Socially Distanced Day Out: Brum

As you may know, some weeks ago I decided to take my first trip outside of my home town. It was a bit unnerving. But I quickly realised if you’re careful and take the right precautions, then the likelihood is that you’ll be fine.

Although the journey consisted of a long train journey, Chester (where I visited) is significantly peaceful compared to the hustle and bustle of Birmingham life.

It was the perfect way to get comfortable with traveling on public transport again. After my visit I finally felt comfortable taking the next big step and taking a trip to Birmingham.

I know it probably doesn’t sound like much, but I think it’s rather important try take baby steps at the moment. If you’ve read my previous posts then you know I’m a bit of a germaphobe, so I’ve been cautiously packing alternative types of hand sanitiser and seat covers whenever I get the bus or train.

Birmingham is brilliant, but it’s one of those heavily populated areas that I feel just might not fully abide by social distancing. I’m sure many of you can relate with the fact that some places are just impossible and some people simply don’t want to wear a mask.

So yeah, thats why I was scared. It felt like I was wondering into a war zone, But I was pleasantly surprised!

The Trains

As someone who used to commute to the city centre daily and get squashed into a carriage with 100’s of other commuters. It was a pleasant surprise seeing the trains empty and tranquil. I was able to secure myself a four seater so I could spread out and read my book.

I definitely think it’s worthwhile to bring anti-bacterial wipes and any other hygiene stuff. Trains aren’t being cleaned the way they should.

I was a bit concerned when I got off the platform and saw that Grand central was completely empty. There was a small line forming in the coffee shops but the spaces usually filled with commuters and tourists were completely empty.

The Shops

I think this is the most important part of this blog. Because most people who visit Birmingham do so for the shopping (but don’t get me wrong, there is LOADS of other good reasons to visit). The Bullring is the icon of our city and brings in millions each year. I think it’s pretty important we feel comfortable visiting, so here’s a breakdown of what shops I recommend visiting:

Myga

Although it has a pretty popular spot in the Bullring, Myga felt like an escape away from the chaos. The spiritual yoga shop offers a working space thats different from what your usual coffee shop has to offer.

Bubbleology

I wholeheartedly recommend visiting Bubbleology in the Bullring if you’re looking for a little slice of quiet in the chaos. I’ve actually written a sponsored post about why you should visit Bubbleology in the past but I think this Is the perfect opportunity to promote them some more. During my last visit I really felt like the staff were on top of their game. They made me feel comfortable and the place looked sparkling clean; which I know is something you come to expect in these new times. But I genuinely feel they took the extra step to make sure everything was spotless.

H&M home

I was quite surprised to find H&M to truly encourage no-touch browsing and a variety of other social distancing measures. H&M has always been a brand of minimalism but I felt like they went above and beyond to ensure that anyone who visited the store could wash their hands and shop at ease.

The People

The people were not as bad as I thought they were going to be. Birmingham is such a heavily populated space you can guarentee that social distancing will not happen. But for the most part people tried to respect it; if they didn’t, a swift place would remind them.