Tales from London

[deptfordmarmoset]

Too big and too built up. From my house I can walk into the centre of a decent sized city in twenty minutes - plenty enough cinemas, theatres, dance, eateries, pubs and ethnic diversity - and in ten minutes in the other direction on my bike I can be bowling along between drystone walls.

Because of the size of London, other ''off-centre'' centres develop up so you can usually get most things within easy walking distance. But when it comes to cycling out into the countryside, there you have a real unquestionable advantage.

 

[gaz]

But when it comes to cycling out into the countryside, there you have a real unquestionable advantage.

Depends where you live. 10mins for me and i'm cycling over cattle grids and dodging cows on the road.

 

[Hip Priest]

Go to London! I guarantee you'll either be mugged or not appreciated.

 

[ianrauk]

Go to London! I guarantee you'll either be mugged or not appreciated.

Go to London! I guarantee that you wont.

 

[Hip Priest]

Go to London! I guarantee that you wont.

Indeed. I was just quoting dialogue from Alan Partridge!

 

[ianrauk]

Indeed. I was just quoting dialogue from Alan Partridge!

ahaaaaaaaaaaaaa!

 

[Lisa21]

Im a country girl through and through. London, Glasgow, Manchester, Birmingham, etc etc...been there and was soooo glad to get back home. I couldnt live like that, its just not me. But we're all different. Im happiest with horses and dogs and if I never met any humans id not mind in the slightestwhereas others crave other people around them. Im happy though, and wouldnt want to change

 

[Hip Priest]

Alan really doesn't like London!

 

[defy-one]

Too big and too built up. From my house I can walk into the centre of a decent sized city in twenty minutes - plenty enough cinemas, theatres, dance, eateries, pubs and ethnic diversity - and in ten minutes in the other direction on my bike I can be bowling along between drystone walls.

i don't think i could live in Central London now, we moved to a semi rural village (by londoners standards anyway), and it's nice to experience the hustle bustle of the city and go back to a quiet village in the evening. when the wife and i were younger and had no kids, London realy was our playground.
there is a famous quote i remember..... "he who is bored of London, is bored of life"

 

[asterix]

Depends where you live. 10mins for me and i'm cycling over cattle grids and dodging cows on the road.

Unfortunately having lived near* Croydon for quite a few years and then moved north, I can only say there is simply no comparison between the compact, comfortable countryside on the outskirts of London and the wide and wild open spaces of Yorkshire, Lancashire, Derbyshire, Cumbria or Northumberland. You can't have it both ways!

*not too near, I have to say.

 

[mcshroom]

Heard it often, but I still prefer to live in the less crowded areas of England and visit the city than deal with it's daily frustrations

 

[DiddlyDodds]

London
Went there once , didn't like it , went home.

 

[Lisa21]

there is simply no comparison between the compact, comfortable countryside on the outskirts of London and the wide and wild open spaces of Yorkshire, Lancashire, Derbyshire, Cumbria or Northumberland.

Cantering on a horse across the wild, open countryside, where the only other living things you meet are sheep, the complete freedom,the breeze in you hair, even the rain, the beauty of the countryside all around, that to me is living. Of being free, and totally alive, and completely able to forget any worries you may have.
Compare that to being just another body in the rat run of humans on streets and pavements, only caring about where they need to be and what they need to do, or crammed in with strangers sweaty bodies in a sardine can poetically re-named a Tube
No thanks. That is not me.

 

[totallyfixed]

We were also in London yesterday picking up a new bike from Condor for dr_pink [very nice too]. I really enjoy visiting London, utterly fascinating, the people, architecture, food, the way that nearly everyone is doing something with their smartphones, ipads, ipods when riding the tube. I also get the feeling that no one actually sees you when walking around, an odd sensation when you come from a rural area where most of us say hello.
After saying all that the people in the bike shop were very friendly though, mind you the guy dealing with us was a northerner , another couple who had just bought a Pashley started talking to us and were very friendly. The overall impression I get is that on a superficial level Londoners appear very aloof but when you get talking to them it's a different story.
As to the cycling, walking back to Kings Cross we saw many bikes in spite of the rain and 2 things struck me, none had mudguards [which I guess will mean good business for bike shops repairing headsets] and none seemed at all worried by the traffic in that we saw one guy close to getting squished by a taxi but didn't remonstrate or even bat an eyelid and another swerving across traffic, jumping on and off the pavement to take a short cut and seemingly oblivious to any one else.
Yes I love visiting London, but one day at a time only, I can relax and take a deep breath when I get back to the countryside.

 

[Fnaar]

I love London (loved there/near there for a LOOOOOOOOONG time) and I also love the countryside. For different reasons.
I get a real buzz when I go back to London, though the crowds get to me after a while. So much to do, so much of it low cost or free, and I love the mix of cultures. I love New York a little more, but I've only ever visited there a few few times.