Brighton & Whitby

When it rains, it pours

That was precisely what was happening outside my window at around 9pm last night till the early hours of today (i.e. Sunday). Fortunately, the wet and thundery weather appears to have made its departure before I woke up this morning. Although it won't be long till it returns...

When will it stop?

As much as I appreciate the rain, it wouldn't be a "Sun"day if there was no sun.

There's no way we can control this inclement weather. But what we can do, or at least what I usually do, is to think back to all the good ol' days when the sun actually kept its promise.

Brighton

Lunchtime in Brighton

I'm sure the majority of you would have heard of this place. However, if you haven't, Brighton is essentially a large seaside town located in East Sussex. It's become a popular destination for those craving a day away from the hectic city life in Southern England or simply overseas tourists. 

The one thing that did sort of surprise me when I went was the lack of sand on the beach. Obviously, this didn't fit my existing schema of a white, sandy beach that I'd grown up to love whilst I was living in Australia. However, with a variety of other Georgian inspired attractions, vintage shops, plus funfair rides and games, I think these landmarks have clearly made up for what the beach itself lacked. Plus it wasn't that uncomfortable to sit on the beach (just make sure you bring a mat).

Amusement attractions at Brighton 

Sunset ferris wheel ride

Looking out towards Brighton pier

If I had to pinpoint a favourite moment of my visit, it would definitely have to be exploring the Royal Pavilion. It was simply an amazing building on the outside and the inside. Totally not what I would have expected from a seaside town.

Brighton's Royal Pavilion 

Whitby

When I was studying in North East England, people would often ask me how much sunlight we got each day. Their assumption was that the weather was probably horrid, dark and gray. However, my photos have often proven them wrong, especially the ones I took at my favourite UK seaside town: Whitby.

Out at sea

Strolling on Whitby's beach

From boating trips and a steam train adventures, to Captain Cook's memorial museum and confectionary shoppes, Whitby is definitely a place where you need to spend an entire day at (especially since this place ACTUALLY has sand!).

Whitby train station

All aboard the Whitby boating tour!

Chocolate!! 

Replica of Captain Cook's ship

Obviously I cannot guarantee that you'll definitely be graced by stunning weather. However, if you do happen to be blessed, I suggest walking around the entire town to explore every nook and cranny before you narrow down on what you want to see first.

Heading out to sea, Whitby lighthouse on the right

Looking up towards the Church of Saint Mary

Aside from its seaside attractions, Whitby is also home to the famous Whitby Abbey. Ever read about or at least heard of Dracula? That was the historic ruins that inspired Bram Stoker to write his thrilling but fascinating tale. It's definitely worth visiting, although you do have to walk up the famed 199 steps staircase in order to reach it. Was good exercise for me especially since I'd just had a really unhealthy but ever so delicious ice cream from one of the local stalls...

Heading towards Whitby Abbey

Enjoying the glorious sun

That was despite the fact that I decided to end the day off with a good old fashioned meal of beer-battered fish (minus the chips) before taking the 6pm train back to reality.

Yum!

Last photo at Whitby

Bamburgh Castle and Berwick-upon-Tweed

Welcome back...

The journey begins...

Ever tried to restart something you’ve given up on? It’s a crushing feeling, most likely accompanied with dragging feet, trembling hands, and the sudden desire to retreat back to one’s comfort zone (e.g. bed) because fatigue has just arisen as a result of a sinking sensation of fear, probably of messing up again. That somewhat summarizes how I felt on commencing my blog for the third consecutive year in a row. Anxiety would be far too extreme, but a hefty dose of worry was undeniable.

I mean honestly, would anyone bother reading/ taking notice of a blog that’s had a year-long hiatus (NOT because of blogger's block)?

Train station brekkie

Bag of treats - best company for any train trip

They say that mood is in sync with weather. I think that’s rather subjective. For example, rain might be appreciated much more in a dry and arid environment than in a cold atmosphere that appears to receive this more than necessary throughout the year. So it’s difficult to say that the feelings associated with weather are universally identical. 

