London Life

What does life in London look like at the best of times? Busy, crowded, smelly, dirty, angry? All of these words have been levied at Londoners over the course of my life. It is something that is prevalent across the world. The main capital city or the cities that live within the said country are despised. They are different. They are on the news more and people tend to be afraid of what is different. I was the same.

Before I lived in London my impression was of an overcrowded, smelly dump in which people simply grew angrier by the day. They didn't want to be where they are and yearned for the country.

The smell was something that bothered me on my first few visits and had no idea how anyone could live in such an area. I even remember thinking that I would never 'end up there'.

Now that I have lived here for more than five years, I cannot consider living anywhere else.

What Changed?

Well in the simplest sense, I began living here. I found a job and discovered something that many others have discovered over the last year, that commuting for more than ten hours a week is a surefire route to burnout. I would get home on a Friday night, only to yearn for my bed and the chance to regenerate ahead of the next week. I was exhausted when all I was really doing was sitting on a train. It was madness to continue.

When I made my move I was working in Teddington and therefore wanted to live somewhere close by and this is where I fond Raynes Park, which is a small suburb on the outskirts of Wimbledon. It is an unremarkable area of London but it was within walking distance of Wimbledon and only a 20-minute journey into work via the train. Waterloo is also a half an hour trip in the other direction and so whilst the area is unremarkable, the proximity to everything is.

Wimbledon Common is also a swift walk away and somewhere that was great for a run, something that cured me of my, London is a smelly city hang up. The fact that I had such beautiful countryside views in the city made me realise that I was wrong before. London is nearly 50% greenery and it is somewhere that I have fallen in love with. I wake up each day and whilst my rent is steep, I am grateful for the fact that I am able to live in London whilst I am still pretty young.

What do I Love the Most?

I love the fact that I can just head into an area and walk. This is something that you can do anywhere, yes, but in London, you end up discovering so many unique bars and restaurants, that no two areas in the city are the same. From Shoreditch to the South Bank and the area in which I live, there are just so many areas to see, that you will never see them all.

"Why, Sir, you find no man, at all intellectual, who is willing to leave London. No, Sir, when a man is tired of London, he is tired of life; for there is in London all that life can afford." Samuel Johnson

I would echo the sentiments above precisely. Even though we have and are still going through a traumatic event, a pandemic, we have still been able to go out for walks. Within this and when we have been able to, my fiancee and I have continued to explore. Less for the restaurants and bars and more for the scenery, but we have been able to find joy in the uncertainty. London has a bad reputation but for me, it is a blank canvas in which to explore and push the boundaries of what is possible.

What Do I Love The Least?

Nothing is perfect, let alone me. London also has its problems but then what area does not? London does feature in the news, showcasing people's ignorance and their inability to see the world from someone else's point of view. This is something that can be seen the world over and it has been proven that when the chips are down that some people will try to take advantage. There will always be that 1% of people who simply want to tear the world down.

I see it in London, as much as I could see it anywhere in the world. Fear drives many people to commit actions that are unbecoming of them but through the strength of the majority, the minority will always be just that, the minority. People shout and scream, congregate in large groups, which does annoy me given the fact that we should all be working together, but after a while, you need to let go. Focus on the thousands that have been and still are helping the vulnerable during this crisis. This is the strength of humanity and what we should all focus on.

What I love least is intolerance. There is intolerance in London as there is intolerance in the world, but the majority of people are open and happy with life. I rarely see incidents that make me question the world, and the vast majority want to help others or provide assistance. London is caring and so really any complaints that I have are with the entire world as a whole, not just London.

A Final Thought

No one knows what tomorrow will bring, at any time, let alone during a pandemic. The world has undertaken a seismic shift and for the United Kingdom and London, this has also seen us tackle this new challenge alone.

We have left our friends behind with Brexit and taken a big, bold step into the unknown. We are heading out into the world with no allies, yet London stands alone. We did not vote for Brexit and will forever be open in my eyes.

I love my life in London as it is free. I am able to tackle the world with people like me, those who want to work together to enable change, rather than increase hate. London is my home and I am proud to live here.