The law school arranged a day out to Brighton. I must say I was certainly in for the unexpected.

As the journey started, we occupied ourselves with snacks, gossip and the usual chit-chat about annoying lecturers, commercial law and the inevitable June exams.

We braced ourselves for the 3hr journey.

As we neared closer to the coast, Brighton came into view. I was expecting to see yellow and brown sand so imagine my surprise when we were met by pebbles! Yes the infamous Brighton pebble beach! I couldn’t help but start laughing! My classmate was captivated! Visiting the beach for the first time she soaked up the sea and the waves.

We set out to explore.

Brighton had an amusement park to accompany its sea side pier. With a large Ferris wheel, toy cages, slots and amusement games, the day seemed to BRIGHTON up!

Next we walked over to visit the Royal Pavilion.

I was delighted to hear the old rumors that Queen Victoria had travelled to India and wanted a mini ‘Taj Mahal’ in her native England. This explained why the Royal Pavilion had pillars, turrets and a dome that resembled a palace in India. The Pavilion, we were told, was built in Indo-Saracenic style.

The interior was graced with Chinese, Islamic and Indian fashion. This explained the bright yellows, reds and oranges that filled the banqueting hall designed by Frederick Crace and Robert Jones. It was a lovely mix of classic and marine designs.

The seaside town had become a fashionable resort for the royals. When the town became accessible by rail to the public, Queen Victoria decided to sell Brighton Royal Pavilion to the council for a whooping 53,000 pounds!. It is said that she hated it when Brighton became accessible by rail in 1841 and a new trend with genteel society.

Next we walked to Brighton Dome.

I enjoyed seeing the different stages of fashion history. From the hats and corsets of Victorian times, 80’s shoulder pads and power suits to the miniskirts of the 90’s.

Hungry, we walked down the streets and found an all you can eat Indian buffet. We were spoilt for choice, naan bread, basmati rice, prawn crackers, curry and lamb, all for a fiver! We ate until our bellies couldn’t hold any more!

What a wonderful day out! As we climbed on the coach, everyone got to talking and it was smiles all the way home.

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