I was surprised quite a bit by London, not just in the first few weeks but in the first year. Occasionally it still surprises me, but here is a list of things that spring to mind from my first few weeks and months:

• Native Londoners are mostly unfriendly and do not want to get to know you. As a result the first three people I made friends with were two Americans and a French woman.
• Still on that subject, be prepared to work hard to make any friends. Like many big cities it can be very lonely and almost everyone is in a hurry a lot of the time.
• It is relatively easy to get around on public transport but it is slow. Be patient when travelling. If you have the option then avoid travelling in the rush hour.
• Accommodation is either very expensive or it is merely expensive and very small. Cheap accommodation is extremely rare and usually so bad it is dangerous to be in.
• The street markets are fantastic. Like all street markets they contain a lot of cheap junk but if you shop carefully they also contain extremely high quality goods at modest prices. I’ve bought shirts that cost £30-£45 in the shops for just £5-£6 in a street market, and no, they aren’t fakes. You can tell the fakes because the first time you wash them they start to deteriorate.
• There are people here from all over the world so it is a great chance to meet and learn from them.
• London has a lot of fantastic museums and art galleries, most of them free to enter. The Victoria and Albert museum alone could keep you busy for months and it is just one of many that good.
• Eating out is generally expensive. Quality varies wildly, from very poor to extremely good.
• Cinemas are expensive compared to other parts of England and once again quality of the seating varies wildly, from good to so shabby it is hard to believe.
• The parks are fantastic and include a lot of wildlife that will eat out of your hand. In recent weeks I have had a female squirrel actually sitting on my shoulder in Kensington Gardens, a first for me. In addition there are many small birds in that park that recognise regular visitors and they will land in your hand to take food. There are crows that recognise me and will eat out of my hand there too, as well as a couple of jays. One robin has been known to follow me around the park demanding food if I walk through to take a short-cut. Oops, I didn’t bring any food…
• London has over 30,000 wild Indian ring-necked parakeets, also known as rose-ringed parakeets. Yes, really. You mainly see them in the big parks but they are sometimes found anywhere there are large trees. Although in most parts of London the parakeets will not come close to a human there are a few spots where groups of them have learned from the smaller birds and they will eat out of your hand.

A few photos from Kensington Gardens:

1. A discerning robin inspecting seeds before making a selection.

2. A squirrel, less than 4 months old. He started climbing on me at 3 months but we didn’t manage to get a photo of him then sadly. Most of them do not climb on people till they are at least a year old, so I named this guy Bold One.

3. Me helping a little girl to keep still so the bird would come to her. That’s my right hand under her elbow. Her expression after this event was unfortunately not captured as she turned to me and away from the camera. Priceless.

4. A squirrel eating sunflower seeds out of my hand.

5. Oh, come on, now you’re just showing off…

EDITED to correct spelling and make it easier to read.

The fact that it’s so lonely and unwelcoming.

Initially I thought maybe it’s just my own experience and I’m doing something wrong - so I started to talk to people/ friends about this - and they ALL have the same experience:

It’s nearly impossible to create meaningful social connections in this behemoth of a city, and nearly impossible to keep and nurture your existing ones - even with people whom you’ve known for decades.

Why? I’ve narrowded it down to a few reasons:

1. Everyone here seems to have come on a temporary basis - the plan was to come here for career purposes/ make some money - than move away, either to another country or back home (home country). So nobody really wants to “integrate” into the social and cultural life of the city, both of which are amazing.
2. Nobody is actually from here - everybody is from somewhere abroad (most likely) or somewhere else in the UK. So all people have stronger feelings and a connection to wherever they are from and the people from there - rather than to anything else.
3. Everybody is preoccupied/ only cares about the daily grind: work->commute->home->sleep; 99% of people that I know here in London only care about these 4 things, and don’t make time for anything else. The city and lifestyle transformed otherwise stable balanced people.
4. It’s very spread-out - so it takes ages to get anywhere - even though the public transport system is amazing and truly deserves praise. But it still takes one +1h to get pretty much anywhere. So combine this with point (3) -> and you get people who don’t go anywhere/ do anything besides work.
5. Property/ rent prices - among the highest in the world, if not THE highest in the world. -> so people move faaar away into the suburbs - and take longer and longer to get to work or “central” London (zones 1–2). So this combined with point (3) and (4) makes them stop coming to central London altogether - where all the magic happens. And if one’s friends live on the other side of town - the only way to meet them occasionally would be to go to the city centre (half-way). But for some people that’s already too far - and never do.
6. Modern contemporary life and an advanced service system: one can do everything from home, order everything to be delivered, have entertainment, food, sex, anything - to their doorstep; and work from home. So some people just stop leaving their houses altogether, getting stuck in the comfort trap….

