Spring is my favourite time of year in London.
As a Brisbane girl, the hardest thing to adjust to in the UK has been the cold weather. Many of my friends shrug off the ‘winter blues’, but I went into hibernation in January/February, focussing all my energy on getting through the working day and overdosing on food and sleep. I’m sure I’m not the only Aussie living over here that feels this way – when you grow up with so much sun in your life there are bound to be withdrawal symptoms.
Now that it’s almost April, though, I’m starting to get excited about the city I live in again. The days are lasting just that little bit longer and I no longer have to speed-walk to the Tube station in order to ensure my very survival. More importantly, my family have informed me that there are now RED VELVET TIM TAMS (yes, you read that correctly) and they are being shipped over immediately to sooth my homesick heart.
There are so many things that I adore about spring in London; here are my top 4.
Walking through one of London’s largest parks when the trees are blossoming is a precious experience. Nature can be beautifully austere and mystical in the winter but spring has an innocent and vibrant energy. The colours of the trees in Hyde Park are never quite as vivid as they are in these spring months.
Whilst the Christmas markets are remarkable in Europe, I found that it took a hefty amount of mulled cider to keep myself warm. The rise in temperature in spring makes being outside a lot more bearable and you can allow yourself to stroll through some of London’s finest markets – from Covent Garden to Camden. I highly recommend trekking out to Brixton Village markets if you’re a foodie as there are lots of pop up restaurants that also appear this time of year.
This was amazing last year. It was my first marathon (no, I wasn’t game enough to run!) and I really look forward to going again next month. Watching thousands of people run through the city past scenic monuments to raise money for charity is inspiring. Whilst the tubes, buses and streets are packed with people, the volunteers and TFL staff really do work together to make transporting as efficient as possible.
I’ve always believed that summer is like a holiday – half of the joy is counting down the days until it begins. The festivals, parties, roof terrace pubs and joy of summer is definitely worth the wait through the winter months, and the excitement of the sun reappearing also encourages a steady increase in human interaction.