Anyone find London a bit overwhelming?

[flibbage0]

For context I don't live out in the sticks or in a sleepy village but every time I go into Central London (which is probably only a handful of times per year) I find it quite overwhelming, I sort of like the experience as it's so different to a city like Birmingham although I'm sure it can be tiresome if I had to deal with the hustle and bustle on a daily basis.

It's the combination of how busy it is and the sheer amount of money flying around, the only way to describe it is take the average price of something in the UK and double/triple it, this goes for food, houses, clothes and everything. I remember my first time I got the train during rush hour out of London and I remember hearing a phone conversation of gentleman next to me that had a new BMW E92 M3 on order and a couple of other blokes talking about their recent watch acquisitions from Rolex. I think also the sheer amount of shops and restaurants, nationalities, cultures makes it interesting. In addition to this some of the people are ridiculously good looking which probably ties into the mix of different nationalities

All in all I leave after a day feeling like I've barely scratched the surface and I'm missing out on a lot but then on the other side you hear about all the crime.

It's a strange one, wonder if anyone feels the same?

 

[Zefan]

Yes. Cities are exhausting. London especially so.

 

[NotAGolf]

Nope, don't find it overwhelming.

I enjoy a day trip/weekend to London. There's a so much to see/do and it's a nice change of scene.

There's no way I'd live there though. Even if I was earning enough to be able to live there comfortably.

 

[UTmaniac]

I've not been to London for ~20 years, even back then it dwarfed Southampton and was crazy busy, far too stressful for me.

 

[robfosters]

I don’t find it overwhelming, but I’ve lived here all my life, so am probably just used to it.

 

[flibbage0]

Nope, don't find it overwhelming.

I enjoy a day trip/weekend to London. There's a so much to see/do and it's a nice change of scene.

There's no way I'd live there though. Even if I was earning enough to be able to live there comfortably.

Out of curiosity why would you not want to live there, is it due to the crime?

 

[robgmun]

It depends on my mood these days, I'm a born and breed Londoner and I couldn't get enough of it when I was in my teens and in my twenties. Felt exciting and full of stuff to see and do. Now in my 40's I feel like I've seen and done everything and I don't find it exciting like a used to. But then again it's changed so much and so much has gone or closed. Back then it was Virgin Megastores and HMV, Torcodero with Alien War, and Sega World. The museums were fresh and interesting. Arcades were everywhere and Chinatown was amazing. The 90's and early 2000's central London was bloody awesome.

 

[imtoooldforthis]

Central London can be pretty hectic at times but some of the suburbs away from the center are very nice and relaxing. Richmond, Fulham, Wimbledon etc

Good thing about being close to central London is that it's almost impossible to get bored provided you're not broke or a hermit. I remember when i first moved here I would just walk around central London for hours exploring.

 

[flibbage0]

Central London can be pretty hectic but some of the suburbs away from the centre are very nice and relaxing. Richmond, Fulham, Wimbledon etc

Love Central London myself, almost impossible to get bored provided you're not broke.

I definitely feel broke every time I go into Central.

 

[robfosters]

Central London can be pretty hectic at times but some of the suburbs away from the center are very nice and relaxing. Richmond, Fulham, Wimbledon etc

Good thing about being close to central London is that it's almost impossible to get bored provided you're not broke or a hermit. I remember when i first moved here I would just walk around central London for hours exploring.

Like where I live in Bexley. Only 20 mins from central London but has a much slower pace of life and reasonable prices.

 

[LOAM]

Got back last Friday with the kids after 3 days there. I'll be honest whilst I love walking around looking at the architecture, I can take it or leave it as a city. I come back feeling like I've been assaulted, it just makes me think of humans as rats, it's just too much.

Tube is horrific, literally the worst mode of transport ever conceived and should be banned

Used the tube a bit but tried to walk most places which was exhausting (125k steps logged whilst there). Several of us have come back full of cold, or worse. Standard.

 

[Azza]

@Mrwong has some opinions on London, he'd be best fielding this question.

 

[NVP]

I just don't get why it takes an hour to drive 7 miles

 

[robfosters]

I just don't get why it takes an hour to drive 7 miles

It’s called traffic

 

[NVP]

Touché

 

[Rroff]

Overwhelming no, exhausting yes. Though I've been in and out of London all my life and lived there 4 years.

I enjoy it for a few weeks but then the pace of life, etc. catches up with me and I'm happy to get back to rural Somerset.

 

[drakulton]

Went there as a kid and haven't had the need to go back.

 

[Hades]

No. I've lived and worked around London all my life.

 

[OldKitMan]

London IMO is the best city in the world, it's so diverse. The fact it's so accessible from the rest of the UK makes it a bit familiar compared to places further away but there is so much to do and see and getting about is easy. Much prefer it to Paris, Rome, Berlin, San Francisco for touristy things, although I did prefer working in Paris and Rome than London.

 

[Fubsy]

If I  have to go to London, yes it's overwhelming. It's a mission in/out and wipes me out for days afterwards.

I do however like recreational, budgeted visits where it's just a slice, i.e. and event or a museum visit with a restaurant, bar then home. I don't like spending too long there, just visiting the place feels like being mugged.