Monday, April 14, 2008

And so we move on....from North to South

Well another move was on the cards as it was time I became a South Londoner, as you cannot truly have lived in London just having glammed it up on the North shores of the glorious Thames. While a Northerner would say how wonderful it is there on that side, a Southern would say how wonderful it is on the South side.

Its not something I can argue with as I have only live North, and... I loved living North. The very reliable, albeit crowded (and full of smug marrieds or couple's) Jubilee line, the lovely village like West Hampstead and Hampstead high streets, the crowded and bustling Kilburn high street (you'd swear you were in East London), Wembley stadium, proximity to Oxford Street (clearly my credit card will thank me for the Southern move or not...more on that later), Primrose Hill, the crazy and kooky Camden markets and Koko, the Haverstock hill restaurants, Belsize Park, my pub the Holly Bush and my most loved (and this will be dearly missed) Hampstead Heath and the amazing views of London that it affords. Sigh...

I love all the parks so I will miss most of those on the North side, including Regents Park and Parliament Hill, and I will also be disapointed of not having visited parts of the North that I just really never got a chance to get to (though there is still time) like Little Venice and all the canals.

Anyway as just a little farewell to my lovely little Hampstead flat and Fitzjohns Avenue, here are some photos that I have taken to show what living there was like....

So moving on....where am I going? Well South of the River for sure and landing square along the middle of Queenstown Road, Battersea.. Am I on the coast suddenly? Well I wish, but no just South of Sloane Square, a 6 minute walk (yes I timed it) from the Queenstown road overland station and smack bang between Clapham Common and the very beautiful Battersea Park.

It is very different from Fitzjohns Avenue, very flat, lots of buses, close proximity to friends (more random nights out here we come), a decent corner shop (there was a downside to the old place), but I will have a TV, a gorgeous and massive bath, a big kitchen, a good sized and cosy living room and a deck! Yes outside space with a BBQ and if that is not enough half of the kitchen is like a mini conservatory so will be lovely on sunny wintry days. My place for the sun and parties come sunny London in June....and through to August, fingers are tightly crossed in regards to this...pretty please.

My only concern is that I have no idea where the local supermarket is or how far anything is on foot. I will have to up my running just to explore the area a bit more, find the shops, the pub, the local offie, and check out the parks and restaurants. Now on to the credit card dilemma, well the Kings Road and Sloane square are well known for their shopping, so all the rent money I will now save, is going on shopping, well that works perfectly as that was actually my original plan. Though since I also want to visit Australia a bit more, that may have to be curbed and heaven forbid it I will have to stick to some sort of budget. It won't be the first time so all is good.

In the meantime I am still in Australia and all is currently well, and having only lived one night so far in Battesea I look forward to spending more time there soon.

My Building

Summer view

Summer Street

Autumn view

Foggy view

Winter View

Winter sunrise....there is no way I am getting up at 4am for the summer sunrise!

Spring blossoms, about a month before my move...
My fav photo in my flat, one picture of my many flowers.....

3 comments:

Heather Anders said...

WTF!!!

Oh. My. God.

For some reason I assumed that because I was no longer doing my blogs (trying to fix that as I type), that no-one else was. There is soooooo much on here to read!!

I'm going ot have to get myself a cup of tea and get cracking...

(PS. South of the River is where it is at.)

Anonymous said...

I think you have missed out one salient piece of information. You had a very helpful if not slightly distracting removals man !!!! who misses you very very much !!!

Anonymous said...

Enjoy the south, hope the jet lag back in London isnt too bad