I moved to London from a different country and a much smaller city, so pretty much everything was new and surprising, at times puzzling, at times exciting. But I put it down to the British culture as a whole, and living life in a city 30x bigger than the one I had just left behind.

Then 2.5 years later, I decided to relocate to Manchester on a whim, and having lived here for over a year, I’m in a better position to understand what makes London so different. But it’s not something I would have discovered right away; it took me a while to figure things out and draw my own conclusions.

• Everyone is always busy. Commute, overtime, chores, stress… lots of time and energy spent just sorting out “life admin”, like getting from A to B, making money, spending money, cooking, staying fit etc. Then there’s the things that make life worth living - a restaurant booking, a movie, a weekend getaway. You can’t just call a friend and say - hey, let’s meet for coffee tomorrow; they’ll probably consult their agenda, and book you a slot for Sunday at 12.45pm, three weeks from now. Until then, they are either overbooked, or trying to catch their breath after all the things they’ve crammed into that agenda.
• It’s hard to keep friendships. Not just because of the point I mentioned, but also because of distances (I had an old friend living at the opposite end of the central line; we used to meet about 3x a year, it was just such a long way to go), less emotional availability (people are polite, but rarely get personal), less occasions to meet new people (what are you going to do, talk to people on the bus? you will be regarded as insane). And then even if you do meet someone and get along super well, they might just decide to move back home, or to another country, or another city. Let’s face it, no matter how much you commit to visiting and keeping in touch, once they’re out of London, they might as well be on a different planet; you’re not going to see each other much, if ever again.
• It’s unlikely you’ll ever find yourself talking to a stranger. No one just starts a conversation with you on the tube, or while waiting for a bus - unless they’re mentally deranged. Everyone does their best to focus on the ads, their paper, their phone, or their shoes. God forbid you even make eye contact, let alone say something. And you get so used to this, that when you move to a friendly place like Manchester (where people smile to you on the street, or make small talk), you’re not sure if you’re supposed to run, or just re-learn how to be human and say hi back.
• There’s always a park somewhere nearby. Sadly that’s not the case for Manchester, where there are about 3 small patches of grass in the entire city centre, and they’re trying to turn that into concrete too. But I loved London for it, and it’s great to have somewhere to escape and just sit on the grass when the stress gets to you.
• No one cares where you’re from. Talk in any accent you like, no one will bat an eyelid. Don’t even start talking about your home country - most likely, they’ve already met a bunch of your compatriots, and good or bad, they’ve heard it all. And they didn’t care much in the first place, what would they even do with all that random information about anyone’s country? Everyone they know is from a different place! (By contrast, even if Manchester is pretty multicultural itself, I still get asked frequently where my accent is from. I felt a bit uncomfortable at first - like, ok, clearly I don’t speak with enough of a British accent for you - but then realize it’s just an easy way into a conversation. People here don’t mind getting a tiny bit more personal, or showing a little interest in your person).
• You’re probably not going to get any tickets to all those gigs you’re so excited about. Tickets for any medium to big name sell out within minutes, so unless you’re very lucky (or ready to pay a lot to get those tickets from resellers), you might not see as many concerts you hoped for when you were dreaming of living there.

Would I do it all again, knowing all this, or would I skip straight to Manchester? I think I would. There are plenty of things to do and opportunities to grow, and you never know where each of them will take you. Living in London helped me figure out a few things about what I truly want in life, and my own definition of success. It’s a crazy, beautiful city that will always have my heart, but will never truly make me happy in the way that I wish to be… so now I admire it from a distance, while keeping my friends close, walking everywhere, and looking around for areas where I’d like to buy a house. Because yes, that is actually an option outside of the capital!

LE.: Rephrased “You’ll never be chatted up by a stranger” to “It’s unlikely you’ll ever find yourself talking to a stranger”, to better convey the original meaning.

