A WEEKEND IN BRIGHTON

For a few months I was dropping not so subtle hints to my sister Charlotte that I would love to visit Brighton for my birthday, I’ve seen photos of the pier that look incredible and heard nothing but positive things. Charlotte normally goes on 10 holidays a year, sometimes it's hard to pin her down so I was amazingly happy when she said yes! Since she's currently living in London for work we don't get any quality time together, it was the perfect opportunity. We booked everything in June and I was incredibly excited for the upcoming trip in July.

The day we were travelling it started off with a little bump in the road, our 9:04 train was cancelled. Luckily trains to Brighton are frequent from London, we managed to catch the next one at 9:40. That means I lost a whole 36 minutes of my time in Brighton, that’s right 36 minutes! I hope you’re as outranged as I was...

Hotel

We arrived safely and decided to walk to the B&B, it was only 20 minutes from the train station so wasn't far at all. We stayed at the Instanbul ev guest house, our room was on the top floor but this didn't bother us, perhaps the exercise was needed with all the ice-cream I intended to consume. The room was a decent size with two single beds, I much prefer single beds when travelling with friends in the summer. It can get hot and humid so I need my personal space in these situations. Luckily our room wasn't too bad heat wise. 

I always find it's best to get breakfast included in your accommodation where possible so you're not searching for the right place to eat. There was a choice between a full English or continental. I'm not much of a fan of full English so I went for poached eggs on toast with mushrooms and beans, it was great! 

Would I recommend this B&B? I'm going to say yes. The staff are polite and happy to help, the room rates were reasonable for the seafront, we paid £117 each for two nights. The only thing I would say is they need to upgrade parts of the B&B, but that wouldn't stop me from going back. 

Wildlife
I must warn you if you're staying near the seafront you'll wake up to a "lovely" squawking sound at 5am, it's definitely a wake up call! The seagulls are singing from the crack of dawn. On several occasions Charlotte threatened to shoot them, at first I thought this was a little aggressive but they don’t shut up! Another great fact about these birds is if you’re on the beach/pier and have Fish and Chips, they will stalk you, if they came after me I would sacrifice the food and make a run for it! 

Brighton pier

After we dumped the suitcases we headed straight out to explore, our B&B was situated right on the pier, only a two minute walk away. We explored Brighton pier for the majority of the day, looking around the rides, shops and walking along the beach. It wasn't busy at all, perhaps it's because it was a Friday but we were greatful we could get some great photos. Brighton pier is full of restaurants and take away places, we opted for chips, I don't normally like "chip shop" chips because they tend to be greasy but these weren't and were delicious! That good we had them again!

At night the old and new pier is just as pretty and photogenic.

We carried on walking down the beach and reached the colourful huts, I was expecting them to be on the beach not the pavement but they still looked bright and beautiful. The fact they were on the pavement didn't stop me from taking about 100 photos, Charlotte should of been paid as my photographer that day! Apparently you can buy the huts, inside you can decorate and make adjustments to the space to suit your needs, some people had a bed in them, others only bits and bobs for the beach. We asked a guy to take a photo of us and he mentioned that they're extremely expensive, I haven't looked it up but I'll take his word for it. Most people who own them tend to be retired so are able to spend time enjoying them to get the most out of their investment. 

After 6 hours of walking along the pier and exploring we decided to head back to the B&B. Since we were walking all day we didn't realise how far along the beach we actually went. About 30-40 minutes, I didn't mind the walk as it was such a nice day. Plus we stopped for ice cream on route back, chocolate brownie and cookies & cream how could you not love that! Back at the B&B we realised how burnt we both were, apparently to prevent sunburn you need to apply suncream ...  who knew! I didn't make the best outfit choice for the day, I wore a cold shoulder top which meant I now have red circles on my shoulders and white arms, not the look I was wanting to style this summer. Oops! Even though we were burnt and possibly suffering from sunstroke we had high exceptions for the evening and were going to watch the sunset at 9pm. After 6 hours of walking along the pier we were a tad tired and took a nap, waking up to our alarm at 8pm, ignoring this and going back to sleep until 10pm. I can safely say that we missed the sunset. We attempted to watch it the following night, although it wasn't the best weather and was very cloudy so unfortunately the sunset wasn't that great. Just a missed opportunity, I'll catch it next time! 

i360

For my birthday Charlotte booked for us to go on the i360 which is a little like a sky bar. You get on the platform and it slowly takes you up. The views were amazing, we could see all of Brighton and we chose the best day as it was blue skies. I can't imagine it would be as impressive if it was a dull and cloudy day. 

Anyone who knows me understands that I have an obsessive need to take photos, although it wasn't really possible to capture the moment properly as the reflection on the glass creates a glare. I guess these kind of experiences are meant for enjoying the moment rather than capturing it on a camera. This experience is only for 30 minutes and you have to book in for a time slot. I could of stayed longer if I had a choice because it's such an amazing view. Looking down at the city I realised that Brighton is quite a quirky place, I've heard of all the street art and it continues to the roofs of the buildings, how awesome is that?! 

An interesting fact that I found out is this attraction replaced the big wheel, it was taken down in May this year in order to get the planning permission for the i360. I do love a big wheel but wasn't disappointed by the amazing view at the top of the i360. I would definitely recommend it if you visit Brighton.

Royal Pavillion
For more of the arty museum goers visiting the Royal Pavillion should definitely be on your list of things to do in Brighton. We didn't end up going inside the building but the building itself certainly made an impression, the architecture is beautiful!


