I only have 6 more sleeps in London. EEEEK! Its scary but my brain doesn't want to believe that I am leaving. I am in denial. and I haven't packed yet.
Here is the third installment in my London retrospective written by my dear friend Mary. In the cold, frosty winter of 2008/9 Mary spent some time living and working in London and then traveling around Europe. Many of her experiences of living in the city influenced my opinion and knowledge even before I arrived here. I remember being shocked that Tesco sold Vodka and that the pubs closed at midnight. You can read Mary's delicate ramblings and poignant socio-pop commentary at saving ink and paper.
1. Why did you move to London?
I moved to London for a bunch of not-that-impressive reasons. 1. It’s not Adelaide. 2. It’s not Melbourne. 3. It’s further away than Sydney. 4. People speak English there and it’s actually possible (in theory) to get a working visa and then a job. 5. And of course all of the interesting culture which London seems to possess.
Like everyone else I had the optimistic plan of ‘living in London and saving lots of money while I worked.’ Like everyone else I found out too late that it was about a easy to save money living in a fancy hotel as living in London and being paid five pounds an hour.
2. What were your first impressions?
My first impression was mainly that it was really super cold and grey; my friend and I had just come from 3 weeks in NYC (which was also cold but less grey) and it was so strange going from the crazy loud unruly subways there to the lovely civilised quiet tube where everyone stared at us for talking too loudly and taking up too much room with our backpacks.
It also immediately occurred to me that if you stand in a corner for 5 minutes in London you will see more attractive people than I have EVER seen in Adelaide the entire time I’ve lived there.
Well I think the Tesco Metro in Elephant and Castle was definitely a winner. That’s definitely where I spent a lot of time. No not favourite.
But there was this amazing little Italian restaurant just down stairs from our apartment with the friendliest Italian men who worked there and it was cheap and nice.
But apart from that (the only good thing in elephant and castle likely) – I loved Burrough markets, Covent Garden - and wagamamma - and of course the whole Shoreditch/east London kind of area for shopping purposes.
4. What has surprised you most?
Ummm that 5 pounds an hour is supposed to be a good rate?? And that people can actually live off that when the rent and tubes and things are so expensive.
At least alcohol is cheap.
Also that everything closes even earlier than in Australia – I had previously thought that we were the most uptight nation in the world. And that you could buy homebrand spirits and things from the supermarket.
5. How has your idea of the city changed since being there?
It has probably become a little less glamorous. But in other ways it has become very much the opposite – there are more things happening in London than I could have comprehended ever happening anywhere. It’s just hard to get in on them without a direct link because they’re so ‘underground’.
That’s difficult I don’t know if I could choose one thing! The plentiful good looking men? If that counts as one thing? Except the only problem with that in London was that there were an equal number of good looking women to take them all. Or the bar I worked at – I would love to work there again now and to do a better job than the mess I made of waitressing last time. It was such a fun job, after service had finished – free cocktails and dancing on the bar to Brazilian/indie music.
7. East London Boys: Love them or hate them?
Most of them are basically jerks. and I like it when they are fashionable but still ugly – that makes me feel better about my life.
However I must admit to loving them a fair bit deep down inside - reluctantly. Good looking people aren’t usually all that nice people as far as London is concerned is what I discovered. But there are exceptions of course
Images via fuckyeahhackney and another Hackney photographer.
No comments:
Post a Comment