Grim Down South?

I live in the North of England and for the past few weeks have been doing a spot of work experience and had a short Staycation (what a nice crossbred word - I think travel likes making up words more than me) - both of which took place in the South of England. So firstly, I was lucky enough to have the opportunity to do a few days work experience in London with a PR/journalist person for what I'd call 'first world problem' related things. I'll add in here that it was amazing and while I can say I can't see myself working in the specific area I did, it's such a vast field and, best of all, I got the opportunity to dabble in a spot of writing. After, I continued my journey South and went to stay with family in Dorset. Recently home again; I thought I'd write a post on a few of my favourite things from my time there.

Discovering the 'proper' London

I've visited London quite a few times as a proper tourist (complete with rain poncho, camera glued to my hand and backpack of cheese sandwiches). This time it was entirely different; I noticed how eerily quite the London Underground is in the morning work rush hour as everyone’s half awake or wearing headphones, how everyone seems to meet after work on warm nights to chat outside pubs, how many cool places there are like Sketch, Neal's Yard, all of Soho, Clerkenwell, Hoxton and just how much stuff there is going on!

It led me to think, would I utilize any of it? I didn't have time to really stop and take lots of pictures or visit anywhere. The amount of stuff available seems to greatly outweigh the amount of free time - rendering it impossible to experience, as people tend to spend so long working to afford to live there. It’s also clear that the tourist-like enthusiasm begins to disappear after living there for a long time. I can understand that. The first time I got the bus by my self to school I thought 'wow look at me, so cool, very grown up'. Now I hate it and have realized how many people need to rediscover the joys of soap and water and I can't wait to pass my driving test. Would I eventually get fed up with London travel? When a new museum opened near me I didn't visit it for months because I assumed, as it was near me, I'd get round to going eventually. Would I adopt this attitude if I ever lived in London? The answer to both, in many cases, would be yes. While it makes me sort of sad to realize that I would be too tired to waltz round the city watching the sun set, sit with the people wring ongoing novels in cafes or join the neo-bohemians in Hoxton Square all the time, you've got to be more realistic...as everyone seems to be saying lately.

Where do you live?

I experienced this next one in both London and Dorset.

Person: "Where do you live?"

Me: "Err…outside Zone 5…"

Person: "Oh, where about?"

Me: "Err...Yorkshire…"

Person: "Oh, I have a friend who lives in Hull."

Me: "While Hull is, correctly, in the North of England it's not actually in Yorkshire *adopts northern accent* you know nothing...Jon Snow." (Except not this last part).

Yes, I realize that people kept mentioning the North and looking at me; perhaps to be friendly, add interest to the conversation or even in an attempt create some connection between us in the short time we had talked. Nonetheless, I still found it hilarious that people kept saying things such as; "She worked in Manchester" or "The company was based in Scotland" with an expectant look towards me that appeared to hoping for a response along the lines of "Ahhh yes, of course I recognize those places, in fact, I may even know the person you are referring to - for they are near me in the North of this world". Instead I had to try to stop myself saying "My friend lives in Morocco, that's in the South isn't it?”

The rainy North

Comments on the weather being finer in the South was mainly observed on the south coast. I found the fierce climate rivalry hilarious. Does the temperature even vary that much? You may have more Waitrose but we have around the same amount of rain, so there!