The Real Reality of Cheapness!

Rule number 1, "Do Not Convert". This is the basic principle that I have to adhere to people telling me London is expensive. London is really not that expensive.

Example Number 1: Housing. Tmax and I are rented into a nice 2 bedroom split level townhouse (terraced home here) with gas appliances, a conservatory and private garden as well as a garage (actually wasted space for the home). All in all it's about 2000 sq feet. It costs us 830 pounds per month. I don't know anywhere in Vancouver you can rent a 2 bedroom split level townhome for $830, except maybe in Langley. And we only live 10 minutes outside London Bridge, which is Central London.

Example Number 2: Food. Food costs are really not that high, unless you like tourist traps. Sub example a, Beer. A pint of beer here (PINT) is about 1.85 pounds at the cheapest to maybe 3 pounds, and this is at a bar. Vancouver standards charge at least 5 dollars, and thats for a bottle or glass. Ok, even in this example if you convert 2 Canadian Dollars to 1 pound, it still works out cheaper cause you are getting more beer in the pint and only paying tops of 6 dollars Canadian (way less if you go with the cheaper Witherspoons Bar Option, a real working mans pub!).
And as for sub example B, at Weatherspoons pubs, you cna get 2 entrees and a pint of beer for 10 pounds!. Where can you get that for 10 Canadian Dollars in the Couves?

One more example to drive my point. They have Marks and Spencer here that sells upscale food and clothes all in one retail bricks and mortar package. I just went out to M&S to buy some lunch. What did I get, I got a huge bowl of Chicken Tikka Masala and naan bread for 3 pounds. That included a Free Balti Bowl to take home. Total cost of lunch, 3 pounds. Sure you can spend 3 dollars for lunch in vancouver, but not for chicken tikka masala! Im stuffed!

So it's really not that bad here. Sure if you want to spend an arm and a leg and live in the West End or Chelsea, you can rent a studio for 3000 pounds per month, but thats if you're crazy!

So don't Convert when you think of cost of living.

dtm.

Honesty is the Best Policy

You have to admire the honesty that goes on in this country. If you subscribe to the principles of reverse pyschology, you will never trust a brit. "To be honest with you". Thats the saying. However is being honest the same as being blunt or descriptive? I was waiting for my subway when a message on the loudspeaker said "attention passengers, there is no southern service on the Northern Line due to a person under the train". I had to do a double take. I looked on the message board and it was written in big bold letters that a person was under the train. Well at least we knew what the problem was, no need to get alarmed! I am more used to the service announcement that "There is no service on the Skytrain east of Coquitlam due to technical difficulties". Perhaps being totally honest about the issue puts us at ease that we know what's really going on.

dtm.

This country is backwards!

It seems that Londoners take pride in their puke! You will find several sidewalks stained with the remnants of 2am kebab happy hour after a night of bingefull drinking. It seems to be socially acceptable to puke anywhere, with most people turning a blind eye, or cheering on the lucky bloke. Yet spitting is frowned upon. Should you desire to unload a white turtle because of sever mucous buildup in your sinuses, most Londoners will give you the evil eye. How messed up is that. I'd rather step onto a white turtle than minced lamb kebab.
dtm.