I am posting this blog a day early as tomorrow is the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II, and out of respect, I will not post then.
It has been a difficult week, and sometimes I have just had to escape the media coverage of every minute of happenings since the Queen died. So, I escaped to the coast for the day on Monday. It felt like the last day of summer. It was hot and sunny, and this was also a walk down memory lane.
My parents used to bring my brother and me here as kids. We holidayed here and also came for day trips. So, I sought out the old haunts. But the first thing I did when I arrived was go on the beach! I sat there for a while, just listening to the waves pounding as they rolled in and sucking at the stones as they retreated.
From the beach I headed for the pier and walked to the end, stopping off at the Amusement Arcade where I lost my money many a time on the penny falls. I didn’t bother trying this time, and just walked through.
Back on the promenade, I walked towards West Worthing and to Marine Gardens where the putting green is. I used to worry my mum and dad everyday to play on here. It’s looking a little worse for wear since the heatwave. The cafe is still there where we drank cups of tea. It’s been modernised, but it’s not that different. I bought lunch here and then went to spend some time watching bowls, another thing we used to do.
Next was to walk the short distance to where the hotel was where we used to stay. It was demolished some years ago now. In its place are luxury apartments but still overlooking the same green and the sea.
Then it was back to the beach. A different spot this time. I didn’t want to leave. The day was perfect. Eventually I packed up and headed back along the prom and then into town where I had a look around before grabbing a cup of tea and walking to the station.
Trains run from London Victoria to Worthing. The journey is short, about an hour and twenty minutes. I love it when the train gets to Hove and then Shoreham where you catch glimpses of the sea. I realised how much I need to be by the sea that day. Apart from one morning in Herne Bay during a gale in February, this was the first time I’d spent any quality time by the sea. How I’d missed it.
My London+ 