The first week of my trip has provided a great opportunity to activate my observation and reflection skills; as I absorb and process absolutely everything I see, without judgement, with the sole aim of comprehending what’s around me. I’m definitely awakening a part of my brain that I rarely had a chance to use throughout my day job as a consultant!
While these are my very first impressions of London, and I am well aware that there is a lot more to London to see, it has been interesting to note what has jumped out at me in the first three days of my trip. I’m keen to investigate into these initial insights further when I head back to London at the end of June.
London - Igniting My CurioCity
The London Underground
The London Underground, aka the ‘Tube’, is much more compact than I thought it would be. After securing my Oyster Card from the airport, my first trip was from Heathrow to Piccadilly Circus via the Piccadilly Line. Interestingly, there is no level access for someone like me with a four wheeled suitcase, which results in much amusement or annoyance to my fellow passengers.
The Tube features two rows of upholstered seats that face each other and are separated by a one metre aisle. The small aisle makes you feel super close to your fellow passengers - something that is heightened by the number of passengers that squeeze onto the train. Considering that it’s Monday morning around 8am, I assume people are heading to work. Another interesting observation is that each seating spot features its own little red armrest. There's something very homely about the inner decor of this train; the closeness to my fellow passengers, the diversity of passengers that hop on the train, and the retro lounge like nature of the seats. I like it!
Trying to leave the Tube!
After taking the Tube, I get off at Piccadilly Circus...and encounter stairs. Something I am not expecting at all. I realise I've taken having lifts at train stations for granted in Sydney! My enquiry with the policewoman at the station platform as to whether there are lifts is met with a cheery reply of “No, but there are escalators to the top. You just need to walk up these stairs to get to them.” How funny. The rest of my morning involves me walking up and down stairs twice; once to heave up my suitcase and a second time to bring up my carry on luggage. So it turns out that London public transport is not so accessible friendly!
However, this is offset by the helpfulness of people here. For every set of staircases I meet, a fellow London local stops to offer me help.
Let me say that stepping out of Piccadilly Circus station as the first sight I see of London is breathtakingly amazing! It is like I am stepping into a movie set into a completely other world where buses are brilliant red and double decker, and buildings are decorative and grandiose. There are cyclists zipping by, and a group of police on horses in the middle of the road.
Lost Property
In the theme of experiencing the fullness of London, after hopping on the underground to reach my flat in London’s north-west, I realise I’ve lost the bundle of jumpers and scarf I had sitting on top of one of my carry-on bags. I have a chat with the station attendant (who again was super friendly and helpful), and she says that 98% of the time, people do hand things in. She also says ‘Of course there is the remaining 2%...which you can see because the world is falling apart’...(obviously a brief reference to the recent terror attacks here in London), but the general impression I have from this morning’s experience is that people in London appear to be open, willing to help, and have a generally positive outlook towards each other and on life.
Further Observations
My afternoon of the first day is spent with some friends checking out the Trafalgar Square area, the National Gallery, and taking photos around Piccadilly Circus, Leicester Square, Covent Garden, Charing Cross area.
Some of my key observations are:
- This city is really diverse. I would even dare to say that it feels more multicultural than Sydney, Australia. The reason I say this is because of the multitude of different ethnic groups you tend to see in any single place (e.g. there are lots of people of Indian and African heritage), and there are bold displays of their culture (turbans, niqabs, and hijabs). This is also reflected in the advertisement and signage throughout the city. When a photo like this is used, it’s not about saying something about race or about a cultural/ ethnic cause. It’s just a normal advertisement that happens to actually reflect the population. I think it’s a great reflection of true inclusion.
London's diversity is genuinely reflected in its everyday signage and advertisements
- People love to congregate outdoors! I keep walking around and seeing random crowds of people in the streets and footpaths outside venues simply standing and drinking. This is what makes a city alive! And it doesn’t just stop there. It extends to the parks, plazas, and all sorts of outdoor spaces. Office buildings are designed with outdoor areas in front of them where people appear to all go and hang out for lunch. I had my lunch yesterday (Wed 14th) in front of a building at Aldgate, and I wondered if the building had been purposely designed to not have a similar space within the building, given the number of people hanging out in the outdoors. And people don’t just sit in the outdoor spaces, they ‘live’ in them; reading, absorbing the sun, doing crosswords, having a drink, chatting, having a smoke break with colleagues, and making out (haha...yes I have creepy stalker photos...all in the name of capturing all facets of the city!). This city is full of museums and outdoor markets. Having so many buildings and spaces open to the public is amazing!
People read! I quickly notice that there is absolutely no reception at all on the underground for phone or internet. So the train is full of people reading newspapers and books. It does cross my mind as to whether this is a security measure (given the terrorist attack a few years back) or a purposeful behavioural nudge perhaps? Getting people to unplug by purposely not investing in telecoms network improvements? A way to stop people being impolite and being distracted by their phones? Whatever the reason, it works, and must be a citywide effort as I found getting reception difficult in most buildings I went into. It’s either that...or London is light years behind in terms of their comms network! On another note, I am noticing that a plethora of people on the train also read the more tabloid forms of newspapers here in London (such as The Sun) and the free newspaper (The London Evening Standard). I actually think it’s wonderful. Encouraging reading can only be a good thing, no matter what it is, and I think it may be a contributing factor in why people seem to be so engaged in this city.
- There are plenty of opportunities for open discussion and community engagement within the city. Everywhere I go, I come across little advertised flyers or posters of events discussing community and city issues. There is obviously a lot of discussion going on around city issues, which I think is amazing to see.
Housing affordability issues are openly discussed within the community.
- Like Sydney, homelessness seems to be a big issue. During my stay, I’ll need to do some research on the housing costs around here. On top of this, I’ve been quite conscious about the money I spend on food. I have yet to do a full review of costs / cost comparison, but it will be interesting to understand the comparative cost of living in London.
Counting pennies. Homelessness appears to be as much of a issue here in London as it is back home in Sydney. There is also a great prevalence of affordable housing estates scattered throughout the city.
Over To You!
This blog post contains just some of my early thoughts and musings after my first week on the road.
There are two areas of particular interest here in London:
- Affordable housing
- Design and activation of public spaces
What are the mechanisms to address affordability and inclusivity issues in this city? How is it that London has public spaces overflowing with activity? These are questions I’m keen to find answers to!
In planning my upcoming two months in London, I’m eager to hear your thoughts on what to read, people to meet up with, and places to visit in London. Let’s create a conversation!
Post in the comments below to share your suggestions with the broader Urban CurioCity community. Also, check out my FB page and Instagram for regular updates and photo short stories from my travels.