A Little About My Town: Bournemouth!



Where Bournemouth is on the Map

I moved to Bournemouth with my family when I was 8 years old, from a tiny village in Kent called Vigo. It was weird moving as it meant leaving behind family and friends and having to start all over again, 3 hours away from where I considered home. We moved to Poole, which is actually the town just next to Bournemouth, but as nobody from outside of the area actually knew where Poole was, I began to say I lived in Bournemouth to save questions. I met my best friend Aimee when I went to my new school and am so pleased I met her as she is my rock. She has stuck by me through so much and we have only ever had a couple of silly arguments, that lasted ages though!

I have fallen in love with where I live. It is just a great place to have grown up in and I am very grateful that my mum moved us here. I have nothing against Kent, I know a lot of people from there, and I spent the first 8 years of my life there! But, it is so much better in Bournemouth! My mum had bad asthma when we lived in Kent but it has dramatically improved since we moved. I wanted to show others how great the place I live is so I thought I would write a list of my top 5 reasons I love Bournemouth:

1. The obvious one, Bournemouth is a seaside town!

 

Bournemouth Beach


Bournemouth is a seaside town, which means I live approximately a 5-10 minute drive away from the sea. For me, this is amazing, even in winter as I feel that being by the sea can relax me like nothing else. When I used to be depressed I would go to the sea almost every day just to listen to the waves crashing against the sand and breathing actual fresh air. In the summer, it tends to get crowded with all you holiday makers which can be annoying as there is literally never anywhere to park! It is worth it though, as places like Sandbanks has sand that has been imported from the Sahara Desert! In those rare heat waves we get you can even believe you are abroad for a bit. Theres miles of sand in Bournemouth, so even when it is packed, you can find a spot to sunbathe. Being by the sea also means we get surfer guys here, ice cream stands wherever you look, and even fairgrounds by the pier. It can be like getting away every day in the Summer, it's great!

2. The Shopping

 

Castlepoint Shopping Centre


Bournemouth as quite a good range of shops, all the main fashion ones are there in the town centre. There is also a shopping centre called Castlepoint which has more shops with a massive free car park which is always a bonus. My sixth form was a 5 minute walk away from here and we were allowed off campus in our free periods and at lunch which meant I spent a lot of time at Castlepoint. I went through a phase of buying a sex book each time I was there which is why I now have a lot of sexual literature! If these shops aren't enough there is also the massive West Quay shopping centre in Southampton, which is 45 minutes away by car. This place is amazing for shopping, one of the best shopping centres in the south.

3. The Nightlife!

 

Bliss Bar


Bournemouth is famous for its nightlife. Hen and Stag parties have been coming here for years due to the huge amount of clubs, restaurants and bars in the town centre. There are also a range of strip clubs including Spearmint Rhinos and Wiggle, the latter of which I have been to a couple of times and can tell you it is not seedy at all, in fact it is a really good night out. There is so mcuh variety of places to go that no matter what sort of night out you are hoping for, it's possible in Bournemouth. I used to love the clubbing scene but since having had Cameron I prefer the more laid back places and cocktail bars like the ones I went to with my friend Katie when she came down to visit me. We went to Hot Rocks and 1812 and another time went to Bliss. Bliss is probably one of my favourite places to go out. It has two floor; the top floor is chart music whilst the lower floor is more r'n'b. A photo of me and my friends on a night out dressed as Playboy Bunnies used to be behind the bar in one of the little bars called Fruit, which was pretty funny!

4. The Entertainment:

 

Derren Brown's Enigma Tour was at the BIC


Bournemouth Internation Centre (BIC) hosts some of the best acts including chart topping artists and bands, top comedians and a personal favourite, Derren Brown. It also hosts events of every kind imaginable including a wedding fayre and even a beer festival. As well as this, there are 2 cinemas in Bournemouth Town Centre, always showing the latest films, and there is a further cinema in Towe Park Leisure complex in Poole. This place also has Splashdown, which has loads of flumes and whirl pools etc. There is also a bowling alley, gym, casino, bingo hall and an arcade. Back in the town centre, there is a snooker club and plenty of things to do both day and night, including the Oceanarium, which I visited for the first time the other day.

5. The Countryside
 

New Forest



Bournemouth is very much a medium sized town on the coast, but if you want more of a countryside feel to things, the New Forest country park is incredibly close by (about 20 minute drive away). This place makes you feel like you are miles from anywhere and has horses and ponies roaming around everywhere. It's a great place to go for a day out or to stay overnight if you want somewhere for the family, or if you are looking for a romantic weekend. There are loads of walking routes you can take, as well as the opportunity to cycle.

So, that's my top 5 reasons why I love where I live. I don't really think I will ever move away from Bournemouth now as I can't really see a reason why I would want to. I would hate living in London, for example, as it is way too crowded for me. I see Bournemouth as the best of both worlds. It can be peaceful and quiet or loud and exciting depending on where you go and what you do. Pefect!