Reflection on Westminster

Wandering through the streets of the West End last night reminded me just how wonderful it is to be in London. I already miss aimless meandering that was so accessible to me just a few short months ago. Bright, sunny days were easily and affordably spend reading books under a monument or in a park; perhaps with a sandwich or an delicious Italian-style ice-cream from a street vendor. It really made me feel I was doing the right thing.

These days, of course, the weather's not so inviting.

Of course, it's not just the weather; last night's chill air proved no barrier to my explorations. In fact, wearing my sheepskin-lined denim jacket out into the nippy darkness seemed to be a great way to feel I was in the real London. No, what's really stopping me from enjoying it all is money. It might cost nothing to walk around, but it certainly costs a few quid getting there and back -- and that's without books or ice-cream.

With the end of my savings now in sight, and no firm assurance of additional income, I feel like I need to take particular care with each pound that I spend. This means a lot of cheap supermarket meals and travelling by bus or train special occasions only. Being such a tightwad makes the whole experience of living in what might be the most awesome city in the world somewhat less awesome.

Update 14 Oct: Touched up some HTML.