I’ve been a Brighton to London commuter for about 6 weeks now, 5 if you consider I’ve been away on business for one of those weeks.
Having done the commute for a while, I can safely say that none of the problems I expected have arisen. The train service has been very good indeed (tip: avoid First Capital Connect and use Southern services) and I’ve had relatively little problem getting in and out at almost reasonable times.
The problem with the Brighton to London commute for me is more subtle. As I am working from home two days a week, I’ve broken up my week so that I’m not commuting more than two days in a row.
While this is great from the point of view of not being too tired by the end of the week, what it does mean is that I am lacking a strong sense of routine. I never realised in London how powerful routine is for the soul, but I realise now that I am missing it.
Perhaps over time it will come, but right now I still haven’t adjusted to the fact that I don’t live in London any more. By day I am, for most the week, in the office in London. Having lunch with a friend the other day we were talking about pleasant day trips in the car and I suddenly realised I was imagining journey times and routes from London, not Brighton.
It’s as if we have moved as a family to Brighton, but some of my identity remains in London – I belong to two cities now. I’ve not had a commute before – and maybe this is a standard feeling for anyone commuting – but it certainly is a very new feeling for me.
The commute also comes up in all aspects of life – in Brighton, should we go out tonight? The second thought is always to remember if the next morning involves an early start. In London a work colleague is planning team drinks – will I be out late, and if so do I really want to be getting a train home at 11pm after a night of the pub?
Over the coming months, as my leisure time becomes more centered around Brighton and I start to make friends, I’m hoping this will change. But for now the problem remains. Commuting between Brighton and London is technically fine and manageable, it’s the emotional or social aspect that’s the toughest thing to adjust to, and should not be underestimated.
