Sunshine in Southend

I recently started flexi time at work. This means that if I work any extra time, I can build it up to use as a day off. For my second ever full day off after building up enough hours, I decided to go on a trip to Southend on Sea in Essex with my Dad.

I've been to Southend once before when I was about eight when I went on a boat trip there with my family. All I could remember about it was a very long pier and not much else. This time, we caught the train there from Fenchurch Street.

Unfortunately, it was a grey and slightly grey day when we got to Southend. This didn't put us off one of our key reasons for our trip - a walk along the pier. We paid our £1 each and started walking. Initially, it wasn't too bad. Slightly windy with spits of rain. Unfotunately, it got a lot worse as we continued. The wind increased and the rain started pouring down. By the time we were halfway along the pier, we were soaked through. The little train that runs along the pier passed us at about this point, as if to remind us that walking was a stupid idea. As we had already got halfway, we carried on to the end. Getting wetter and colder as we went. As the weather was so bad, the view from the end of the pier was mostly cloudy and grey. The Thames estuary looked particularly grim.

Dad at the end of Southend Pier

 

Me at the end of Southend Pier

 

 

The weather was no less horrible after a few minutes of taking grim looking photographs so we took the decision to treat ourselves to the train back down the pier. For £3.50 in total, we could sit somewhere dry and vaguely warm. A pleasant alternative to the prospect of a rain and wind swept walk back.

 

We were both still pretty damp by the time we got back to the end of the pier so decided to find a warm café for some lunch. We found one pretty quickly where we had some non traditional soup and a Panini while sat fairly close to a radiator.

 

After we'd had some lunch, we'd vaguely warmed up and the weather was starting to brighten up. Although not fully dried out, we had a walk along Southend sea front. As it was winter, the fun fair and amusement arcades were all closed which made it a little bit depressing. Luckily the sun was starting to come out and the wind had completely eased off. Perhaps that would have been a better time to take a walk along the pier.