Brighton in July

 

Prepare yourself for a lot of walking on our trip. Not only will you walk miles and miles voluntarily in and between Primark, H&M, Top Shop and NEXT. We will also show you loads of interesting stuff in and outside Brighton after school (and sometimes before if you have afternoon lessons). Walking is simply a rather central part of this trip and if you only bring high heels and fancy sandals you might find yourself sorefeeted in Churchill Square, wondering about these things:

1. Why didn't I bring more comfortable shoes?

Answer: You didn't read the blog carefully enough OR you wanted to buy new shoes in Brighton OR you don't need comfy shoes 'cause you're the queen (or king) of heels

2. How can I keep up with all the fun with these sore feet?

Answer: You remember your mum packed Compeed or something similar OR you buy it at Boots by the Clock Tower. You also find pain killers there if it's extremely bad.

3. These boots are NOT made for walking! Where do I find new shoes?

Answer: Since you're at Churcill Square in this specific example you're close to Primark where you can find shoes from a few pounds and up. I got sore feet from the last pair I bought there, but you might get lucky. If you prefere I pair of Converse you can find them from £40 at Schuh (in the shopping center) or in the North Laine area.

/Emma

You will most likely be using both buses and trains in Brighton. I'll tell you about what means of transport we used in 2010, but you can be pretty sure much will be the same this year.

After landing at Heathrow we are greeted by a lady (in 2010 remember, might be an man this year, who knows), who makes sure we all get on the coach to Brighton. Since we'll be spending a couple of hours on the coach, it's a good idea to buy a snack on the airport or bring one from home. It's also wise to visit the toilet. The leader flying with you will remind you about all that.

When you arrive in Brighton, the host families will meet up together with some more STS Staff. Transport to your new homes will most likely be by car. You'll spend some time at home (how much depends on what time we arrive) and the host families will, among other things, help you finding the means of transport you'll be using on a daily basis from now on. The most common alternative is the bus, but in some cases the train is a better option, depending on where you stay. Whatever of the two it'll be, the leader will help you getting discount cards, since you'll be there for three weeks and single tickets will be more expensive.

After a couple of days you'll be quite confident finding your way, catching the right bus/train and getting off at the right stop. You're getting ready for longer trips. Full days excursions to Hastings and London, for instance, are usually made by train from Brighton Station, which you can see here, and the trains are quite comfy.



In London you might come across some more means of transport. The Tube or Underground will probably not be used on your first London trip, since we like to show you the beautyful city from the street level, but perhaps on the second visit when the Explorer Pass students go there for shopping and other adventures.

These are the most common ways to get around, besides walking (which I'll write about later) and you are probably more or less familiar with most of them. Nevertheless, everything gets a bit more exciting when doing it in a new country, right!

/Emma