Life’s a Beach (And Then You Die)…Regards from The Sunshine Coast

Ah, Eastbourne, Eastbourne, Eastbourne… I moved here at the end of last year (due to The Chap), and I’m still figuring this little place out. Having never lived so far south before, nor by the sea, it is quite a change from the bustling cities or the remote rolling hills of my youth. It’s a town; and currently a pretty sleepy one at that. It’s overflowing with fish and chip shops, cute cupcake cafés and down to earth diners -one of which is run by a lovely elderly lady, whom we adore and always order her cracking full English! We happily munch away surrounded by the 1950s in a brown leather booth, complete with the daily papers, surrounded by an interesting collection of lava lamps…

There’s an impressive array of many white washed, tall and majestically archaic hotels by the (quite wonderful) sea front. They stand proudly in line, waiting patiently for the flooding influx of tourists that arrive each summer. So far, the inhabitants appear to be the over 60s. You can deduce this by their eating hours. If one is to stroll past thhis array of hotelage around 5pm, one can see dining halls filled to the brim of octagenarians chomping down on easily masticated foods such as mashed potato; a sea of light grey and white barnets moving slowly to the rhythm of Micahel Buble.

To give the town its dues, I’m not seeing her at her best with her rouge, sparkly hat and party dress. Summer’s her time to shine-excuse the pun-so perhaps I should save judgement on the whole until the warmer months. Chap and I shan’t be here for long, but I’d like to appreciate “The Sunshine Coast” when it’s at its best. For now, the diners will have to do. I just pray for one thing-that I don’t have to witness another elderly person  (egged on no doubt by his friends after too many sugar buns) stripping down to his knick-picks and doing a belly flop into the icy waters. Tut, tut, tut. I don’t know… Elderly of today, eh?