You don’t need to buy an Oyster card - you can use your contactless credit card. Uber is cheaper than cabs. Deliveroo adds up and there are more local food places than you think. Drinking from the tap is fine - in fact I prefer it. Tkmaxx is the best place to buy underwear, socks, luggage, toiletries and pasta. There is ALWAYS a nutter in the late bus - it’s not about you. Don’t assume there is a working toilet on the tube, near the tube or anywhere in the tube station. Hotels have walk in rates that they don’t publish but you have to ask. Double check that they open that £15 bottle of evian water at your table - many restaurants refill them from the tap and charge you anyway. Just because someone has a slightly foreign accent doesn’t mean they haven’t lived in London for a long long long time. The word ‘mate’ can also be a warning. Londoners don’t really care about what you do unless it directly effects them. Greasy spoon cafes are the best places to get breakfast. please and thank you are normal - not polite - just normal, so not saying them implies you’re upset about something. Oh and finally - 10% is enough of a tip for most places and situations.

'White or Brown' - that almost destroyed me.

I grew up in East Midlands, UK - small town called Hinckley. When 16 years old used to go for lunch break from B&Q to bakery on Castle street on Saturday. The conversation went like this

“Mark, fancy usual”

“Sure but can I have a couple . Bit of extra cheese on second“

“Coming up. ”

This was after going there 2 times on break. It was a fresh crusty white roll , slice of ham, bit of butter and a few sliced tomatoes.

Didn't think much of it - just natural way.

Went to uni in Manchester and same attitude , any pub or cafe turn up a few times and were not mates but they knew you, your order and above all acknowledged you.

Then got job in London. Sleeping on sofa , danky office in basement of Covent Garden.

I know many answers to this question are from from folk who traveled much further from home, so living in place only 180km south of home is nothing but …

I was lost and alone but I love my food. Every day at 12ish appeared out of work basement went to Italian sandwich shop. First time in awe of all options, but in end picked a bit of roast beef, white roll, tomato and horseradish sauce. It was good. Very friendly guy. That was Monday.

Tue - what would you like - Repeat order .

Wed - what would you like - Repeat order.

Thu - what would you like - Repeat order

Fri -

“what would you like”

“Do you not remember me “ ( I am 6′7 for f*CK sake ).

“ Ah yes … white or brown bread?”

My first big lesson was going out to get my first weekly groceries. I lived in Acton and at the time the closest supermarket of any reasonable distance was in Shepherd’s Bush. Like a typical country bumpkin I walked on over to get my shopping and walking home I bumped into…

20 riot police and 4 horse mounted police officers.

I stopped to ask them what was up and their answer was ‘don’t ask, don’t walk here, just turn around and get the first bus’. I was pretty oblivious so I just walked to the nearest stop… through the police officers (who duly looked at me like I was a crazy person).

Only to come up against several thousand rowdy football fans coming down the road at me from Loftus Road stadium.

Shoulder to shoulder with no room to get by and bottles flying everywhere. Needless to say, I turned and hustled off as quick as I could to the great amusement of the boys in blue.

Still unsure to this day if I heard one of them shout ‘run Forrest!’ after me!

Needless to say I kept an eye on match days after that!

Short and sweet:

-You need to be making six figures to able to live in Central London and Westminster area, unless someone is being very generous and letting you rent-free or you're getting a very generous “bro deal.” A good amount who live there (and in places like Chelsea) are living in inherited family pads. Some ownership dating back several hundred years. Rent in many of these areas seem to be premium priced just for the sake of being premium priced.

-Customer service can be rather cold and many restaurants are not very prompt. Which might be a culture shock to a Westerner.

-This applies to those who move to London from the outside. Majority who do once used London as their metaphorical playground/pleasure city, which for many means that one will not enjoy the usual pleasure (or holiday) luxuries like seeing West End shows, frequenting the pricey tourist spots (Windsor Castle, The Tower of London), riding black cabs around, enjoying tea time at The Ivy. Once you realize you can’t afford these experience or realize the holiday is over; it hits you like a ton of bricks. Some people go through the Shock, Denial, Anger, Blues, and Acceptance in a few hours period, others several weeks.

-The overall tone is historical and romantic in some areas but other areas are incredibly grunge (on par with other big cities like Paris, New York, Los Angeles) especially the more central you go. Things relax more when you move away from the center (even within London).

-Traffic is always bad during the day, and there is nothing that can ever really be done. The traffic grid is ancient.

