Oh the London Commute Part 2

The first day back to work after Christmas is always depressing but today was worst than usual. After 11 days off waking up to an alarm with painful. Then I looked out my 21st floor window to a grey, wet London.

As I got to tube I was reminded of the fact that the tube fair has gone up. The thrifty woman that I am I topped up on the 31st to avoid the rise. My monthly travelcard of £123.70 has now become £131.40, which is a 6.2% increase. If that wasn't bad enough it is now equal to over 10% of my salary. That is depressing. I need a travelcard to work, but it just feels as if I work to pay my travel. What is worse is we all know how rubbish the transport is, so what are we paying for? I am paying for 25 minutes of sweaty hell on the Central Line. I am normally standing at the door, praying not to fall down the gap when the doors open at each station. So it is reasonable to complain, right? 

The extortionate price made me think of the other options: ride a bike, live in Zone 1, work from home, or marry a TFL worker. One I have tried, one is never gonna happen,  one is a possibility and the other is just a dream. 

Oh I do love a lovely long commute

So last weekend I left my lovely located flat in Old Street to temporarily live in Tooting, whilst looking for my dream place. I may have only lived on zone 1 for 4 months, but I forgot what the zone 3 life was like.

The joy of having a brisk 15 minute walk through old street and shoreditch has now been replaced by a bus ride, 30 minute tube and then a 10 minute walk .... It's long, unpredictable, sweaty and yes I am generally already stressed before I get to work. Is this really the way life should be?

On the tube you see people who have been doing this everyday for years and will continue to do so, but why? Is it purely an economic thing? Everyone says no one can afford to live in central, that's not true just you can't live anywhere nice! Is having a lovely flat in zone 4, which you never see cause you are always travelling REALLY worth it?

I have lived in zone 3 before and to be honest, it is fine. You get a community, which you don't in central. You have little high streets and shopping centres that are much more enjoyable than Oxford street. And if you live close to a station your commute can be a lot quicker and easier than places further in.

The commute is part of city life whether you like it or not... My tip is live on the London overground - at least that way you are in air conditioned environment.