What it’s like to actually live in London.

So it has rolled over to the two week mark of my trip today . . . how do I feel then, being immersed in this population of over ten million people.


This all depends on how much money you earn, its true money makes the world go round, London is no exception. If anything, this large metropolitan city is well attached to the value money holds in society as a social signifier.

Even when I was playing football with some British-Africans teens in the run-down suburb of Elephant & Castle close to where I live (in Kennington, one of the nicer parts of the South East); one lad was more concerned about how valuable his boots were than the actual game, his side lost anyway. I don’t blame him though, you’re a product of your environment. For these kids, it is a dream of having everything they desire, it seems to be closer than ever imaginable, as many of these kids know people who went to their school, and now have turned pro. These working-class footballers of colour are their idols, from humble beginnings – to being able to have anything you want – that is the magic for them. I too was sucked into the natural trends of capitalism, along Oxford street, the world's busiest; there, I purchased a pair of Adidas running shorts for seven pounds – you cannot get a meal for that cheap in most restaurants in London city!

When I was staying with my brother’s friend (a successful businessman); I felt I had a higher social-standing, since I lived a short walk away from the glorious Hampstead Heath, an area where many rock stars and actors reside. I even happened to have my first celebrity sighting, asking Matthew Goode (currently a flourishing British actor) for directions to the famous park.

Even when I went out on a Friday night with an old school mate from South Africa, I matched him drink for drink! However he is a financial advisor for Rothschild Investment Bank, while I will be waiting tables earning just above minimum wage, therefore it would burning a much deeper hole in my pocket than his. Don’t get me wrong though, it was a great ‘catch up’, nearly like old times – still sharing the same bond as we had in South Africa as kids. However if he had to see where I was living in comparison to his place, there would naturally be a divide, his apartment costs more than double a month than I’m paying; my shitty little box room is in a run-down government tower,


one cannot compare.

Despite my box room, small bed, minimal cupboard space (my bag is still semi-packed with clothes), and generally little living allowance, it has been refreshing outlook for me. A privileged kid from New Zealand, with parents who provided me with everything I needed, and more; therefore this has put much more effort into doing the simple things one needs to survive. So it may limit my constructivism in the leisure time stakes, the up-shot is it has been a challenge of coping in this unforgiving place, possibly a test of a naive weakly willed character. But some character? No doubt! The destination is really the journey. I’m not close to making it to London just yet; I’m still on the travel path – making progress inch by inch. You could say, I just boarded the plan in New Zealand and have a 30 hour flight ahead of me - still a way to go!

Re-invention has the potential to be the biggest refreshment of this journey; it could be like trekking through a sweltering hot desert for many hours and finally coming to lake. This lake can turn into a mirage though, so I must be careful, the prize is there, it is how I decide to venture towards taking it. Nevertheless, I have all this power now; I can re-create myself in the ways I've always wanted to change - getting rid of my weird social idiosyncrasies. If they remain, it may limit my perserverence; a road-block to me achieving something or going where I want to go with my existence. London just may be a metaphor as an excuse to journey away to find myself. So I better stop there, psyco-analyis has taken course, and I've fully navigated away on a tangent that may never return. Nonetheless, stay installed, because next time I will go into details about my job and socialising in London!