Galerie

Today we took the flight to London that was planned over a year ago and seemed so far away. 

But there we were standing at Terminal One waiting for everybody to arrive. The hours passed like minutes and before you could even think about it, you were already sitting in your seat next to clowns (Alex and Gloria) munching on chips and cookies. 

The flight went smoothly and the food they offered looked criminally delicious. Every walk, train and shuffle was perfectly on time (which made Ms Lieberg grin ear to ear) and we got into our hostel close to the beach and the North Sea. Even though the flight was tiring, we still decided to take a little walk later that day to see what our surrounding areas had to offer and took a picture of every store that seemed interesting. The dinner was so-so and the beds comfy enough to fall asleep in a good hour. 

Day 1 Sunday - Arrival at London Gatwick

Day 1 Sunday - Brighton Palace Pier

I myself am a big fan of the British breakfast, so not even the rain could change my mood of a happy and warm filled stomach. It was cloudy, yes, but were you still able to see hundreds of feet in every possible direction through the glass walls of the highest viewpoint in Brighton, the British Airways i360 ? Yes, yes you were. The giant tower which was positioned in the middle of a bagel shaped glass room we were sitting in, pulled us upwards and the view of both the ocean and the city was amazing. 

We then parted from the class in a group of 5 (luckily we also got back as a group of five and nobody got lost in big ol‘ Brighton) and went to every store we could remember from yesterday. To top it off we got delicious chicken and fries at a restaurant called the Bookshop, sat down in our hotel room at the windows and devoured our food looking at the amusement park built on a pier above the water. We finished the day off with games and the delicious brownies from the dining hall in the hostel. 

Day 2 Monday - Brighton i360

Breakfast was the usual English egg, sausage and beans with our class forming a long line at the pancake maker.  Shortly after we made groups for the Brighton puzzlehunt according to our rooms  and got the task to walk through Brighton to answer various questions.

I can only speak for my own group, when I say it was more difficult than expected, to the point we asked locals for assistance, who were very polite but unfortunately not of that much help. When the set time came to an end, a part of our group had to run to make it back to the hostel and successfully deliver our (not fully) filled out questionnaire. 

After that rather stressful event everybody had some free time that was used individually before some took part in one of the two tours given by three of our students each.

I took part in a one hour presentation on public art in Brighton where we walked to different locations. My favorite artifact was the float, also nicknamed blue donut, which was supposed to represent our universe and the idea of parallel worlds existing.  This was something hard to wrap your head around put rather simple as something looking like a donut.

The rest of the day was free time as well, with the short interruption of dinner and the ceremony of the results of the rally. Not to brag but my group won. The rooms ranking 1 to 3 got some British Halloween sweets as awards. That was the last thing for the day and the smart ones among us went to bed early since the next day would start early.

Day 3 Tuesday - Chapel Royal Brighton

Day 3 Tuesday - Skyline East Brighton

We woke up so early that the sun was still hiding behind grey clouds but I guess for England that was normal. Luckily the one hour ride by train to London could be used to close our eyes for a little longer and then it was time to explore. The big city felt unfamiliar and yet similar to Berlin. Lots of people and everybody was in a rush but so were we, trying to see and do as much as possible in our separate groups. My group made use of the subway to get to Oxford street where most big stores were, taking the time to not only window shop but enter a few stores to buy souvenirs as well.

After walking around rather lost we found ourselves back together, to be separated once more in two big groups. This time we got to see London with a helpful guide, who did not only show us the pretty and significant places but also told us a lot about them.  Apart from seeing Big Ben, the Buckingham Palace and various small pubs we got the chance to see a guard shift change in front of the Whitehall.

Despite our hurting legs it was really interesting and I’m sure some wouldn’t have minded getting to see even more. On our train ride back Gloria, Lynn and me (Alex) had a nice conversation with a local from Brighton who worked in London. The rest of the evening was without any events, since everybody was rather tired.

Day 4 Wednesday - Buckingham Palace London

Day 4 Wednesday - Big Ben London

Today, we woke up extra early to visit a house known as "The Earthship". After breakfast, we took a bus and left behind the shorelines of Brighton, heading towards a quieter, rural area of the city. Stepping off the bus, we found ourselves surrounded by charming woods and hills. We walked uphill and soon met up with Polly, who would be our guide for the Earthship. She was very kind and genuinely passionate about the environmental projects she and her team were leading. 

As we walked, we passed little gardens blooming with flowers and herbs, while Polly told us about the different activities and events that are held at the Earthship. When we arrived at the Earthship, we were introduced to Sharon, a colleague of Polly. Half of our group joined her in a part of the forest decorated with beautiful wood carvings for a fire-making workshop. Kate showed us ancient fire-lighting techniques using mushrooms, flint, and steel. Lynn and I were thrilled to light sparks with Sharon’s equipment.

After the workshop, Polly gave us a tour of the Earthship, explaining its eco-friendly design and sustainable systems. The walls, for example, were built with old tires and glass bottles, cleverly reused to reduce waste. The Earthship’s water system is also very impressive: it uses filtered rainwater three times before it becomes sewage. First, it serves as drinking water; then, it waters the indoor plants; and finally, it flushes the toilets. That way the house makes efficient use of every drop. 

After an inspiring day at the Earthship, we headed back to the hostel to start packing our bags for our return to Germany the day after. Later, Lynn and I decided to stroll down to the pier, adding a perfect end to our last day here in Brighton! 

Day 5 Thursday - Class in front of Earthship

Day 5 Thursday - Sunset at Brighton Palace Pier

Today is the day we head back home to Germany. After our final breakfast at the hostel and sharing some closing thoughts about the trip, Alex, Lynn, and I decided to make the most of our remaining time in Brighton. We took one last stroll around the city, snapping photos in a photo booth and picking up a few souvenirs for our families. 

When it was time to leave for the airport, I felt a bit sad that our days in Brighton had passed so quickly. But thinking about everything I’d seen and learned made me smile, knowing I’d be bringing back so many wonderful memories. And before I knew it, we left England behind and landed in Berlin. The trip came to its end as I picked up my luggage and said goodbye to my friends. Finally I headed home, looking very much forward to my own bed, and to share the stories about my time in England.

Day 6 Friday - London Airport