We had to go to Portsmouth the other day to buy some rifle kit. As soon as we drove into the city we wanted to turn back. Kids just being little thugs, people not giving a damn about anything....and the thing that shocked me after not living there for so long...IT SMELLS! You don't realise unless you have been away from it for a few weeks, but there you go - trust me.
So we get back to our new house in Farnborough, park the car (pretty much where we want to thanks to the ample parking)...take our 5 minute stroll to the lake through the quiet green tree lined street and into the woods....and it doesn't take a genius to see why we love it here!
Yup...it's pure hell here....pah! I don't know how we can stand it! The peace, the quiet! The wildlife and friendly atmosphere! I think the "greeness" of the area just makes everyone that little bit more subdued and relaxed. Kids can play in the woods or parks, rather than hanging around street corners or disused buildings. There is an understated pride in the surrounding area.
True, there was the Portsmouth pride...but that was mainly for the football...and if pride means being drunk and fighting with other team fans, then you've got it all wrong. Living within concrete and brick structures, with everything on top of you all the time can't be good. At least here we can just step out of the front door and we have a lot more open space - room to breathe.
I understand that some people like the city, but a lot of them need to get out and see what they could have. We aren't rich by a long shot - our house was just about affordable, but the area is so much fresher. For the same money I could have stayed in Portsmouth in a bleak gardenless house with no parking. The sums aren't that hard to figure out.
