London by the Sea or Brighton Rocks

When public transport works, it can work really well. I went to Brighton at the weekend to go to the first Brighton Social Media Club or Tuttle Club (Brighton's version of what's been happening in London) and to see some old friends and family. It's really easy to see why so many people commute from Brighton to London. My train left Brighton station on Sunday evening at 16.50 and I was back home in Kew at just gone 18.00. That's an hour and ten minutes. On a Sunday. My normal commute by London Underground to the City takes longer.


Regular commuters might find, that like the Tube, things don't always run as smoothly. In fact the postcard above with headlines from The Argus, Brighton's Daily Newspaper, show that rain, or rather drizzle can cause delays to the trains there.

It was quite nice being a tourist in a place like Brighton because it feels really familiar to me, and it's not known as "London by the Sea" for nothing. It's very cosmopolitan, busy, trendy, cool, fashionable etc etc, yet it's got a beach! Which rocks!


Instead of pigeons (nodded to on the signs above), you have seagulls. It's always been a seaside tourist attraction for Londoners and is now fast becoming a magnet for Hen and Stag parties. Many of the seaside shops really cater for that, but even the cute crafty "Covent Garden-like" shops in the famous Brighton Lanes, can't resist providing gifts for Girls and Guys who wanna have fun.


I spotted some fab Carry On mugs and plastic camping or picnic plates, beakers & dishes. I had to buy the Carry on at Your Convenience one as it's a brill Carry on film about strikes. With this Wednesday's Tube Strike on the way, I might find some comfort in thinking about the choruses of "Everybody Out" and "Right down tools" spoofed in the film where "strikes were called at the drop of a hat".


I didn't buy any Brighton Rock this time around (I love Rock), but I'm sure to go down to Brighton Tuttle again and will nab some then.


I must thank Nom Nom Nom'er James Whatley, Ben Smith and Dan Lane for driving me down and for being great travelling companions. Along with Ewan MacLeod they were filming a video on Brighton Beach and at Brighton Tuttle for Mobile Industry Review (formerly smstextnews).


The video & podcast are on Mobile Industry Review Show now and also I'm sure there will be many more pictures from others at Tuttle too. Thanks to Josh Russell for hosting Brighton Tuttle and for having a huge roast dinner with me on Sunday. If you want to see the rest of my Brighton photos they're on Flickr.