I really do like London, it has everything for a good day out and is only a short journey from home. However, the most enjoyable part of a day out in London (for me) is leaving it. Its a nice feeling, getting on that bus or train and pulling out of the station knowing that those left behind actually have to live there.

Before those of you who live in London lynch me, let me explain what I like about the place, then I will try to justify why I couldn’t live there.

London, as I have already said, has everything. Every new attraction wants to be there, and most of the older ones are well worth visiting again and again. There is enough shopping, tourist attractions and history in the metropolitan area to keep a holiday-maker happy for days. It has excellent transport links to the rest of the country, and is one of the coolest places in Europe.

So what makes a good day out in the capital for me? Well, I have to visit Piccadilly Circus. It is so cool on a summer evening to just walk around, watching the street performers. There is a huge range of restaurants, bars and, of course, cinemas there. Most of them do involve you waiting for ages just to get in the door, let alone get a table, but they’re all great fun.

Take a short walk into Soho and you will find one of the best parts of the city - China Town. It is only a tiny street, but it’s packed with great Chinese restaurants (pick one with a Chinese clientele and you will be in for a good meal). You'll also find some good Oriental supermarkets and, of course, some wonderful street performers. Soho itself has a very mixed reputation. Its true there are a few sex shops and some slightly iffy bars, but there is also a cool atmosphere and some excellent shops and cafes.

Tourist attractions in London are too numerous to name. My favorite places have to be the Tower, The Planetarium, the Natural History Museum and the Science Museum. They are all easily acc
essible on tube routes and can keep you busy for hours.

So, as you can see, I don’t hate London. I actually quite like it, but I really love coming home. Why? Well, besides all the entertainment attractions, London is also home to most of the major business and corporations in the UK. I hate rush hour, and really can’t stand being squeezed into a tube with hundreds of single-minded commuters. The traffic can be a real choker, literally. Just blow your nose when you get home from a weekday trip into town and you'll be horrified at the state of your hanky! I just couldn’t live there; I'm a country bumpkin, not a city slicker.

If you do live in London, I expect you love it, and I can see why you would. I’m happier being a country mouse, popping down to visit you town mice for the day, with a nice warm bed waiting for me out in the sticks when I get home.