Passing Hogwarts (Durham)

However, no matter where I am when this occurs, the beaming sun always brings out the brighter side of myself. And with the exams and assignments officially finished, the seductive voice of travel sounded more than just alluring. Time to de-stress from a year of consecutive all-nighters and endless hours of biological and cultural anthropology revision. It was DEFINITELY time to start blogging and castle-hunting again, I thought. And with that, it was off to the train station for me shortly after that bold decision…

Admiring mother nature along the way...

The Holy Island of Lindisfarne

Bamburgh Castle

I’m not a huge fan of buses; I much prefer a long, sleepy train journey through valleys, caves etc. However, the journey to Bamburgh Castle was definitely delightful. The sunshine obviously helped but for me, the best part of it was being able to see the Holy Island of Lindisfarne (at least that’s what my understanding of geography told me) – a sight I’ve been longing to view personally for quite a while now. That being said, the scenery along the way was NOTHING in comparison with the castle itself. See below if you don’t believe me.

Bamburgh Castle

Yeah, I was flabbergasted. And I think the (pleasant) shock in my face amused the driver who said, rather casually, that he confronted this majestic and massive historical landmark on a daily basis.

Castle windmill

The Billiard Room

Looking into the King's Hall

Whilst you’re in the castle, you have a choice of frolicking through the greenery, exploring the state rooms which echo a fusion of Victorian and Medieval architectures, and admiring the Northumberland coast and beach. Here’s a tip: do it ALL. And take lots of pictures too, especially if there are interesting exhibits on (hence the photogenic owl). 

"Hoo" are YOU?/lame joke, ikr

If you visit the state room, be sure to get the audio tour - incredibly informative and interesting, I liked how you got to hear additional stories regarding the castle (particularly the ones about wandering ghosts...)

Castle kitchen

I didn’t get time for this but I think at a certain hour of the day, it the tides are low enough, it’s possible to walk over to the Farne Islands where you can admire the undeniably adorable puffins and other winged-wonders.

The Farne Islands

Oh and we can't forget about the sitting pigeons - so cute :)

Berwick-upon-Tweed

Berwick Bridge

With every journey, an ending must occur at some point. Sometimes they can be quite simple, like walking out through the door to exit a museum. But in other cases, the finale is much less smooth. Which brings me onto what happened to myself after my castle visit. Obviously the learned traveler would automatically purchase a return (bus) ticket, knowing that the best way home was back the through the route they started with. However, despite my efforts, the mode of transport I was hoping to board failed to come to my rescue.

I felt like I was falling down into a bottomless pit, never expecting to catch even the faintest glimpse of daylight once again.

Nature at its best

You know the saying, keep calm and carry on? That becomes tremendously difficult when panic peaks. However, I believe that help will always find its way to you when times become desperate. And luckily for me, this was true. Through the assistance of several kind strangers who I met, I soon found myself driven back speedily to Berwick-upon-Tweed railway station, the place I had landed in prior to my journey to Bamburgh. Unfortunately though, time was not cooperating. I soon found out, to my annoyance, that the train I needed to catch was not due to about an hour later. Won’t anything go right today? I thought.

Journeying into the sunset

But then the sun descended down with a friendly gaze, and beckoned me to depart motionless and silent railway station. By following its gestures, I soon found myself next to the River Tweed, just below the magnificent Royal Border Bridge, next to the castle wall ruins. It was then that I realized that an hour’s wait for the train was not so bad, for I was transfixed by the breathtaking sight standing boldly just in front of me. It felt rather tearful when we had to say goodbye.

Farewell, Berwick

So, morals of the story:

1. Always have plan B (if necessary, implement plans C, D, E, F.. you get the idea)
2. Don’t panic (obvious point but seriously, it gets you nowhere)
3. Never give up on your passion (I mightn’t be the best blogger in the world, but my love for writing is everlasting).
4. Take time to immerse yourself in the wonders and culture of the local surroundings (the knowledge you gain from travelling is life-long, and definitely make good stories to tell your friends and family during dinnertime!)

