There are ups and downs to living in London, but after nearly a year it’s safe to say that the positives far outweigh the negatives. For anyone considering moving to London (or visiting for lengthy period), this page has been created in order to provide a few crib notes:
Drivers License: renew yours before moving over. The process of getting a UK license is painful, unnecessary and expensive. Just change-over your license to another address in the US (like your parents’)
Banks: Getting a bank account in the UK is a necessary evil and, we think, an exercise to determine if you’re truly worthy of the experience. It’s a maze as you can’t rent a place without an account, you can’t get an account without a cell phone (and a job) and you can’t get a cell phone without an address! At first it’s really daunting, but THEN you get a pay-as-you-go phone (the cheapest you can find) and you’re able to tackle the other challenges one by one.
Eating: Ick! Don’t try the English pies and such. Even the true English have side-stepped their “authentic” foods for more tasty options from around the world. A couple safe bets are fish & chips, pastys (meat and veg filled pastry pockets) and Banoffee Pie. And, I shouldn’t forget, an authentic scone with clotted cream and a cream tea. But, then move on to the range of wonderful foreign options available…Thai, Japanese, Indian, Chinese and other options abound.
Finding a Flat: The process can take as long or as little time as necessary. We began by touring the neighborhoods we had short-listed before arriving. After our “tours”–consisting of a walk to see if there were neighborhood groceries, restaurants and a decent local tube station–we concentrated our efforts on our top three areas (for us, Hampstead/Belsize, West Hampstead/Swiss Cottage and Bayswater). I spent multiple nights e-mailing every estate agent I could find in these areas letting them know of our “needs” and if I was interested in any of the properties on their sites. After 3 days of contacting agents by night and touring flats by day, we found the perfect place. Others have said that the process can take much longer.
Summer clothes: Leave them at home. bring a few, but be aware that you may never need them. While we’ve had a few warm days in the last month or so (and in April), our weather has generally been quite mild. A few weeks ago (in late June/early July), I had to dig out my light wool sweaters. If offering any advice, I’d say buy MORE winter clothes elsewhere before moving to London–you’ll need them AND they’re crazy expensive here.
Umbrellas: They get lots of exercise here. No Londoner leaves home without one. While you might be tempted to buy a really nice one since folks will see more of it than of you, resist. You’ll lose it on the Tube, in the Pub, in a cab, etc. Same thing with scarfs and gloves…do spring for the push button pop-up version, though. It’s well worth it when you have your hands full of groceries and it begins to downpour.
The Water: Possibly the worst water we’ve experienced. That white film that collects on your faucets and basins is Limescale. They sell limscale remover at all major grocery stores, etc. Go for the spray bottle instaed of the gel…It works like a charm. Unfortunately, you can’t remove the Limescale from your skin and it’s very drying (I’ll let you know if I find a way). To counteract the drying, use a body wash instead of harsher soap. And do invest in a Brita as carrying water home from the market is not fun.
Return to Sender: The old tenants forgot to forward their mail and no one has their address. Just like in the US, the UK mail folks will oblige and return mail to sender if you mark it as “Unknown”, slash through the address and place it back in the mail bin.
Housewares: If you’re on a tight budget, skip the John Lewis and Selfridges and go straight for the Ikea and Marks & Spencer. Ikeas are located far out in the suburbs, but the cost savings are well worth the work. But don’t go alone! You’ll need at least two sets of arms to carry back your load.
Window Cleaner: Ick! The stuff that looks like Windex isn’t. Forget the “Windowlene” or whatever they call it these days and go straight for the green stuff–“Mr. Muscle”. Much better for windows and countertops.
Clothes: Everyone’s taste is different. BUT, I will attempt to shed some light on some general things. First, US sizes are 4 sizes smaller than their UK equivalents. A size 6 in the US is a size 10 in the UK. In the US, jeans shrink when washed and worn. It’s the opposite in the UK. If the smaller size is snug, buy it. Otherwise, you’ll end up with lots of loose jeans (like mine!). Buy jeans before moving here if you can. With the exchange rate and the price of goods being so much higher here, you routinely pay £40 for a pair…that’s the equivalent of $80. EEK! My favorite store is Zara. Nice clothes, stylish, good quality and reasonable prices. Some love Topshop and H&M–I’ve been unimpressed. I also like Reiss for suiting.
Worthwhile Days Out: With so many things to do in London, you’re never really at a loss. But, some outings are, obviously, better than others. Here’s a list of our favorites:
- Picnic on Primrose Hill
- Garden Walk in Regent’s Park
- Art at the National Gallery (discounted on Wednesday nights, I think)
- Drinks on the Thames (riverboats or on the banks)
- Borough Market
- Champagne at the Royal Exchange
- Chelsea Garden Show
- Dinner in Camden (surprisingly nice, but affordable restaurants)
