We’ve lived in London for exactly a year now… And it has definitely the biggest challenge I’ve ever faced. I am naturally a shy person, who loves routine and order (just ask my mum). I’m the sort who wants every smidgen of detail before making a decision, and will happily recruit another two pals to go along to a new yoga class with me. So uprooting and moving to a whole ‘nother city, twice the size of my country, with no plans was kind of a big deal.
There’s been ups – hello Europe – and downs, read constant shifting for 6 months, job changes. But I’ve done it. I am still alive and happy. Bonus, I can tell my 5ps from my 20s, and Argos from a bookies. I know that you should never read the tube map as an accurate geographic representation of the city, and that the secret to staying warm in all in the layering. I’ve found that you can get good coffee in London, and discovered the magic of mulled cherry beer. There’s many new, lovely, brilliant people in my life. Beigels 24 hours a day just down the road is pretty good too…
Of course, I couldn’t have done any of it without Thom. Knowing someone is on your team is the best feeling in the world. So here’s a little wrap up, month by month. 365 sunrises.
August. Crashing in the living room of my brother’s flat while he lived in a pub. We never did meet the Colombian housemate in the four weeks of staying there, but we did hear him.
September – we enjoyed temporary solace in Bethnal Green. The leaves were already turning.
October. Falling in love with Brick Lane, and shooting loads of film.
November, moving house, job, getting lost. Wandering the streets like a waif, basically. Oh, yes, and we did go to Belgium which was AWESOME.
December. A trip to Bath to the markets. Winter Wonderland and bottles of wine. My first white Christmas.
January. I spent the first day of the visiting the Tate Modern and more wandering the chilly city. (This bike has never moved from its spot near Old Street roundabout. I’m starting to think it has special powers!)
February brought the great snow. This is the Barbican, a beautiful Brutalist arts centre, softened by white powder. Even the lake was frozen!
March, new desk. For someone who moved with just a 30kg suitcase, I sure have accumulated a lot of stuff.
April. Another jaunt to Paris, then Barcelona. I ate so many pastries I thought I’d pop.
Finally the sun came back in May.
June. This is the cemetery William Blake is buried in, along with Daniel Defoe. The squirrels in this park are exceptionally tame – I could spend hours hanging out with them.
July – almost back where we started, but in much happier, contented circumstances. And higher up too! This photo was taken at a bar on the 48th floor of a Canary Wharf tower.