Brighton City centre

It was disappointing when the weather took a turn for the worst on the second day, it was very cloudy and over cast, there was a small beacon of hope with the sunlight despretely trying to peak through the clouds but it was not meant to be. In the afternoon there was heavy rain so we decided that the best thing to do was to stay indoors where possible. Despite the crappy weather it didn't ruin our day. We took the opportunity to do a little bit of shopping, since Charlotte has been working 60 hours on average a week at work she needed some TLC and a shopping trip was the best thing. I'm not going to lie I also brought a few bits and bobs, I never really get the chance to browse the shops as I'm always going because I need something like leggings for example so was nice to relax while treating myself. It was my birthday weekend after all! 

As we were wondering through the streets we came across the greatest shop I have ever seen! The Duck House, it's an entire shop dedicated to rubber ducks. The range is huge, looking on their FB page they sell over 900 different ones across each store location. Naturally I couldn't resist and got one for my niece Phoebe and another for my friends baby Thea. It was super busy and I can see why, although this meant I didn't get any good photos, you'll have to go and experience it for yourself.

Sunrise
Since we missed the sunset on the first evening, Charlotte thought it would be an awesome idea to watch the sunrise on our last day in Brighton. The alarm went off at 4:45am and Charlotte wouldn't get out of bed and continued snoozing. Despite this I decided to go out and take a look for myself, it was definitely worth it.

My experience in Brighton has been awesome, I got to catch up with one of my favourite people in the world and explore a new place. If you're looking for a weekend away I would suggest giving Brighton a chance. We were there for three days and I think that's enough for what is there to see. Thanks so much to my amazing sister Charlotte for celebrating my 25th Birthday with me!!

Sincerely, Kimberly.

xxx

GET KNOCKED DOWN, GET BACK UP WITH CONFIDENCE

I have days where my self-confidence is booming, but sometimes things don't go to plan and my confidence is nowhere to be found. Recently, I've had my confidence knocked, on top of my anxiety playing up a little. Instead of cheering myself up, I've spent time wallowing in self pity and criticising myself for not reaching my incredibly high standards. I've been known for being too hard on myself, self-confidence is something I've always struggled with, it's challenging. Somedays I don't feel the need to get out of bed, my hair is coated in dry shampoo and I hide under the duvet hoping my problems will disappear. Do other people feel the same way? As if it's impossible to build yourself up as you're too busy knocking yourself down ... After all, we're our own worst critics.

After I spoke with a friend I realised that I shouldn't worry so much, I was told I should have a "don't give a fuck day". This is a great way to think about life, if your expectations are very low or non-existent then you won't be disappointed if something doesn't work out. The other day I actually gave this a try and it was the best thing ever! I took a deep breathe and just thought who cares, the world isn't going to end if I don't get everything done.

After years of my emotions and mental health being up and down I've picked up a few helpful tips to boost my happiness and confidence levels even when times are tough...

Do what you love
A nice and easy way to boost your confidence and happiness levels is to do what you love. I've never felt so confident as I do when I'm pole dancing, I feel so empowered and strong. Think about an activity or something that makes you feel like you're on top of the world and just do it. Whether it's something small like applying makeup and doing your hair fancy, or going on a big day out with friends, do something that will cheer you up.

Get ready
I know how tempting it is to hide under the duvet and chain watch Netflix all day, find the courage to say no! Drag yourself out of bed and get dressed, even if you're chilling around the house. I find I'm much more productive if I've had a shower and freshened up, it helps me feel like I'm ready to take on the challenges of the day ahead. Somedays I even go all out and wear perfume, I know I'm a rebel. It's always sods law that if you go out, even quickly nipping to the shops looking like "crap" you're bound to walk into someone you know. It's happened to me in the past and I've felt even worse after that encounter, put a little effort in and these things won't affect you. You may even get a compliment that improves your self-confidence.

Make a list
I love to make lists, it feels so good to tick something off, does anyone else feel like this? If you have a super busy day try making a list of tasks you need to complete. Ticking them off as the day goes on, this will ensure you're extremely productive and you'll feel proud of everything you've managed to accomplish. Although, don't worry if your list isn't very long, anything is great to achieve. Somedays I don't write a physical list I simply take a mental note "Today I will watch Netflix and eat some Ben & Jerry's", because I get so excited about lists I have to pencil time in the relax. Am I the life of the party or what!

Eat food
A little but of what you fancy does you good, if you're feeling blue and need some chocolate then eat some, if you want a pizza order one. It's ok to give into temptation if you know if will help in the end. One takeaway or bar of chocolate won't hurt your figure but may help you feel a little better. Obviously this isn't the answer to all your problems, but it's certainly a starting point. Just remember to get back to normal healthy eating habits the next day (if this is how you eat), healthy food does help you feel good from the inside out.

Talk, moan, rant
Your friends and family members are here to help you through difficult times, if your confidence is knocked then talk to someone. Even if you're not aware of the actual problem, talking about your emotions will help you process your current situation and it will feel like a weight has been lifted from your shoulders. The amount of times I've talked my friends ears off is unbelievable, I'm surprised some of them are still around haha. Even if it's something small like a work colleague has annoyed you, talk about it and don't allow yourself to hold grudges against silly moments. Speaking about your problems is great as you get an outsiders perspective, I always ask people to be very honest with me. In a "tell it to me straight" kind of way.

Exercise
Now, I know you may not feel like dragging yourself to the gym when you're not feeling amazingly confident but exercise has been proven to release endorphins that build your happiness levels. I had a day last week where I was in a terrible mood, I'm surprised anyone wanted to be around me. Instead of lounging around the house I got up and went to a pole class, it worked wonders, I had such a positive session and my confidence grew in that moment. If you don't like gyms or don't do a sport then going for a walk works just as well, the fresh air will do you the world of good.

Outfit details

Dress: River Island

Bag: Cambridge Satchel Company

Shoes: Office

Sincerely, Kimberly.

xxx