Guy Brighton: WEDS 2nd JUN : BACK IN THE UK

WEDS 2nd JUN : BACK IN THE UK

Landed pretty well with Air India thanks probably to the Zanax that the Lady's brother slipped me.

There seems to be an equal amount of similarity and difference with the US: everyone's talking about the price of petrol/gas. Now it's one pound to a litre versus 2 dollars for a gallon! On the other hand, the British papers seem to be the usual doom and gloom which is a nicce change from all the fear you read in the US press. Currently I notice that 1/3 of all Brits want to emmigrate (they wouldn't after reading my blog....) and there's the trains are up the spot (or people are getting well paid for them being so). At least the UK is not going to have to be scared for a number of undisclosed months until the terrorists attack.

On that note though - something to be scared about in the UK: The most striking aspect of life at the moment is 'England (soccer) Fever'. The pubs paint the fixtures on their chalkboards outside, cars drive with St George flags, flags fly from bedroom windows and everyone, yes everyone is wearing an English Football jersey. First game is still 10 days a way - and maybe someome's forgot to remind us (after drawing with Japan a couple of nights ago) that it's France we're playing for our first game. Shudder.

Now that I've popped down the East Sussex coast to see my folks in their new place. There's something quaint and nostalgic about the English seaside. Yes, it's cheap, yes it's a little shoddy - but it's full of innocent fun, full of making do, full of old values and oldies with grand kids. Today I can take a beach with pebbles and shingle and seaweed and breakers that stretches out to the sea. A beach from which you try to wave two fingers at France, if you could see it. Well - give me that beach for today and let me remember it when I'm spoilt on the golden sands somewhere far away another day.