Hello! Welcome to another blog post. I was scrolling through my previous posts and noticed that I so rarely post in my 'Adventure' category. Understandably, this has been drastically affected by COVID but there is still so much content I can fit under this umbrella!
Today's post is a super quick list of the top 10 places I would love to live and why I think they're deserving of my wonderful presence! I'm going to go backwards from ten to my number one, so stay tuned for the number one pick!
Upon re-reading this post I've come to realise a lot of the places I would love to live are almost entirely based on movies I've seen or actors I'm obsessed with... I'm not sure what this means for my decision making ability.
Number 10 - Canberra
The Number 10 spot falls to my current residence. The capital city of Australia, Canberra. When you google Canberra one of the first things it tells you is its distance from Sydney, a place people might actually recognise.
Canberra is very much a love it or hate it city. It's done me no wrong in the time I've lived here but it just doesn't fit all my boxes like my love for big cities!
Pros:
- An article in the 'The Age' rated it as the second most liveable city in Australia to raise a family.
- Super easy to get everywhere (everything is 20mins away - even the other side of the city!)
- Easy to get into nature, hiking trails, the snow and more just over the border.
Cons:
- Too many public servants, meaning everyone knows everyone (can feel quite claustrophobic!)
- Expensive! As of April this year Canberra is ranked the most expensive city in Australia to rent! Beating Sydney and Melbourne.
Number 9 - Launceston
Number 9 is taken by the Tasmanian town of Launceston. Similar to Canberra, Launceston is a bit of a small aussie city with roughly 125,000 people. It's the second largest city in Tasmania after Hobart and is located at the Northern end of the state.
But my love for this city doesn't come so much from its location or really anything specifically to do with the city itself, it's to do with its proximity to locations such as the one above. Rainforests are a particular love of mine and if I could live in a place close to nature like that, I would do it in a heartbeat!
Pros:
- Easy to get around - reduced traffic times compared with bigger cities.
- Surrounded by nature! An easy drive to some stunning locations.
Cons:
- Not a vast choice in employment! I would need to pick carefully to ensure I could lock down a job.
- It's a bit out of the way to the rest of Australia, making trips a little difficult due to its isolation.
Number 8 - Chicago
Number 8 is Chicago! I've had a soft love for this city ever since I watched 'Calamity Jane' as a child and imagined what it would be like to visit the windy city she sung about.
With the big city lifestyle I love, Chicago seems an ideal place to live life (if you can afford it!)
Pros:
- Sporting culture! As a big sports fan I can see myself getting heavily invested in a wide range of sports and spending my weekends going to games.
- Chicago contains more than 500 parks! Lots of lovely places to settle down and embrace a bit of nature.
- Walking city, lots of popular tourist attractions are located within walking distance of another which makes for an active lifestyle.
Cons:
- Traffic (a negative to any big city really)!
- Expensive.
- Weather (although I do find myself a winter/autumn person far more than summer/spring!)
Number 7 - Tokoyo
Number 7 is Tokoyo! Though I've never been everything I've read about Tokoyo has sparked my interest. It's an opportunity to learn about a place that is both unique and a challenge to live in. The city is beautiful and the city is one of the cleanest in the world!
Pros
- Brilliant public transport system!
- An opportunity to learn about a cultural I know little about.
- Strong difference in seasons, an opportunity to experience all kinds of weather.
Cons
- Crowded. Though I love big cities, too much of anything can be intimidating.
- A need to pick up some Japanese - a language I don't know a single word in!
- Difficult to find a job. .
Number 6 - Brussels
If I had to chose a non-Italy location to live in Europe, Brussels would be my first choice. With its beautiful architecture, stunning views and a cultural hub of learning it is definitely a place I would love to indulge myself for a while.
Pros
- Fantastic public transport system.
- Can live outside the city but still close to working opportunities!
- Culturally rich.
- 2nd highest salaries in Europe!
Cons
- Will almost definitely need to improve my French at the very least.
- Congested traffic.
- Transit city, lots of people move here and leave quickly (continuously needing to make new friends).
Number 5 - Waterford
I love Ireland.
I think my obsession started with Niall Horan from One Direction (which is completely acceptable) and then spread to other Irish actors like Colin Farrell. Naturally I fell in love with the accent and was desperate to research as much as I could about where these hunky men were from. From my research I found the small town of Waterford and instantly wanted to live there.
Pros:
- Beautiful countryside scenery.
- Decent housing costs.
- Near enough to major cities for my big city visit vibes.
Cons:
- Not a lot going on, though this makes it a perfect place to spend a year or so writing.
- Limited in my favourite sports! I might have to start liking...soccer.
- I've heard fuel is expensive, which might make scenic drives a limited occurrence.
Number 4 - London
So, fun story. I love London! And in comparison to a lot of places on this list, I've actually been there! When I was in primary school I wanted to be special. I wanted something enticing about me that would attract friends who might find me interesting. So I started my own rumour that I was born in London. I even started talking with a British accent. Randomly. In the middle of my primary school years.
The error with this decision was that my older sister went to the same school and a quick check in with her proved I was just a regular old Sydney baby. Nothing special at all but embarrassment to last me a lifetime for trying!
Pros:
- Harry Potter (no more needs to be said).
- Big city vibes while also being a short drive from the English countryside.
- Stepping stone to Europe.
Cons:
- Expensive as hell! I need to be very rich to live here.
- Very rarely sunny (most of the time this is my favourite weather, but occasionally I'd like a bit of sunshine warmth).
- Very busy public transport system.
Number 3 - Boston
My love for Boston was born from my love of Ben Affleck.
Specifically my love for Ben Affleck in 'Good Will Hunting' and later in 'The Town'. This love spread from the actor, to the movies, to the location they were set in. I know Boston isn't always everyone's number one USA destination but it is a place I would definitely love to live.
Pros
- Sport focused city.
- Food!!
- Comfortable weather most of the year.
Cons
- Very high crime rate.
- Confusing city structure (making it easy for someone geographically challenged like myself to get lost).
- One of the most expensive cities in the USA to live in.
Number 2 - Tuscany
This place has been on my list ever since I watched 'Under the Tuscan Sun' with my mum. I mean it has all the elements of my dream life! Writing a novel in a fixer-upper house in the Italian countryside. Drinking wine and and learning Italian for all the sexy Italian men.
A dream really.... But also just a beautiful place that I'd love to live - even for a few months!
Pros:
- Beautiful views!
- Cheap (in comparison to some other places on this list).
- Food and wine x 1000000!
Cons:
- Countryside peace (though I love the peace and quiet I also love being near big cities).
- Not a very "public transport" kind of place, would definitely need to drive most places.
Number 1 - Melbourne
My number one pick is the wonderful city of Melbourne.
This one is a bit of a no brainer for me. Having lived here before I can confirm it is a pretty wonderful place to live and its one of my favourite places to visit. I'm just itching to move back as soon as I can!
Pros:
- Sport! I'm an MCG member so the options are practically limitless.
- Big city vibes with countryside opportunities within a few hours drive.
- Public transport ease!
Cons:
- Expensive (there is no way I could buy in the city so its a necessity to look for place a little out of the way).
- COVID is kind of a large deterrent at the moment though that's not a permanent problem.
That's it for todays post. Hope you enjoyed and added a few travel spots to your wish list!
Till next time,
Rhi xx