Back To Brighton

It's time for a road trip out of London.

Cue a sunglasses selfie on the M23 and off we go!

The Races

If you don't know already, I love horse racing.

Not as a jockey, but as a spectator who has a little passion for betting on a few horses.

I was introduced to it a couple of years ago, and have absolutely fell in love with it. I will be up on a Saturday morning to watch the pundits on Channel 4 discuss the upcoming races, and then I am straight onto my Racing Post app to place a few bets. Fortunately, now I have a new phone it is even easier (though I don't know whether that is a good thing for my bank manager!).

The weekend started with us heading out into the East Sussex countryside to remind myself what freshair was like again, and explore Devils Dyke. This is probably one of the nicest places in the area, with views across the whole county and little tracks that keep you walking for hours, before heading back to catch some of the racing on TV.

We practiced our mooing with these guys

Then stopped for a break to take in the views.

We made friends with 4 horses who were in adjoining fields... Our Neyying was up to scratch too.

Within horse racing, the start of the jump season has just kicked off. For those who don't know, the season is split into the flat races (like Ascot), and jump season. The jump season is so much more exciting simply because you are gasping at how your horse came thisclose to not getting over a jump, or powering away from the field in the final furlong to win.

As we braced the wind and rain, we headed to Plumpton Racecourse for their first jump meet of the season. Plumpton is one of my favourite racecourses, due to the countryside location and locals that support the sport. You get a real sense of tradition, and the intimate venue makes you really feel part of the action.

So, with our open wallets and Ascot umbrella, we cheered, shouted and watch the odds go in and out, trying to decide when will be best to bet. Afterall, it's all about getting the best odds and winning, even if the boards hadn't been turned on yet...



The great thing about horse racing is you can watch the horses parade around the circle before the race. A handy tip, the best looking ones dont always win the race, the race card can give you tips on form and who is riding which horse.

Just don't make the mistake that a lady was, and ticking off each horse that she liked the look of, before wandering to place her bets.



After a bit of nail biting, deciding when the best moment to bet was so we could get the best odds, the racing started. With 8 races taking place, the odds changed from small (like 2-1) to large (like 100-1). The larger odds are the one who probably wouldnt win, but anything is possible, especially with different ground conditions.







With the race including jumps, the jockey sometimes comes unseated, or the horse falls. When that happens, its game over. The excitement and cheering really starts as the horses run past the grandstand, or just recovered from a near fall!

A quick pose and tweet to the racecourse twitter. Follow me here.

After the 8 races had came to an end, we counted up our winnings and headed back to the car. Our wallets a little heavier, our jeans a lot wetter, and a pocket full of betting slips.

All in all, another great day at the races!

Fortunately, a lot of the courses around the UK are full of spectators who enjoy the day and care about the horses welfare. Ascot day (with the drunken girls passed out on the floor) has given the feel of an excuse to get pissed up. However, go to a horse racing course and you will see that this is far from the truth. They are full of people who are genuinly interested in the sport, and enjoy the tradition and autenticity that it provides! Find out more at the British Horse Racing Authority.

Just remember your wellies on a rainy day!

Ten Tips For Brighton Pride

Brighton pride. Probably the biggest pride of them all, which means that you would be a fool to miss it!

It is a rainbow-storm that is about to hit this traditional seaside, with street parties, rainbow flags and a pride park about to sprinkle a load of gay glitter all over the party-goers. For everyone who isn't from England, this is our Big-Huge-Gay-Bash of the year!

Think Lady Gaga meets Glitter Cannon mixed with The English Seaside.

Compared to other prides I have been to, this is probably the best around, so I will be heading down once again to get involved with the celebrations. Tweet me if you are going, it would be good to say hello to you all!
As Brighton has so much going on, and sometimes the feeling of 'where do I start?', I have 10 tips that will guarantee you have a great pride! So pack your wellies in you are camping incase it rains, get your pre-party alcohol stocks ready, and get ready to spend your Saturday at one big party!

1. The Parade



First things first. If you are planning to come down and stay in Brighton, then you NEED to catch the Parade. Setting off at 11am, this is going to be the parade of all parades. There will be floats, there will be hot people, and it will be busy! Make sure you grab a spot, or just join in and follow it up to Preston Park. Grab a spot along Grand Parade. With grass areas, you can grab a spot back from the crowds but still see the full parade. Then, you can join in the end and follow it up through Brighton to the park.

2. The Pride Park



This is where the party starts. Preston Park has been transformed into a Rainbow City, with 8 tents of music, funfairs and alcohol, you will be there for hours enjoying the atmosphere. It is open from 12pm till 8pm, which means you have 8 hours of absolute party party party.



