Brighton

Hi, reader

After an uneventful trip along the M4, I made it to Brighton where I reunited with my colleague, Helen and her husband Guy. Helen and I worked together first at Bangkok's Thai Japanese Association School (TJAS) and later at British Council.

Helen and Guy are wonderful hosts and I stayed with them for two nights. We had a delicious vegan Thai curry the first night and vegan bolognaise with pasta the second night. I stayed in this awesome Air Bnb-worthy room. There was a storm raging outside but I was warm as toast. 

Great selection of literature for guests.

On Tuesday the weather was wet and miserable, but we took a bus into town and walked round the shops for a while. We went to see the Brighton Pavilion. Also known as The Royal Pavilion, this is a Grade I listed former royal residence. Beginning in 1787, it was built in three stages as a seaside retreat for George, Prince of Wales, who became the Prince Regent in 1811, and King George IV in 1820.

It is built in the Indo-Saracenic style prevalent in India for most of the 19th century. The current appearance of the Pavilion, with its domes and minarets, is the work of architect John Nash, who extended the building starting in 1815. George IV's successors William IV, and Victoria, also used the Pavilion, but Queen Victoria decided that Osborne House should be the royal seaside retreat, and the Pavilion was sold to the city of Brighton in 1850.

Behind the Pavilion there's an ice rink, but nobody was braving the cold, rainy weather for a skate when we were there. 

It was great to spot my favourite singer, Freddie Mercury, around the town.

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I also took the opportunity to visit the drop in COVID centre and get my booster jab. Lovely staff there.

Wednesday Drama

This morning I woke up to a text message from my ferry company, telling me that France had introduced new COVID rules.

I had to scramble to find a clinic that could test me and provide certification at short notice - since I was due to board the ferry at 6pm! The Regenerative Clinic Ltd did the job for 39 pounds and I was in the van and on my way.

I drove up to Croydon to drop some boxes of comics off with my friend Henry, then down the M20 towards Dover. I was making good time until I stopped at a service station to use the toilet and managed to lock my keys inside the van. Nightmare.

Three Polish guys tried to help me, but no luck. They lost interest and left me to it. Then a dodgy geezer covered in tattoos came along and told me he A) had experience of breaking into cars and B) had a coat hanger in his boot. He tried to get the lock open for ten minutes or so, but he was in a hurry and had to leave. So I then had a coat hanger but was having no luck hooking it round the door handle. Finally, a breakdown guy came to help me and he also had experience of opening car locks from the outside. What a stroke of luck. 

It was like watching someone trying to win one of those fairground games where you try to pick up a prize with a grab claw. Very tense, and I was aware of the clock ticking. I was getting close to giving up and breaking the car window with a hammer to get the keys and be on my way, when ... he got it. The door opened. It was a massive relief.

Then followed a breakneck race to Dover and I got to the Ferry Port three minutes before the gate closed. It was that close. Like a movie.

So here I am, relaxing on the ferry and on my way to Calais. It was a stressful, dramatic day, but I'll be in France later tonight. I've no idea what comes next, but I'll blog when I can.

Thanks for reading,

Brian