You want to live in London.?
Why on earth would I be giving someone the side eye to someone who says they would want to *live* here.
Ok, ok that’s sounds weird coming from me, a Londoner in love with my hometown and who made a blog highlighting the beauty of my city to the world.
Yes, it’s fun being here. Who wouldn’t want to wonder historical streets, eating Mexican for lunch and then Korean for dinner?
Who wouldn’t want to go to free muesums or see a number of wonderful, often world-renowned exhibitions?
Who wouldn’t want to go to places like Mayfair, Chelsea, Covent Garden to name drop a celebrity’s name you spotted enjoying the capital?
Well no one. But here’s the thing.
*Visiting* London is vastly different then *living* in London.
I am sure it is the same for many well renowned tourist spots. People see the cherry picked, best of the best photos of said place and think, ‘Oh , I want to live here!
I mean, I don’t blame them. So why am I still side eyeing their wish, their dream to come live here?
Because London is an expensive, often lonely, dirty town.
Unless you have a lot of money, a community already in the city or one you can build, or a real drive to live (not just survive) in this beautiful city, life is harsh.
There is a group called London Lonely Girls Club which is growing in number to tackle isolation as many people work so hard, friendship are difficult to maintain or even make in the first place.
Although it is a great idea, the fact so many women felt so lonely this group existed and is growing, shows how hard it can be.
Another thing is that London’s night life is in sharp decline. I try to go out to gigs, threatre and random fetes, but a lot of the venues I loved and visited have been closed, never to be replaced. If Underworld in Camden closes, my heart will never be whole after Borderline closed on me 💔
London is also super rainy. Google says it is one of the driest cities un the UK, but I swear whenever I go for a walk without my coat it rains on me, even if it is just a little.
Every. Time.
*Especially* when I plan to go look at the views. Instead of clean windows I get raindrops.
London is also rather a drain on your savings.
Want to live along?
Maybe you will luck out and get a studio flat for £700 a month (plus bills), If it’s not a scam, be filled with mold and/or have a landlord try to ask for sex for rent payments. (An actual thing. Go Google if you need proof.)
Want to have flatmates?
Maybe you will find your bestie for life, or again, have issues with other people or worse, face rent rises together year on year.
Want to settle and make roots?
Shared ownership, paying rent ON TOP of mortgage with the luck of the draw on whether it will be good or not. Or save forever for a deposit for a house with a small garden and a mortgage to make your eyes water.
Face with the cost of living with people being priced out of their basics and the fact even “good” jobs are feeling the pinch, you may not be able to have the lifestyle you wish here.
Add the travel cost to get to one place to the other and it will be easy to feel you are bleeding money just existing to be here.
Also, London like I said can be dirty. Fly tipping can be a big issue depending on which of the 33 Boroughs you find yourself in. There is an app to report big issues called Love Clean streets but it is still an issue. Some communities try to tackle this issue together with group litter pick up events..but it is sad to me instead of doing events like gardening, people have to pick up after others.
So yeah. I will side eye if you pack up from one place, which probably has wonderful, hidden sights to enjoy and appreciate for this city.
Visit by all means, pound the streets looking up, down and all around at the beauty and grandeur.
But if you do decide to cast caution to the wind and arrive like Paddington Bear….
Well I guess London *will* make you feel like home eventually. Just, don’t forget like everywhere else it has its ugly moments too.
