The bus is a primary form of transportation for a lot of people in and around London. People heading to work, kids going to school, elderly people going shopping, to the doctor, or to the local Pub, and mothers with their children going shopping, to the library or park, or delivery a child to a friend's house to play.
Marco takes 3 buses to get to work. He hopes the bus stop (stand) is covered if it is raining, the bus is on time, and there is no detour (diversion), or strike. The kids going to school probably hope one of these things happen! The elderly (bless their hearts) hope there is a seat.... if not, someone is usually kind enough to give up their seat for them. Now... for the mothers with kids!! There is a special place on the bus for mothers with strollers. If these spaces are all taken, the mother at the bus stop has to wait for the next bus! I saw a mother wait for a bus 3 boys (1 in a stroller) and another mother with 4 little girls. It is hard enough to get 2 kids strapped in car seats let alone take them across town on a bus (or 2 or 3....)!! And can you imagine getting all those kids home with your groceries?!?
The little girl on the bus yesterday kept making farting noises with her 'goo in a cup'... she was sitting right behind me! One day, a bunch of teens boarded the bus, giggling, flirting, and rapping! Let me just say... I felt OLD that day! One day when Marco was coming home a man and woman took their argument on the bus.... I guess he was no please with services and she was not pleased with payment for such services! There is always entertainment on the bus... who needs a DVD player!
Now, to housing....Apartments are small and expensive. The apartment we are in has 1 small bathroom, a small kitchen (no room for Marco when I'm cooking or cleaning), no dishwasher, a washing machine that fits under the kitchen counter (no dryer), hot & cold water that runs separately, the fridge is under the counter, and there are no closets or storage! Some of the apartments that we have looked at have 2 bathrooms but are small, still have small kitchens, some have dishwashers, washing machines (under the counter) but also work as dryers, have fridges as big as a 4 drawer file cabinet (including the freezer), and may or may not have hot & cold water separate. There are apartments with private (off street) parking for 1 car. (Marco's mom in Italy has no dryer, no dishwasher, a fridge the size of a file cabinet, and recently got hot & cold water together in the kitchen.) Now take the above mention living conditions and add multiple people... like a family with 2, 3, or 4 kids! I know there are 3 bedroom apartments out there but I have not seen very many.
Now to the grocery store.... the place we all love to go!! I have found one grocery store that is about 1/2 the size of Pulix or Kroger. It pretty much has just about everything I need... 1 stop shopping! To get a cart, you have to put 1 GBP in.... when you return the cart you get your GBP back! I have to say the fruits and vegetables here are absolutely wonderful!!! Marco had an arugula salad the other night for dinner.... I could smell the arugula from across the room! I have not seen milk or juice sold by the gallon.... remember it has to fit in the fridge! Toilet paper is typically sold 4 to a pack but I did see a 6 pack today. Paper towels are typically in a 2 pack and they are about 2-3 inches shorter, but I did see a 3 pack today as well.... I may have found my Costco! If you don't take your own reusable bags for your groceries, you can buy plastic bags (for 5p = 5 pence each). I bought a grocery buggy to take my groceries home on the bus! It is Ferrari (or GA Bulldawg) Red! If you don't have grocery buggy, a backpack works almost as good.
Please don't take this blog as anything negative! I really enjoy my bus trips.... my apartment hunting (and down sizing).... and my trips to the different grocery stores. This wouldn't be an adventure if it wasn't different than home!!
Enjoy - I am!!
I had a bit of that shock when I moved aboard my boat. 2 burner stove. Oven that was big enough for a loaf of bread, but not big enough for a frozen pizza.
ReplyDeleteI think the thing that gets Americans is we have so much stuff. Most of it is not necessary. But we have the space, so the stuff accumulates.
Now I'm living in 2 bedrooms and 1 bath, and what would pass as a small kitchen, and I don't know what to do with the space.
William Morris (Arts & Crafts movement) said that everything in your life should be useful or beautiful to the point it impacts your life everyday. So much of what we hold on to is neither useful (particularly) or beautiful. Just that we have the space...
Good luck with the apartment hunting.