Things I love about living in London:

• That the man selling the Evening Standard at London Bridge always says – “tat’ll be for’ee pee today luv”

• Knowing the quick and speedy way of ordering a coffee at Mamouth in the Borough Markets (‘Two Caps, Out'). Makes you stand out as a local in the crowd of tourists. Respect.

• The strict ‘stand on the right, walk on the left’ escalator policy. No forgiveness for those who don’t adhere. Being foreign/from out-of-town doesn’t cut it

• Front seat, top level of the double-decker bus.

• A million choices of what to do on a Saturday morning (although the choice of breakfast at market with newspaper is almost always selected)

• Chinatown

• London Underground. Gets you anywhere in London, fast. Those who bitch about it have never taken a bus down Magill Road in rush-hour.

• Planning a London Underground journey and testing the fastest routes

• Tate Modern

• The fact that they were planning to build a cinema two streets from where I live… only to have to stop development because ancient Roman ruins were unearthed. (explanation: I don’t like that there will be no cinemas, I like the idea of there being roman ruins in my neighbourhood)

• Urban Foxes

• The most diverse city in the world. My grocer is Egyptian, the deli Pakistani, the hairdresser Nigerian, my next-door neighbours are proper posh brits.

• SouthBank and the second-hand booksellers under Waterloo Bridge

• Black Taxis. Over-priced, but well worth it when you can watch a drunken Jo Black fly from one corner to the other.

• The Jamiesons

• Eurostar. 2 hours on a Train to the continent.

• The tabloids. Hilarious.

• Pret a Manger. And the fact there is one on every corner.

• Eclectic fashion. Anything goes.

• English phrases. ‘Well fit’ ‘ innit’

• Cheap Airlines. £13 flights to Amsterdam….

• Wigan Athletic. Got promoted to the Premiership when I arrived last year. Rather than join the Chelsea, Arsenal, Liverpool, Man U bandwagon, I chose Wiggedy Wigan. Coach’s name is Paul Jewel. Genius.

• Oxford St and shops like H&M and Zara

• Television: Tiny Tearaways, I’m a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here, Match of the Day

• Chavs

• Massive bookstores everywhere.

• More galleries, museums, art exhibitions, and shows than you can poke a stick at

• Pub Food. Actually really good over here. Not a schnitzel in sight. Ohh. And they always do roasts on Sunday with a proper Yorkshire pudding.

• Pimms. Heavenly stuff.

• My house and everything in it, especially the tv.

• Marks and Spencers. Most incredible (and expensive food)

• ASDA. Bargains. Best Ice Cream.

• Spending all my time with David Ligertwood. *sigh* He’s so dreamy.

• That it has given me an excuse to write a blog.

• The I can leave whenever I want to. And return to the land of green spaces an docean breezes....