9 Perks Of Living In London
1. You don’t need a car
London has a pretty good public transport system that consists of underground trains, known as The Tube, London Buses and overland trains. This makes getting around the city simplicity itself, and the need for a car just doesn’t exist. In fact, having a car in London is more of a pain, to be honest, as the traffic is really busy and parking (if you can find a space) is eye-wateringly expensive. So ditch the car and embrace travel like true Londoner, by using The Tube.
And if you want to exercise as you travel, then take advantage of the Santander Bikes that you can hire by the hour and pick up and drop off in hundreds of different locations around the city.
2. You can eat authentic food from virtually anywhere in the world
The multicultural population of London means that no matter what region of the world you fancy eating from, there’s going to be a great selection of restaurants to choose from. And you’ll find that these tend to be run by nationals of that country, so you’re guaranteed an authentic meal.
From Thai to Portuguese, Lebanese to Mexican, Senegalese to Cambodia, you really can find every type of global cuisine in the city. So pull up a chair and prepare to tuck in…
3. History is all around you, wherever you go
Where else in the world can you step out of work, or your front door, or the train and gaze upon such wonders as Westminster Abbey, Buckingham Palace and The Tower of London?
London is second to none when it comes to historical buildings and culture. And it seems that no matter how long you live in the capital, all you need do is step off the main roads to find other glorious surprises that you never realised existed.
4. You’re surrounded by some of the best art galleries on the planet
Such as the Tate Gallery and Tate Modern, The National Gallery, Saatchi Gallery, National Portrait Gallery and Serpentine Gallery… The list is virtually endless.
Another great thing is that many of London’s art galleries are free to visit, meaning there really isn’t an excuse not to discover all the wonders that are on offer.
5. You get to see some pretty amazing wildlife
Yep, even in such a highly populated city such as London, if you keep your eyes peeled then there are some wonderful natural sights to be seen.
There’s the parakeets that originally lived only near to Richmond, but have now thrived and can be seen all over the city. And what about the wonderful herds of deer that live in Richmond Park – a place to visit when you need a little break from the hubbub of city life. There are plenty of bats and it’s even been known for the odd Peregrine Falcon has been spotted. And it’s all because nearly a third of London is open or green space – and the wildlife love it!
6. Fish and Chips!
Many have tried to imitate this traditional British dish, and all have failed. Because when it comes down to it, the ONLY place to eat fish and chips is from your local chippy, and definitely out of the wrapper. A filling and staple meal that will see you get a decent amount of change from a tenner, it’s no wonder the humble fish and chips has remained a favourite over the decades.
7. Free Wi-Fi at underground stations
Who doesn’t rely on their iPad or mobile phone nowadays? And with the amount of downloads, videos and other things that eat up huge chunks of mobile data, there’s nothing better than a bit of free Wi-Fi.
Being as most Londoner’s spend a goodly amount of time on the tube, it was hailed an immediate success when the head honchos at Transport for London decided to offer free Wi-Fi access at every tube station. Certainly makes standing on the platform waiting for a train less tedious…
8. Everywhere is within about a 40-minute journey
Thanks to the wonders of the London Underground system, you can travel from one side of the city to the other in about 40 minutes or less. Sure, you might have to change trains a couple of times, but this iconic train network really does provide you with full access to the city. And it won’t take long before you get the hang of it, and learn which are the best lines to take for speed and ease of use. (Hint, if you can get on the Victoria Line, do – it really is the quickest of all of them).
9. You’ll truly learn to not care what the weather throws at you
There’s only one thing that you can rely on about weather in London, and that’s that you can’t rely on it…! If there was every a place in the world where you really can experience four seasons in one day, then this is it.
It won’t take long before you automatically carry an umbrella with you all the time, even if the skies are crystal clear and the weather forecast is for unbroken sunshine. And of course, various layers for when the weather decides to become unseasonably cold, or crazily warm for the time of year. But the great thing is that you’ll learn not to care what the weather does, because you can honestly carry on doing whatever it was that you had planned – in true British style.
Of course, when the weather is good in London, then it really is truly glorious. And you’ll then be able to take advantage of the huge amount of wonderful parks on offer. It’s just one of the small things that makes London such a fabulous city.