Leaving London - when and why?

Every year - usually between January and March, when the weather in London is grim - I think about heading back to Oz.

And so it happened today. There I was, sitting at my laptop at 7 am on a cold and drizzly "day" (still pitch black, really, outside.)

In accordance with my usual work morning routine, I browse the Sydney Morning Herald web site over coffee, just to check the place is still there and the natives haven't been too restless while I've been sleeping. And on the home page this morning is an advert for new waterside apartments at Twin Waters, on the Sunshine Coast.

Any place with such a happy name deserves a look - and besides, I already happen to own an apartment in that area so it sort of feels like my second home anyway (even though I've never seen it - long story.)

So, looking at the photos, it got me thinking (again) about why I would want to leave London.

• crowds
• rubbish on streets
• the general cost of living
• has to be, the weather
• rude or unfriendly people

Now, I would probably also get most of the above if I moved back to Sydney - so I'm not. But somewhere with loads of sunshine, brilliant, clean, uncrowded beaches, plentiful tropical fruit and not too many people sounds just ideal to me, sitting here in London at this time of year.

The question is, when will I bite the bullet and make the move. After living in London for nearly 17 years, it will be tricky. I mean, there's 17 years of accumulated crap, for starters. Maybe I'll do what I did when I left Oz to come here all those years ago - bring over what I could carry in a backpack and sell the rest.

Maybe next year.......... or the year after.......... or maybe after that...................

English icons

http://www.icons.org.uk/

The Government has launched a web site to allow people to nominate their favourite English icons. Among those listed include the routemaster bus, stone henge, a cup of tea and the FA Cup.

You can also vote for them at http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/4594660.stm

Personally, my favourites are stone henge, the red phone box, the traditional circular red post box, routemaster buses and Tower Bridge. Sadly, only two really exist anymore.

I'm surprised that Tower Bridge, Buckingham Palace and Big Ben didn't make it onto the BBC's list. Friends from Australia often have these at the top of their lists to see.

Rail fares

Guardian Unlimited | Special reports | Passenger groups condemn rail fare rises

another great reason for working from home as much as possible.

Its incredible to think that people pay thousands of pounds a year to commute into London in cramped, smelly, unreliable trains.

Give me buses anytime - and its one more reason for living close to where I work, in London.