-If you are a Yank, moreover a Yank that has experienced New York City, you will perhaps be startled how similar London is to New York City. The only real difference is the common accents and the side of the road each drives on. I sometimes think New York City should be New London City. My point is that if you are a Yank (or live in the US) and want a chewy taste of what London will be like before you hop across the pond, go to NYC!

-Londoners can have a cold outward demeanor, especially on transport, don’t expect a smile or a nod to be returned, just a blank stare that looks right through you.

-But (on the above note) you ll likely have some great encounters when you least expect it.

-Panhandling can be bad in the wee hours of the night (especially is places like Shorditch, like have 3 in a row)…but, unlike other places ive been to, they usually take No for an answer.

-Cheaper is seldom better when it comes to hospitality. You will get what you pay for in “too good to be true” housing…wonky heater, LOUD clunking pipes when turning on hot water (to where your neighbors below will tap the broom stick on their roof if you take a hot shower in the middle of the night), inconsistent shower temperature, fidgety lock, windows that don’t lock, etc…Heck, even some high price buildings have these problems just not to the high degree (no pun intended).

-Not a problem but there is certainly a lot of rat activity. You might see one or several scurry away when your tossing your rubbish to the community tip.

-More and more neighborhoods are moving to a sidewalk rubbish collection. Basically where you can only put it out on the sidewalk and you can not place it until at least 5am the day of. So you might be stuck with smelly rubbish bags inside your flat for a few days.

-A lot of museums and tourist attractions close around 5pm (some stay open till 8pm during peak tourist season). The city tends to sleep once it gets dark out (bars and pubs are open) not as much activity. However, pending what your needs and routines are, this can work to your favor. A romantic time I had was about 11pm, not a single person outside Buckingham palace.

-Black cabs are rather expensive and (unless you have a lot of pounds) it would be to one’s benefit to use cheaper options. However, they can be delightful when you’re looking to have a posh night out.

-Londoners, once approached, will often gladly give quick assistance for directions. But their tone will be “I’m not a tour guide.” Many will say, if you don’t understand, “you should summon a black cab.”

-This won’t be a popular conclusion…But the “lonely in the big city” can be very real here. My only critique of London is that they can be rather unwelcoming to outsiders (I feel that perhaps has to do with their very deep roots; “hate the village across the river.. be weary of the stranger in the mist.”) The trick is finding people common interests and be patient as the relationship builds.

And please don’t limit your options to just London. There is a whole island and a small chunk of another to the west to explore!

In the late 18th Century and again in the late 20th Century, it was practically essential, now, not so much.

“When a man is tired of London, he is tired of life.

"Why, Sir, you find no man, at all intellectual, who is willing to leave London. No, Sir, when a man is tired of London, he is tired of life; for there is in London all that life can afford."
— Samuel Johnson

Boswell and Johnson were discussing whether or not Boswell's affection for London would wear thin should he choose to live there, as opposed to the zest he felt on his occasional visits. (Boswell lived in Scotland, and visited only periodically. Some people are surprised to learn that Boswell and Johnson were far from inseparable over the last twenty years of Johnson's life, the period Boswell knew him.)

This discussion happened on September 20, 1777, and Johnson, someone who hated to spend time alone, was always going out and enjoying what London had to offer.” When a man is tired of London, he is tired of life: Samuel Johnson

London is going through a very difficult period where it is full of government and corporations but the people are struggling to live, never mind thrive.

Factor in the aged frailty of essential infrastructure and successive failed governments in a row at national and local levels and the problems are easy to see but the route to solutions less so.

One thing I think would really help the place would be to get all those huge government agencies, ministries and departments out of the capital and distributed around the country they are meant to serve.

Not only would it make London much more affordable and less crowded, it would directly support the regions and help prevent their neglect and decline.

So yeah, now it is a great town to visit but a tough town to live in, and it needs a lot of tlc.

Depends on what you have heard really.

Before I answer what I think, the common things you will hear, will most likely be:

Bad:

• Very busy (crowded)
• Expensive
• Office workers are like ants rushing to and from
• Crime (however in my 6 years there, never once did I feel in danger)

Good:

• Very diverse city
• Lots to do and see
• Wide choice of food/restaurants
• Fast food shops (outside of zone 1) are surprisingly better value for money than most of UK

However to answer your question, for me the thing that doesn't get mentioned is how easy it is to get 'lost' in London. I'm not talking directions!, but how easy it can be for someone coming in from a smaller city and relocating to London.

