What I Miss About London (And What I Don’t)

I lived in London for over 25 years. I worked there, made friends, got lost, got found, learned the bus routes by heart, and spent far too much on coffee and rent.

Then I left — and started a completely different life in a remote village in Bosnia. These days, I spend more time with trees than traffic. But London still lives somewhere in my voice, in my timing, in my way of understanding the world.

Here’s what I miss.
And what I really, truly don’t.

❤️ What I Miss

1. The Endless Access

Need a bookstore? An obscure vinyl? Falafel at midnight? London gives you everything, all the time. There’s something comforting about knowing that if you want it — whatever it is — it’s there.

2. The Sounds of the City

I used to complain about sirens and buses. Now, I sometimes miss that soundscape — the mix of voices, music spilling out of corner shops, the rumble of the Tube, the chaos. It felt alive.

4. The Language

London English is layered. It’s full of irony, subtext, and subtle nods. It’s endlessly creative, constantly changing, and a little bit sarcastic. And I loved the way we spoke it.

🙅‍♀️ What I Don’t Miss

1. The Speed

Everything was fast — walking, talking, working. Even resting was something you had to schedule. Life felt like a race, and I didn’t always know what I was running toward.

2. The Loneliness

You can live in London for years and not know your neighbour. Everyone’s busy, or pretending to be. I miss the energy, but not the disconnect.

3. The Cost of Existing

Rent, coffee, travel, time. Everything in London costs something. Sometimes what it costs is you.

4. The Corporate Noise

The meetings, the jargon, the performative productivity — it all started to feel a bit hollow. I left because I wanted to work on things that felt rooted, real, and lasting.

What I Gained When I Left

Quiet. Space. Time. And a very different kind of language — one spoken with your hands, with your presence, with your effort.

I still love London. I carry it with me. But I don’t need to be there to know who I am anymore.

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How London Changed My English