Park up at the marina (oh no only four hours free parking with no allowance to pay for longer!) and take our while trying to find the exit out to the sea..

It’s busy busy because of the beautiful weather.. We meander down the beach towards the pier.. After a while we come across a beached whale – oh no it’s a naked man lying on the beach and the three men standing near him looking out to see are also hanging free! It’s the Brighton nudist beach – a tiny area flanked with signs giving dirty old men permission to show their tackle??

There is an event going on further up the beach which when we come alongside it we realise is the London to Brighton car rally.. A stream of vintage vehicle are arriving on the coastal road being interviewed by a “long haired microphone clasping” car enthusiast before parking up for us all to view. There are some fascinating old cars – think I might bring my 1974 VW Beetle down one year (o\_!_/o)

We wander past the pier into the hubbub of Brighton – oh my I have never, ever, seen it this busy. On the top promenade there are street entertainers balancing on each other, on the lower there are sun lovers sitting on the prom enjoying the local seafood and ales.

Having chosen our ice cream flavours, along with the compulsory chocolate flake, we carry on our route through the bustling crowds leaving the pier behind us. The rides at the end of the pier look inviting but the prospect of a quieter side to Brighton is more appealing.

As we stroll passed the Grand Hotel towards Hove we see every sport imaginable being played: from table tennis to basketball, handball, pétanque, cycling, roller blading and we even saw a boxing club – anything really does go on in Brighton.

The promenade gets wider and we stop to enjoy a two piece double bass and guitar band followed by a large group of brightly clad musicians playing various instruments but mostly drums – not dissimilar to the “Bloco Fogo”, local samba band.

Having resisted too many eating places, we at long last arrive at our chosen eatery – The View. This was recommended to us by Kerry from the Blanche where we stayed recently. We are warned of a long wait for our food but we were sitting in the sunshine watching the world go by, right on the beach and drinking beer.

The burger and chips soon arrive and are perfect.. Nigel then does another dash back to get the car from the Marina and I lie on the beach listening to music – even more perfect! Finding a spot where the stones drop away is just right for my poorly back. Thankfully my fears about not being able to get up are not necessary ..