Just be warned, once you are in a tent, you are in! If you need to use the bathroom, then you will need to leave the tent and re-queuing  is never fun! This especially goes for the bigger tents which hold 3000-5000 people!


If you haven't already, buy a ticket here. They are cheaper in advance at £17.50, otherwise you will have to pay on the door which could be costly!

3. Buy a Flag



Buying a rainbow flag is probably not on the top of your to-do list when you get to pride, but once you see everyone having one, you will want in on the action! There will be stalls in the pride park, and shops all around Brighton selling them.
Grab one, wave it like you just don't care, and support the LGBT community.

4. Pace Yourself

Pride starts early, but you don't want to be going to bed early. So pace yourself throughout the day. Start on a few drinks in the morning and slowly work yourself up to the evening.
Then, as night falls, crack out the shots and go for it in one of the many clubs. No-one wants to be in bed by midnight now, do they?

5. Hit up the Pride Street Party

This is an absolute must.
When I lived in Brighton, my flat was on St Jame's Street, which turns into a street long party from the bottom all the way to the top. With bars and music blasting out, this is the place to go inbetween the Park and the club. It can get pretty busy, and the music varies as you go up the street, so be sure to explore and see how you get on!



6. Let's go to the Beach, beach!

Brighton has a beach, so get on it.
If you need somewhere to go to finish off your own booze before the club, or for a breather from the partying, then the beach is perfect!
They will probably be alot of people on it, so make friends and join in with everyone.

7. Get In A Club



Okay, so you have traveled to Brighton, and queued for ages to get in a club, and get turned away because it is too busy. Not the ideal situation!
Before you go, have a look online at some of the clubs and see if you can get tickets to them. If not, make sure you get to the clubs early as the queues will be long, it will be busy, and last thing you want is to be wandering the streets trying to get in somewhere.
Clubs like Revenge, Wild Fruit, and Legends all have after-pride parties. Just click on their names to be taken to the tickets page for each!

8. Spot the TV Crews

Brighton Pride is one of the biggest prides, and most years there will be a TV crew filming some sort of news bulletin, or a new TV show. Grab your 5 minutes of fame and get on camera if you can.

9. Buy 4 drinks at the bar, not 2.



That doesn't need explaining. With it being manic, expect the bars to be queues upon queues. So buy a few more drinks so you don't need to go back. Afterall, if you meet someone then at least you can offer a drink (or receive one) without having to stand and wait for ages!

10. Enjoy Pride

Most of all, enjoy pride. Brighton is in it's 21st year now, and each year seems to get bigger and bigger. Enjoy, celebrate and have an amazing time.
Do things you might never do (like skinny dipping in the sea) and take pictures for the memory book. Drink until the sun comes up, and look back on it being the best day and night you have had in a long time!



And just remember to have phone battery, in-case you don't know where everyone is when you wake up the next morning, or you lose a friend in a club!

Happy pride everyone!

Unique Brighton

Adjective: Being the only one of its kind; unlike anything else.

I am fortunate to be able to call Brighton my current home, but rarely do I get the chance to have a wander around and take in what is around me. Unique, elegant and different, are three words that can describe Brighton. Sure, I see the pier and the shops on a regular basis, but to actually take in what is around me was quite surprising.

I am a country boy at heart, visiting the seaside again.

So, I took a saturday to wander around and catch a few snaps of Brighton in all its glory, and a few little oldies that I liked...



An early morning stroll along to town. Cloudy and not a person in sight.

A few toes in the water, before a wave crashed and got us wet through.

Yes, I did check out the local stand and try on everything I could.

Brighton is fortunate to have some extraordinary street art, created by local artists. This is found on the way through to the North Laines, an area of boutique shops that you can spend the day getting lost in.



Once in the Laines, one shop to always go in is Snoopers Paradise. This shop is a warehouse for boutique stalls, offering everything from 1970's style televisions, to modern day furnishing. Where else can you find a Noddy collection like this...



But what made me stop and stare for a while was an old selection of postcards from around the world. At 10 pence a card, you can take a part of history home with you. Its fascinating to read about what these individuals had to say, and the images are very unique.



After a browse around the Laines, we decided to do what any tourist would... Go to the pier. If you head over there, a selection of rides and gambling is within your reach, but I decided to keep it safe and go on the Merry-go-Round.



After spinning around a few too many times, it was time to wander home along the sea front, and have a much earned glass of Vino on the rooftops.



Brighton really is unique, fun and a great place to live. If you end up coming down let me know and I will show you around!