I have two exciting pieces of news today. First, I’m celebrating 15 years of living in London. Second, I have a big announcement to make. A huge one, in fact. You’re going to want to read it. Scroll down for the news.
15-Year Anniversary of Living in London
I’ll start with the anniversary. It’s hard to believe I’ve been living in London for a decade and a half. In many ways it feels like I just arrived. That said, when I think back on my early days in the city it feels like a long time has gone by.
Speaking of those days, when I first got to London I thought I would only be here for two years. I saw my time in the UK as a fun break from “real life” back in San Francisco.
I wanted to see as much of the UK and Europe as I could, and I spent most of my weekends making that happen. From day trips to multi-day getaways, I crisscrossed Britain and the continent to take it all in.
I threw in trips to far-flung destinations, too. Madagascar, South Africa, Namibia, Australia, New Zealand, Colombia, Sri Lanka, and many other countries stamped my passport in my early years in London.
But 2 years later I felt like there were still so many things to do in London and around Europe that I didn’t want to leave.
The A Lady in London blog was also at a point where I was ready to quit my day job and turn it into a business. The combination of those things led me to renew my visa for another 3 years and commit to living in London long-term.
At 5 years I got Indefinite Leave to Remain in the UK, and at six I got UK citizenship.
With my new British passport in hand, I had the opportunity to stay in the United Kingdom for as long as I wished.
The subsequent years have gone by unbelievably quickly. The A Lady in London blog has grown to become one of the top travel blogs in the UK, I bought a flat in London, and I’ve traveled to 100 countries (and beyond…I’m at 112 now!).
In short, I’ve lived a life I never imagined back when I was an analyst at a hedge fund in California.
It’s been a great adventure.
But…
I’ve grown increasingly homesick over the years. I’ve always felt like I had one foot on either side of the Atlantic Ocean, but not being able to go home for two years during lockdown made me realize just how precious California was to me.
When I was finally able to go back to San Francisco a year ago, I decided I wanted to make a point of returning more often.
So I went back again in December. And again in April. And again this month. I had such a good time I started to wonder if I wanted to move back. I also met a guy out there, which helped nudge me in that direction.
But how could I possibly leave London? My friends were here, my flat was here, and my business was here. My whole life was here.
Then an idea struck me: why choose? Why not do both?
So I made a plan. I decided to do something I’ve always talked about doing but never had the courage to do.
I decided to start splitting my time between London and San Francisco. But that’s not all.
I also launched a second blog called California Wayfaring. Unlike A Lady in London, which is about travel all over the world, this blog is about just one place.
It covers great escapes in the Golden State, and it has a focus on all things urban, nature, and food.
If you’re interested in California travel, I’d love for you to visit, subscribe, and follow me on social media (Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, Pinterest, TikTok, Twitter). If you’re not, I bet you know someone who is. I’d love for you to tell them about it.
I’ve been working hard on it, and I’d appreciate any support you’d be willing to give now that I’ve officially announced the launch.
So what does all this mean for the A Lady in London blog? It’s still going to be the same as it always has been. You’ll continue to get the best of lovely London and beautiful travel here and on my social media channels and newsletter.
I’m excited about this new chapter, and I want to thank you for all your support along the way. The A Lady in London blog wouldn’t be where it is without you, and I appreciate all you’ve done for it over the last 15 years.
Here’s to the next 15 and all the exciting things they’ll bring!
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