visit

The weekend before last I made a brief trip back to the Sussex coast to catch up with family and friends. Setting off early on Saturday morning, I caught a local train to Temple Meads and spent the next 5 hours plugged into my iPod, sat on my backside watching scenery pass by.

The next couple of days were spent in the two towns I grew up in: Eastbourne and Brighton. Sunday was a kind of 'family day' - tipped off that I was back in town, my aunt had invited us all up to her house in Brighton for tea with her, my uncle, my grandad, three cousins and their children, i.e. a host of second and step-cousins. We entered a hive of activity as young children played hide-and-seek behind the sofas, ran around and generally made a commotion. It reminded me of Saturday afternoons as a child and younger teenager: for many years we'd all congregate round my grandparents' house in the same manner - us kids running around indoors making a nuisance of ourselves in the colder months; playing in the garden in paddling pools and my grandad's impromptu waterslides in the summer. The only two people missing this time round were my brother, who was working, and my nan - no longer with us but leaving a huge hole in our lives.

Monday I'd arranged to meet up with some of my Brighton friends: J (Forever Foxed) & A at Bill's for lunch and S & H later there for coffee. I wanted to catch the earliest possible train from Eastbourne but, faced with half an hour to kill, wandered in Waterstone's and ended up having coffee with two friends from my time there almost 12 years ago. I couldn't remember the last time I'd seen them but it seemed as though they hadn't aged at all.

In Brighton I headed for Waterstone's again to catch up with E & A. My arrival was well-timed and we were able to spend their teabreak in Nero. Then on the way out, waiting to cross Western Road, G drove past in his cab, spotted us and waved out the window! It seemed the day was becoming full of blast-from-the-past moments...

I headed down to the seafront to take photos for my weekly photography course assignment and spent an hour or so taking shots of daytrippers, a chap metal-detecting on the beach, people enjoying rides on the pier and then made my way up to Bill's. Being lunchtime it was heaving but after a short wait the three of us were seated, placing our orders and trying to get our heads around what the heck is going on in Lost...

Later in the afternoon I caught up with S & H, again at Bill's. H had to leave early but S and me chatted over tea for well over an hour before heading back to the station via Sydney Street to say hello to M, at work in her stationery shop. And then, after an unsuccessful attempt at buying some fresh lime leaves, it was time to head back to Eastbourne for a big roast dinner my mum was cooking...

On Tuesday morning I headed back to Bristol but had just enough time to see K for a quick coffee at the university before the long journey west. Unfortunately, this visit was all-too-brief - next time I'll endeavour to be around in the evening to properly meet those I only saw in passing and those I missed completely. Finally, I'd like to say thanks to those who took time out to meet up with me and apologies this time round to R (Breakfast in Bed) and A (Reithian) - but I'll see you soon.