Brighton - Next morning

Me in front of Brighton Pavilion

There's always a story to tell when you're on the road....

Last night I went down to the desk to tell them that TV wasn't working, nor was the desk lamp, so the trade off they offered me was a free breakfast, which I gladly accepted.

So I had a few things on my mind this morning. I knew I had to pick up the hire car and I knew I had already pre-purchased a ticket to the Royal Pavilion in Brighton, so I just had to work out the sequence of events.

Anyway, I hopped in the lift on  the way down to breakfast and there was a  very black minister and his wife (hope that's not racist, but I don't know how else to describe it!). We exchanged pleasantries and I followed them into the breakfast room where I reckon there were another 200 or more very black ministers with their wives, and the queue for breakfast was outside the door. I had to admit I was having a bit of a chuckle because it just seemed like a scene from Fawlty Tours... or a comedy show!!!

The very distressed manager of the breakfast room ( a lovely little English lady) took pity on me and helped me bypass the queue because they were all stocking up big before their convention. I only wanted some cereal and toast, which was just as well! I spoke to one of the girls and she said  they were from a Christian group called The Mustard Seed and apparently they have groups in all the major cities in Australia too!

So, after that eventful start, I then had to focus on how to manage picking up my car and sorting out the parking for the Royal Pavilion, as parking is very scarce anywhere in Brighton. It really is quite a big city. (I actually was quite glad to get out of it eventually!)

So, I arranged with the manager to leave my bags in the room, collect my hire car, then come back and park very quickly in the No Parking zone at the front of the hotel and race up, pick up my cases and come back down and drive off.

Aaahh .... the stresses of life on the road!!!

Even picking up the car was stressful.... I had  read a few reviews of the Avis place in Brighton and they weren't that complimentary!!! It was just a very small office and the car itself was in a big multi story car park a little distance away. The boy who served me,Alex, was new on the job and didn't quite have a handle on it yet... but he was lovely! The guy who knew stuff fortunately came in half way through and he started sorting it all out. They actually have upgraded me to a Hyundai Ionic - a hybrid car and automatic, and actually quite lovely to drive. It's one of those key-less little wonders so I'm having to make sure I always put the starter thing in my pocket as I leave.

Sorry folks, this is going on a bit... I'll have to do  separate one for this afternoon's travels!

Anyway, long story short, I always seem to have a Baptism of fire when I pick up a hire car. Last time it was driving round and round Nantes in France.  This time it was trying to get parking in Brighton...
I eventually found a car park but it had signs you couldn't park on certain levels and the levels went down so Level 1 was on the top. It was all a bit confusing. In the end, I just decided to park the car and risk it for a biscuit and walked a couple of blocks to see the Royal Pavilion.

Had a happy ending.. the car was still there when I got back (lucky I had taken a photo of the number plate by chance!) and I got out of it all for 8 pounds.

Then I got out my faithful Gaby Garmin and she took me to Pevensey Castle which was my next stop for the day. But I'll start a new post for that.

BTW the Royal Pavilion was good . Built by  George IV as a his own little extravagance. He was heavily into Asian artifacts and influence and the whole building reeks of opulence. Click on the link if you would like to know more! He was not very popular  spending all the public's money on his little whims and eventually Queen Victoria inherited it. She didn't think it suited her big breed so she sold it to the City of Brighton and made herself comfortable on the Isle of Wight !

Royal Pavilion Brighton