I was well aware of all the changes I’d experience when moving to a new country. So far my timing has worked in my favour, allowing me to enjoy a warm English Summer with less rain than I expected. I’ll undoubtedly sing a different tune in January but so far the English weather has been great. I made a pact with myself that I would never complain about the weather being too hot… If Mother Nature chose to give us a warm day, I would simply appreciate it and make the most of it.

So on one warm Saturday, Ana-Paula and I decided to cash in some rail vouchers my sister gave us and take a trip to the Seaside. I grew up in Kwa-Zulu Natal, so I’ve always been spoilt with long sandy beaches and the warm Indian Ocean. I can’t say that I had high expectations for the English Seaside. Hoping to avoid sitting on hard stones, Ana-Paula researched English beaches looking for a sandy one. The results pointed us in the direction of Eastbourne.

It was really great to catch the train some distance out of London. Eastbourne was pretty much the seaside town I expected (perhaps a bit bigger), except for the reason we chose to visit this particular beach. The shoreline was littered with pebbles! It really wasn’t an issue, considering it was a sunny day and we were going to make the most of it.

I had psyched myself up for a swim all week. I planned to rush into the water as quickly as possible, make a splash and get out before hypothermia sets in. Imagine my surprise when I jumped in and found the water warm enough to actually swim! Okay, It wasn’t as warm as Durban, but it was warmer than Cape Town’s ocean.

We spent a lovely day on the beach, ending with a really fancy seafood dinner. We decided to take a stroll on the shoreline before heading back to London. It was at this point that we discovered what we’d been there for… Sand! The tide had gone out so far that there was a short strip of sand between the pebbles and the sea.

As much as I miss the beaches back home, I must say the English seaside was really awesome. We had a brilliant day in the sun and it felt like we’d had a whole weekend away.