh air for once. And I think, the fact that I had no excuse not to go – as my partner also wanted to take a walk – meant I found the energy and the motivation to do so.
Our following morning was also filled with exercise. We took a long walk around the One Garden – stunning greenery with a market and a chilled vibe. There was a playpark for my son, and we got coffee and toasties and sat watching him play before strolling down to the gardens. The view was beautiful; and there were other people there to enjoy it too – people walking their dogs and other families visiting the area. It was a very relaxing trip that also felt very safe.
After our morning walk, we visited the Brighton AIrways i360, and the views were phenomenal. You could see the pier and all of its glory, the silky waters of the beach, the layers of pebbles. You could see across the city, the shops, the lanes; everything that Brighton has to offer.
Finally, we went back to walk along the lanes, and to go back to the pier for some non-alcoholic cocktails and to take in the sea air. My son loved playing on the beach, and it was nice watching him be somewhere new, enjoying himself.
He loved the Sea Life Center even more – I was filled with so much happiness just watching him gazing at all of the fishes and the sea life. Going through the underwater tunnel was a highlight, seeing him run up and down absolutely fascinated by what was going on around him.
What I liked about this trip was that it was amazing for my wellbeing. The chance to relax after building up so much tension, and the realisation that I definitely need to get out more, whether that’s just for a quick breath of fresh air or for a long walk with my family.
Visit Brighton provided everything we needed in a time of feeling like we were suffocating – and I can’t thank them enough for providing us with such a brilliant opportunity to reconnect with my family.
