To wonder how people cope living in London?!

[WinterIsHereJon]

I'm visiting for the weekend. It's hot, sweaty, incredibly busy. We had the misfortune of travelling on the tube during rush hour earlier, people pushed and pushed onto an already full train, to the point where I became rather intimately acquainted with a chap behind me. Despite the complete lack of room people were still attempting to read newspapers! I think I'd snap if that was part of my daily routine, I don't know how people do it!

I agree Dacre . Of course people exist outside London. It's that arrogance that people accuse Londoners of and makes people who live elsewhere resent London, and Londoners, especially when resources and jobs are concentrated in the South East when they should be spread more evenly around the country.

Yes PGTIPS It's fine talking about theatres and nightclubs, until you factor in the £20 an hour you have to pay a babysitter to have a night out, or the getting in from work at 7pm because you have to pay your extortionate mortgage to pay, or the £100 a day you are paying per child in childcare costs.

I love London. Yesterday we took our children to Crystal Palace Park to see the stone dinosaurs - absolutely free and a playground right next to them as well. I've lived in London for 16 years and had no idea they were there until last month. This morning I got off the tube one stop early to walk through Victoria Embankment Gardens, which are always lovely in the summer. I love the diversity and inclusivity I see here, having grown up in a very rural area which I also love, but where difference was frowned upon. I love the spirit Londoners showed after the 7/7 attacks. I spent my entire childhood and youth in one place and never thought that anywhere else would be home, but now London is my home.

All that said, my husband and I have well paid professional jobs and we managed to get on the housing ladder ten years ago. We are very lucky and I know that our London life is very much not open to everyone.

We tried living in Hertfordshire for two years. Long, expensive commute, no local jobs and would have had to put DD in local nursery to be picked up at 7.30 pm. All in exchange for a slightly bigger (but still damp and drafty) house. And nothing but boring market towns stuffed with anxious, white middle class people as far as the eye could see.

So I sometimes wonder how people cope with living outside of London.

Don't mind London for the occasional weekend away or work trip. But it's full of southerners. As a northern girl you can only take so many for so long. Also don't like the feeling expressed by many on this thread of being a 'tourist' who is 'clogging it up', it's the capital of the country I was born and live in. I have every right to be there.

Maybe you should slot off again to be with all the northers again then yaaas.

So I sometimes wonder how people cope with living outside of London.

We don't really cope. We spend all our lives dreaming about living in London.

Bahahahaa @queenbean confirming the Londoners have no sense of humour theory in t minus 60 seconds !!! Christ love don't come up here we'll eat you alive.

Also what the tuck does "slot off" mean is that southernese for fuck off ??!!

I hated London both times I visited. Loud, polluted, gridlocked and so many people. I live in rural West Cork and I would never ever go back to city life. Even Dublin, which is half the size of London.

I agree Dacre . Of course people exist outside London. It's that arrogance that people accuse Londoners of and makes people who live elsewhere resent London, and Londoners, especially when resources and jobs are concentrated in the South East when they should be spread more evenly around the country.

YY

@loki to be fair west cork is pretty spectacular

I'll explain it to you when you explain what "tuck" means in that context?

Ps, I'm from Newcastle, but thanks!

I love it here and my daughter has a wonderful life here, sure we could make it work elsewhere but for us this is home.

Not all Londoners use the underground everyday, I use it perhaps once a month. Not all londoners are rude. Not everyone lives in the hustle and bustle. Our house backs onto a canal and a riding school. We wake up in the morning and see the horses in the paddock and herons on the water. It's beautiful, and definitely not something I experienced growing up in the Midlands.

This was the view of the marina 5 mins from my house first thing this morning.

Did you really just say that yaas?

Im with the others that say they wonder how people exist outside London.

I hoped this was a light hearted comment. We recognise Many downsides to London (crowding, pollution, poverty, crime and higher prices) but also the good sides - a beautiful world class city; which as other people have pointed out, is comprised of a series of linked towns which inspire loyalty.

Gosh yaaaas what is wrong with you? Coming on a parenting forum just to be vile and abusive. What a happy and fulfilling life you must have.

My dad was from Cullercoats, big kisses to all the Geordies on here, that place has a real hold over me

Moved away from london last year as priced out :-( miss the buzz and the general fabulousness of London but not the Central Line at rush hour! Now have a ten minute commute to work in the car, its a million miles from my old life.

Ooooohhhh pulls up chair....
I have fruit pastilles

Forgot to add I found London to be one of the friendliest cities I have been. Sigh...I miss London!

I really have no idea what your issue is with me. It's incredibly childish and bad mannered to bring up other threads on different ones.

Fwiw, some posters on that thread handed me my arse on a plate and I felt utterly different about it afterwards and totally changed my view on things. If you'd like to read further.

However, given that what we are doing is advanced searching each other I can also see that you've been vile and abusive to many other people on many other threads. And have also posted that you're unhappy with your life.

Whatever your issue is with me, I have no idea but it's clear you need serious help. I wish you the best in getting the help you need.

Ha!! It is a shit place sometimes but for our family it is home. I personally cope by never ever taking the tube, I walk or bus it and if not possible I drive or uber. I am lucky to be able to drive to work in the city which I know is rare. I live in a tiny 2 bed flat with no garden but it is worth it as my drive to work is 25min. My mixed race son has friends from all backgrounds. He is starting a much diverse inner city primary rated outstanding in September. I have something new to do with him every day of the week, often for free.

For all its faults, it is simply home