Homes

[seraphflight]

It looks like Autumn is coming early this year. I don't mind; I don't do well in hot weather anyway. I can't imagine me ever moving to a hot country, for example. I'm not too keen on freezing every winter either, so a move to Finland or Alaska is off the cards. Rain, I don't mind. Wind, I can tolerate. Noise, I can't abide. The older I get, the more I have come to dislike traffic noise, though I have to endure it as I live not only in an urban area but on a road which some people seem to think is a race track.

I sometimes daydream of living in the middle of nowhere, in a rural idyll, in a cottage by a lake. Scotland, maybe? But then I remember that I can't drive and so the practicalities of remote areas - getting groceries delivered, reaching a doctor, for example - would become major obstacles. In fact, it'd rapidly become a menace.

Recently I watched a YouTube video in which a couple were viewing a remote cottage with a view to buying it. The track stopped half a mile away from the cottage, so they'd either have to build a road (pricey!) or trek along a rough, uneven, muddy narrow track with their shopping, a task which would probably take several trips to and from their car. The novelty of that would soon wear thin, especially in winter and when you've also got a cold. Also, they needed room for a home office and an art studio. The upstairs level of the cottage seemed ideal as it was one big room, until they discovered that they couldn't actually stand upright in it. That, too, would get old fast. They didn't buy it, no surprise.

What's your dream home like? Is there a specific location where you'd love to live?

Comments

[silver_trails]

I'm happy in my city. I can drive, but I am walking a lot these days. I like visiting smaller cities and rural areas, but I am a city person, and I love the sea. I only have to walk some ten blocks and the sea is there. In my former apartment I only had to cross the street. The sea in front of the city is down a cliff, like this:



But there are areas like this too:

[seraphflight]

I have to wonder why the planners couldn't have been content with roads through the city, but instead felt a need to build such a large road all along the sea front too. It would be lovely to live so close to the sea, though. I'm sure whoever lives in the buildings by the cliffs have a fabulous view - just imagine all those glorious sunrises and sunsets!

I've always been drawn to the sea. Where I live now isn't too far away, though, just a half-hour bus ride away.

[silver_trails]

The sunsets are glorious, as the sea is on the west. I've seen many when I lived in my previous apartment.

About the road down there it allows you to move from one point of the city to the other very fast. We are 10 millions living in Lima, and the traffic is a problem at peak hours. When I was little there were only a few accesible beaches down there, but the mayor built something like a wide road inside the city (see picture below of the first days of it) and all the dirt from there was taken to the coast, so now we have many accessible beaches in the area. This was in the late sixties of the last century.

[seraphflight]

I can see how traffic systems to cater for 10-million people could be a challenge. I'm sure most people enjoy having improved access to the beaches, too.

[silver_trails]

We have a large coast full of beaches, which for the city is great. There are many outside the cities too.

[seraphflight]

It must be lovely for city dwellers to be able to access those beaches. Doesn't everyone love to escape from a jumble of concrete and glass? I know I certainly do; it's so valuable to be able to surround yourself with nature. It's deeply refreshing and energising. Even a long hike which has tired a person feels refreshing mentally.

[author_by_night]

I see exactly what you mean about rural areas and feel the same way. I love the idea but it's impractical for me as well. The people I know who live like that are very committed to roughing it.

[seraphflight]

Exactly, and the older a person gets, roughing it becomes an ever more arduous burden. What seems romantic for a week's holiday would be a very different kettle of fish if it was permanent, I suspect.

[mumsisdaughter]

You and I are 'twins' for all the same reasons.

I never learned to drive (well I did but failed my test twice so gave up). I live on the edge of a small market town in the SW plain of Lancashire. My house is close enough to walk into the country/farmland yet near enough to enter town for shopping, dentist, doctor etc. We have a bus station, a railway station and a hospital: all to the good as I am now a senior citizen. Even better, as I don't fancy walking uphill into town, there is a local bus that stops right outside my door, once an hour, and my bus pass comes in handy for that trip up the hill :)

Anymore remote would be a trial, though as a young person I always fancied living in a lighthouse. Too many stairs now though!

I have always loved going to see the sea. The nearest coast is about six miles away and awkward to get to using public transport. Luckily, my siblings visit me during the year and I can prevail upon them to take me to the beach :D

[seraphflight]

You make me realise how fortunate I am - buses to two different beach run regularly, and from a very short walk away from my front door, so I really shouldn't grumble.

I never learned to drive, as most of my adult life was spent living in a city. There were taxis, trains, and busses 24/7 almost, and no where to park a car anyway. Hardly a weekend went by, or so it seemed, without two or three neighbours arguing over alleged parking spaces, (it wasn't designated parking!), or shouting about how someone's child had bounced a football or bicycle off their car. I figured I could do without the hassle. Plus running a car's so expensive in the UK, by the time you've paid for MOT, insurance, car parking fees, petrol, maintenance etc.

[cairistiona]

I live in the woods in a rural area not far outside a large city--I can hop on the highway that's just far enough down the road that I can barely hear the hum of cars along it and drive easily to all the modcons and necessities like doctors, etc. Still, my dream locale would be on a coast somewhere, with palm trees swaying in the breeze as they frame a view of the ocean. Seeing as I'd need to be a millionaire to afford that, it's not going to happen in my lifetime, so we just occasionally rent a seaside condo and live that life for a week and then come back home to the woods.

[seraphflight]

It sounds like you're in a lovely area already.

I'd love to live over looking the coast, too. I guess most people would! But, as you say, only the wealthy can afford that sort of thing, usually.

[rhoda_rants]

I mean, cottage-in-the-woods is an idyllic fantasy, but impractical for all the reasons you mentioned. If I could find one maybe fifteen-twenty minutes from modern civilization that'd do me. As it is, my current apartment is not a cottage, nor is it in the woods, but there are lots of trees and flowers and parks nearby, and groceries are a five minute drive. I'm getting closer!

[seraphflight]

I've compromised by creating a garden, which is lovely to escape into even though its only small. Many people who live in apartments would envy that much, perhaps. There's a large park nearby, and two beaches a fairly short bus ride away, so it's not as if I can't get away from the usual built-up urban environment.

But it can be fun to daydream, now and again.

[rhoda_rants]

I would love to have a little indoor garden! But I am terrible at plants. I had to relocate my one Christmas cactus to the office because it was dying. If they're not outside and already thriving, they will die around me.

[seraphflight]

It depends on how much direct sunlight an apartment gets, for plants to thrive. Christmas cactuses love sunshine and lots of it. Years ago now, I used to live in a small apartment which had tall windows but only indirect light, and try as I might most plants struggled.

[rhoda_rants]

Oh, I know! People keep telling me all the reasons my plants may be doing poorly for reasons that are more practical than "I am bad at plants," but the truth is, I know it would not matter. After decades of trying and failing to keep plants alive, I've given up. I have other strengths to nurture instead.

---

[lisette_laviolette]

Hi

I can relate.
I don't do well in cold and hot weather. And I dislike noise. It's hard for me to write or read if I can hear people. And there are a lot of loud people these days.
I would love to live on the seaside. Somewhere sunny all year round but breezy. I would love to live more outside, where there are palm trees.
I am tired of cold, wet winters. I live in France not too far from Paris. It s very pretty where I live but I am not looking forward to winter. Still I love autumn. It s beautiful and the colours and light are everything.