el_richo

Either you have an over imagination, paranoia, or mahoosive knockers and a tendancy to wear crotchless pants while wandering down the street.

Over 4 years of living around there, i've never had any of that

rivingtonpike

Kingston upon Thames doesn't actually have a High Street. The closest are Clarence Street, Eden Street and the Market Square. I'm not sure what you were doing to attract such attention, but having lived in the area for over 15 years I'm not sure that I was ever "pestered".

If you are contemplating the South West London option, have a look at Teddington and Hampton Wick too. They are just the other side of the Thames River and I think have a slightly more "village" feel. Hampton Wick particularly is only 5 minutes walk from arguably the best shopping experience in South West London. There are tons of restaurants. The Nurseries in Hampton Wick and Teddington are also excellent. Train into Waterloo Station (Central London) takes 30-35 minutes, then tube or bus West will take another 30 minutes (real time). That is, unfortunately the commuting reality for most Londoners. On the up side, as El_Rico has already said, you are on the doorstep of Hampton Court Palace, two of the biggest Royal Parks in Kondon, the Thames, Surrey, 1 hour's drive to Brighton and the Coast, only 2 hours to Birmingham or Bristol. It is right on the epicenter of transport routes out of London for the rest of the Country.

Vancouver it isn't; but if you want to experience the "London thing" without the direct London costs, it's is a good area to consider. We raised 2 girls there and found the facilities excellent. It is a memory that still sits very comfortably with me, pushing my firstborn along the Thames path in mid January and then retiring to a coffee house to enjoy 20 minutes of the Sunday papers while my daughter slept for one of her beirf quiet moments.

By the way, an awful lot of people survive and even flourish in London on a lot less that £74,000 per anum

rubberduckofdeath

I agree strongly.

dboy

yaletown is at the higher end in vancouver, but there are much cheaper options both downtown and even more so out of the centre. 1200 pounds (more like 1450 with tax and bills) still seems high to me compared to vancouver. My buddy was renting a nice 3 bed townhouse in central lonsdale for 1700 dollars a month - most bills inlcuded. I used to rent a 2 bed character house in Kits for about the same.

If the OP gets carried away with shelling out high rent, I doubt he would be any better off (although certainly no worse off) which seems to defeat, at least in part, one of the reasons for going there?

el_richo

Yep agreed. You have a good point.

dboy

still think there are many benefits for the OP doing it and i'd jump at the chance. London is one place in the world I would like to have an extended stay.\

Anway time to dash. I have a meeting in Victoria and I'm taking Harbour Air!

Alan2005

It's true. Though this might be mitigated by the 'better career opportunities' the OP mentioned. Maybe in a few years they'll get that £120k and just about be able to afford to live there.

Alan2005

Nice weather for it.

Atlantic Xpat

In a kind of related but not really fashion, the parent company of my current employer is based in London. I am likely travelling to visit operations in Europe in the near future including colleagues in London. It'll be nice to be staying in central London on someone elses dime. Despite living in Essexshire for 14 years, I don't think I've ever stayed in downtown London. Apart from the night I proposed to the Mrs of course but that was an expensive experience.

Rob_999

"downtown" london - congrats, you've been Amercianised, sorry I mean Americanized!

CanadaJimmy

It's possible that there is some quality about myself that makes them home in on me, I'm tall I guess so maybe thats it.

The kind of people who pestered me were charity workers and people trying to get me to do a survey. Almost every time I walked down Clarence Street (which is what I meant previously by High Street) one or more people from those groups bothered me. It actually got to the point that I ended up being quite rude to them, literally telling them that, for example, I'd been bothered already twice today by someone asking me to do a survey and I had no interest in it. I've never lived anywhere else which had such a high number of people who's sole purpose is to consume your time and money, lurching around the high street.

I know I'm not the only one, I had a discussion with friends I had there who complained about it too.

Alan2005

Chuggers are happening more and more here unfortunately.

gryphea

Think you are getting muddled with Jings

dboy

it was awful..worse experience of my life! I clutched the barf bag all the way to victoria....I';m taking the ferry next time

rivingtonpike

Actually - I concede the point. There is a proliferation of Chuggers (Charity Muggers) in Kingston's shopping centre. In a way this is probably an inverted compliment, and something for the OP to consider. The area is generally middle class (Ew!!), fairly affluent and, from a charity point of view, rich pickings. CanadaJimmy - you must have looked posh! and rich! I found a similar - though not as polished - experience last time I was in Victoria. More dogs on strings than you could shake a stick at; worse than King's Cross.