This year’s slightly different – I’ll be busy with summer work. Nevertheless, expect frequent posts, words of wisdom, and daily rambles about travel, food, fashion and life from yours truly soon.

#Imback (finally)

Royal Border Bridge, Berwick-upon-Tweed

Aloha from Hawaii, Tips from a Local

Hello Lovelies!

Just based on that, you might be thinking, "who is this?  This isn't the normal post..." and well, you're right!  I'm Krysti from KrystiEncounters and I've had the most awesome opportunity to work with Tiffany, here at TheAmatureAnthropologist.  We decided to do guest posts for each other and if you would like to see what she posted on my blog, take a look here (http://krystiencounters.com/2014/08/25/durham-england-travel-tips-from-the-amateur-anthropologist). Our post is going to talk about where we come from and some places you should come check out if you're ever in the area / places to add to your bucket list.

As you can guess by the title, I live in Hawaii, but more specifically, on the island of Oahu.  I must say that it is a really beautiful place to live and I am very lucky to be able to bask in the sun and share the Aloha Spirit with those I come across. 

​If you're visiting during an Eat The Street event, I would totally go--it usually falls on a Friday.  It's usually crowded and it's cash only for most, if not all, the food truck vendors, but it's totally worth it.  You can expect to pay close to $50 per person on all the food you're most likely going to be eating (bring an appetite!).  If I were you, I would share the food with whomever you attend this event with, that way you can try out more of the ono (delicious) grindz (food).  Some of the food is a specialty the vendors are making only for that night, and you may never see them again, so get your fill, and don't forget to ask the vendors which one you have to try while you can.  You can check out my post here on the latest Eat The Street event I went to.  You can also check out their Facebook and Instagram.

If you're coming to Hawaii, or thinking about it, it's probably for the beautiful scenery, right?  I would recommend hitting up the North Shore side of the island to watch a sunset, at least once.  No matter how long I've lived here, I can't get past how breathtaking the sunsets are.  Just be careful as North Shore becomes a hot spot for sunsets and it could be hard to find parking; but don't fret too much, there's plenty beach to go around.  I recommend going about two or three hours before sunset and wade in the water or sunbathe as there will be less hectic tourists trying to frantically find parking / a good spot.

If you're into shopping, I would check out the outlet stores of Waikele before hitting the department stores in the tourist hotspots like Waikiki; don't get me wrong, Waikele is jam packed with tourists as well, but it's still an outlet store with great deals.  It's currently under construction so I apologize for the lack of pictures to show you a little more.  I think my favorite is Charlotte Russe and of course the occasional Coach.

Close by to where I live, is a newly opened place I love to eat breakfast; Rise and Shine Cafe.  Yum! I haven't gotten to try all their food yet, but rest assure, I will try.  My favorite so far was their french toast.  My friend's favorite wasn't the eggs benedict, but the potatoes it came with.

Hope can find the time to come out here one day!  Oh, and don't forget, if you're not used to being out in the sun, or a harsher sun than that of where you live, don't forget to bring a higher SPF!  If you manage to get sunburnt, go to a local drugstore and pick up Aloe Gel, as it will work wonders and feels great!

Aloha, and <3 Always,

Krysti

Profile of the (truly) amazing Krysti

Krysti is a 21 year old blogger who runs KrystiEncounters, mainly a beauty, fashion, and lifestyle blog.  The blog started as a hobby and a small space to express herself and has since expanded to be a little more organized and include other topics.  She lives on the beautiful island of Oahu in Hawaii and loves to spread the 'Aloha Spirit' to those she meets.  Krysti is currently in University hoping to get her Bachelors in Business Administration, focusing more on marketing and is hoping to get a Social Media Marketing position in the future.

Side note from The Amateur Anthropologist

Well folks I hope you enjoyed this very special blog post from one of the best and nicest bloggers I've ever met. Make sure that you go and say hi to her if you're ever in Hawaii.

Remember,

Live, Love, & Learn

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