Initially you end up very busy and tired on workdays and then exploring on weekends can take its toll. Therefore it is easy to fall into a trap of new vices and temptations and become a whole new person than the one that arrived.

It may well be that this is what you'd be looking for, which would include losing contact with old friends and family as you make new ones.

So I would say it is that, the social and personal change that one goes through.

Note: the above is based on moving to London solo.

Hope that answered your question

A major one would be, don’t always assume that the tube is the quickest way from A to B!

The tube is a hot, fetid, mess, full of pickpockets and smelly people.

Simply open any of the transport maps and have a look…you will be amazed how short the above ground distances can be.

Also take into consideration the time walking down endless tile lined corridors trying not to think of American Werewolf in London.

Nobody will tell you that London is an overly expensive shithole, sure, tgere is lots to do, great theatre and some great sounding salaries…but the cost of living is EYEWATERING!

Office Manger in London, earning £35 to 45,000 and wanting a 2 bed house (sole rent, no sharing) in an area where you are reasonably close to transport and fun stuff…£1500/3000 rent a month and £350,000 -900,000 to buy in Barnett, or earning £20 to 30,000 and property prices being £350/600 to rent and £35,000- 280,000 to buy in Nottinghamshire!

London is NOT the only place to be in the U.K.!

My hairdresser bought a lovely 3 bed house, on her own, has a great lifestyle and runs a nice car…at 24!

No help from the bank of mum and dad either!

They probably won’t mention the incredible rise in street violence either. “Ahhh but reported figures are dropping!” They will tell you. This is because unless they have had expensive stuff stolen, they don’t bother reporting it! When they do, they are simply given a crime number to give to the police. If they are injured, it is different, then an officer will attend, and a half hearted attempt will be made to catch them…not the officers fault, just pressure of work. Should you be seriously injured or killed, they are brilliant, but there are not enough of them to do this for mi or offences.

What else?

It is remarkably miserable to be single and new to London. They are NOT chatty, open, or approachable. Try approaching one unexpectedly and you will discover all about street violence! All Londoners LOVE earphones, it stops Northerners attempting to engage them in friendly conversation.

There is so much to share, but my thumbs are tired and I want to go and sit too close to one of them and have a chat!

It usually takes an hour to get from your home to an event or meeting. (Unless you can afford to live centrally. )

It's quite ‘hard’…. people don't get to know one another easily and most of the people you meet casually (and neighbours) don't care.

Nearly everything that's organised and interesting or entertaining happens in the western half of London, both north & south. Wimbledon, Wembley, Lord’s, The Oval, the arts scene in Nottingham Hill Gate and Hammersmith, Kew Gardens etc etc. Most of the best parks are west of that invisible line too e.g. Hampstead Heath, Richmond, Syon … one exception there is Epping Forest.

No-one can get on the tube at St Pauls to go east during the evening rush hour. It is always too full.

The Victoria Line trains are much faster than tubes on other lines.

There is a reasonable road netwirk north of the Thames. Not in the south.

What you have heard is good probably is. e.g. the culture, non-racism (it's perhaps the best city in the world to be of mixed ethnicity), history, job opportunities, universities, medical care. What you have heard is bad almost certainly is less bad than you imagine e.g. crime, air quality, public transport, weather. Even the notorious Haringey Social Services dept are good at some things. With three exceptions: traffic jams are as bad as you think or worse, litter really is a blight, and prisons are awful and way understaffed. On the National health service, its two opposites: basically the medical care is world class but the queues and waiting times and the administration generally are very bad.

One thing is important, never be around as a visitor at rush hour. The sheer numbers and walking speed of people getting to train and tube stations is phenomenal. In the summer it gets very hot on the underground, there is no air conditioning in the trains and after a long day at work it’s the last thing you need.

Here’s a clip of just one underground station, bear in mind this is what they all look like a rush hour.

The busiest main line stations (not underground) in London are:

Waterloo 250,000 passengers per day

Victoria 207,000 passengers per day

Liverpool Street 184,000 passengers per day

London Bridge 131,000 passengers per day

Euston 120,000 passengers per day

Last year 99 million people came in and out of Waterloo station, the majority of which are commuters.