5 Things You Take for Granted when Living In The City

I've been wanting to write, what feels like an ode to London, for such a long time! I was looking through some of my archived photos and came across these which were taken back in October last year, the backdrop felt perfect for this blog post. I was born in London and have lived here for my whole life (bar my university years where I spent 3 away from home in Canterbury, and 1 in France during my year abroad) so London holds a special place in my heart and I am definitely a city girl through and through.

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I often speak to people who don't love living/working in London for various reasons, so today I thought I'd share the reasons why I love the city so much and things most of us take for granted when living in the city...

1. The ease of commuting

Yes, we all complain when five centimetres of snow brings the trains to a halt and just the thought of catching the tube at rush hour is enough to give you nightmares, nothing beats how easy it is to get from A to B in a city. Whether you're catching the bus or jumping on a train, it couldn't be easier to get from one side of London to the other and usually in record time. 

Not having to wait around for your scheduled bus or train to pull in is something that we often take for granted. Not to mention when you're running late and happen to miss that 10 past train or bus then you're forced to wait outside for the next scheduled one arriving twenty minutes later (if we have to wait more than 5 minutes for the next transport option in London we're instantly appalled!)

2. Friendships

A weekend with the girls, date night with your partner, a trip to the cinema or drinks at a bar with old pals - all are possible and don't require weeks of planning (I'd say the hardest part is to find a date that actually suits everyone!) London is an easy meeting point, it's fairly easy to get to, no matter where you're coming from, and there is a vast array of things to do regardless of the day, date or time. Catching up with friends and meeting new people couldn't be easier!

3. Being able to pop to the shops whenever

One of the first things that shocked me about living away from London was that every shop closes so early! The city centre was literally deserted from 6:00 PM which I couldn't get my head around. Not only that, when we didn't have milk in the house or needed to pick up a few bits in the evening this involved a drive to the nearest 24hr superstore as opposed to just putting on your coat and shoes and nipping to the corner shop.

4. There's so much to do

London houses an array of museums, markets, shops, monuments - the list is endless - I don't think you could ever be bored in the city. Whilst some of these can be expensive, the majority of museums are free including the Natural History Museum, Science Museum, V&A and some exhibitions in Tate Modern and the Saatchi Gallery so that's your weekend plans sorted!

Not only that, different seasons bring new pop up venues. Winter Wonderland opens its doors every Christmas, Coppa Club's domes emerge throughout the winter, Pergola's wisteria makes its appearance in the Spring and Neverland beach in Fulham opens its doors in the Summer - and those are only a few. There's always something new happening in London.

5. Being able to explore, easily

Finally, this point is sort of all of the above intertwined into one. Whether you're exploring the city of London or want to explore elsewhere; in the city you have an array of transport options, travelling within the UK is made easy with train links and coaches taking you almost anywhere and of course, it couldn't be easier to reach your nearest airport on the tube or train to get to a sunnier destination (because despite my love for London, I know the weather very rarely smiles at us).

Are you based in London? If so, what's your favourite thing about living or working in the city?

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Balloon sleeve jumper - New Look
Jewellery - Topshop
Mom jeans - ASOS
Red ankle boots - River Island
[Photos taken by Andre]