Brighton - Good Old Sussex By The Sea

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Bye, bye, South America, hello England!

It wasn't a bad trip home. No problems leaving Rio despite being 5 days over our tourist visa (no fine, no comment, just an exit stamp!) and a resonable flight to Madrid with Iberia but only a couple of hours sleep. Then another couple of hours with British Airways to Heathrow and great relief to come in at Terminal 1 NOT 5. Our bags were first off for the first time in our lives!!!!

We took the tube (metro, underground, subte, subway) to Victoria then a surface train to Brighton. It was good to be in Sussex by the sea. It was freezing in the evening though as the lead photo shows! We have been very lucky with the weather since we got back and the sun has shone every day. We know it can't last so we make the most of it by getting a walk in every day. Unfortunately in Brighton everyone else does the same!!!

It has been hell shopping for everything we need to replace. Luckily there have been lots of sales and bargains so the credit crunch isn't 100% negative! How do people do that every week?!

The main reason for being in Brighton was the "Flying Squad" reunion. Every year fans of Brighton & Hove Albion Football Club from around the globe gather to spend the weekend with friends and to see the final game of the season. It was wonderful to see all of our friends again and we had a fantastic time. It's a shame we lost 1-0 to Swansea (Champions of Nationwide League One) but after the Maracana, Boca, River, Colo Colo even, it was surprisingly nice to be at Withdean. You can see from the photos it's not exactly an International venue!!

This year we also got to go to a benefit dinner for one of the players. Gary Hart has given ten years of blood, sweat and tears to the Albion and it was only fitting he was given a lavish send off. Sadly he has not been retained by the club but he will always be an Albion legend to us.

We're not missing travelling too much yet, but then we know it's only for 6 weeks. Off now to the Essex coast via Kent as the first part of our nationwide tour of friends and family! Hope this weather continues!!

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Photos

Brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!
It WAS cold!

Brighton Palace Pier
What a glorious day

West Pier
Nobody in the deckchairs to see the burnt out wreck!

Naturist Beach
Why anyone would take all of their clothes off on a British beach, I don't know! Brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!!

Champions!
I felt a little sorry for the visiting Swansea fans. What a terrible view!! Still, they are Champions.

Fat Boy Slim
The end of 9 years sponsorship from Skint. But Norman Cook (aka FBS) came to say goodbye.

Oh Gary Hart!
Nice cake, but no contract. Thanks for10 years hard graft Gary.

Panpipes
You just can't get away from them can you!

Classic Truck
If that's your thing. Nice to see red mail boxes again though.

Beach Volleyball
Hardly Rio is it!!!!

Tourist Train
Saves walking along the seafront I suppose.

England!
Home again!!

Comments

[Ronnie]

England!
Welcome home... (I guess). You're so far away.... Glad your trip home was uneventful. Enjoy your stay. Love, Ronnie

[barrygahan]

Brighton looks chilly....
but it looks like you're having fun at home. Have fun in Essex.