Words: Daisy Cropper
Relocating is a pretty big deal. But when you’re changing from beautiful, open landscapes or a tiny town to the bright lights of a city, you need to be prepared for how different life will be. Daisy Cropper lets you in on a few upcoming lessons you’re about to learn…
Forget falling asleep to the sweet sound of nothing or waking up to chirping birds.
With 24 hour public transport, aeroplanes flying overhead and neighbours on every side, your sleeping patterns may be more disrupted. One thing’s for sure though, when you’re back out in the country, the silence is bliss.
Gone are the days when you’ve got the road to yourself and your bike. When you’re cycling in the city and you have other cyclists, pedestrians, cars, taxis and HGVs to compete with, things can get a little testy.
Depending on how cycle-friendly your city is, prepare for feistiness from your fellow road-users; language can often be colourful.
Sometimes in the wide, empty landscapes of the countryside, it’s easy to get off-the-beaten-track and away from it all. With sprawling suburbs, masses of people and establishments on every corner, don’t be surprised if you never feel completely alone.
Crammed up on public transport, cosying up parks, sat side-by-side on restaurant benches: with so many people living in your city, you have to make room for your fellow residents. When you’re in need of time to yourself again, just escape to the country.
This is a given. With a larger population to share your city alongside, it’s obvious that some people may get on your nerves.
Check how fast you’re walking along pavements and always keep your Oyster card or ticket at the ready to avoid the wrath of city-dwellers.
Forget shops closing at 5pm or the local Chinese being the most exotic food you can find. In big cities you’ll discover more variation and it’s all available, all the time.
This most likely translates to 4am Uber rides and Sunday evening Deliveroo orders. But still, things are there when you need them.
Cereal cafés, Caribbean bakeries, ball-pits for grown-ups, immersive theatre, roof-top bars, outdoor cinemas, surreal sculputres: the bigger the city, the more variation there is on offer.
New York isn’t the only city in the world that never sleeps. Unlike the countryside, big places don’t shut down at sundown.
With life thrumming through a city 24-hours a day, seven days a week, things can feel a little hectic. Avoiding burnout is key.
It’s safe to say, when you do return to the countryside, you make the most of it, are grateful for it and enjoy every moment exploring it.
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