London is nothing like I expected it to be if I'm honest. I expected it to feel like a place where the world was going to be moving at a million miles an hour, but as I stepped off the plane it just felt like every other bustling city. If anything, it was cold.
The terminal was freezing, I couldn't dare imagine how cold it would be outside. Maybe I wasn't fit for the London weather, the windows were fogged up and rain constantly whipped against the glass. I wrapped my jacket tightly around my chest, reminding myself that I'm here to make a change.
I collected my bags relatively quickly, digging through them to find another jacket to layer on top before braving the outside winter wonderland of London. The disappointing thing about the cold weather in London is that even when it feels like it is negative fifty billion degrees, it never snows. What a way to ruin the joy that's usually accompanied by the cold.
I hailed a taxi as soon as I stepped out of the airport. I wanted to get to my new apartment as soon as possible, to somewhere with heating or blankets, or any residual warmth.
"Where to?" asked the driver.
I replied with my address and he quickly began the trip before asking a few more questions.
"The accent... where are you from?" he asked politely.
"Australia," I laughed. I'd only been in the country a couple hours and someone was already bringing up the accent. "I moved here for work," I explained avoiding the next question that was likely to follow.
"Well I hope you enjoy it, it's been a bit cold recently but you'll get used to it," he smiled.
"Yeah, the temperature was definitely a shock."
"Don't worry, we're here," he said as we pulled up outside my apartment complex, my new home. I paid him and left a generous tip for the kind hospitality before grabbing my two bags and heading in.
The apartment was basically empty, chestnut brown wood floors and piercing white walls reflected the bright light from the ceiling. The windows wrapped around the living room and kitchen area allowing for what would normally be some nice sun. Instead, it was just an opening to view the torrential downpour outside. The rain littered the glass with water droplets neglecting to slow. London was meant to be the start of something new, where I would make a difference. But right now, it's just scaring me.
At home, there is sun and beaches, with soft sand, salty water and crashing waves. I was living in an apartment in Byron Bay, going surfing every afternoon and jet skiing on the weekends. Life was good, but not everything I wanted. My life was missing something, something important, so I'm here, in London, ready to make a difference even though I don't know how just yet.
I was looking for something, something else to add to my life. At home I finished my Bachelor of Physiotherapy, I was working in clinics and hospitals but it wasn't everything I wanted. In high school, I played sports, really well actually, but I had to stop, and now I'm missing the adrenaline of it all. Sports physiotherapy has always been an option, and I want to see where it takes me, but right now I don't have a sports team to work for.
So I'm moving country, to the 'home of football', to follow my passion not just what's sensible. England is known globally for the calibre of soccer, or football, whichever you choose to call it, that it is home too, this is my next step. Although I'm continuing clinical work at a private practice here, it's still going to be a change and I'm living for it.
If someone were to tell me that at only 23 years old I, Peyton Ackley, would be sitting in a cold, empty London apartment, I'd call bullshit. However, now that I'm here, it doesn't seem all that unusual and I'm ready to see where I go.
The cold wooden floorboards that I sat on were causing me to shiver but I didn't have anything, and I mean anything. There was no couch, chairs, or even a table. A large kitchen island provided me with some bench space, but otherwise, there was nothing. I hadn't taken to exploring just yet, but I eventually grew cold enough to make my way around the apartment. I found my so-called bedroom which surprisingly had a bed... frame.
"Who the hell leaves just the bed frame, where the hell's my mattress?" I yelled absolutely confused at the scene I was facing. It was honestly hysterical seeing just the bed frame, no mattress, like did the people before take their mattress and leave the frame?
Unsure of what I was going to do about the lack of furniture I decided to head into London. Although severely jetlagged, it was early in the day, and instead of staying cooped up in my cold apartment, buying some furniture in the city posed more benefits. I was still wearing my comfy outfit from the plane, so I quickly changed into some jeans and an old rugby polo before throwing a black puffer jacket over the top. My light brown hair hung down behind my shoulders, surprisingly it had remained straight even through the rain.
My second taxi of the day was definitely causing some depletion in the bank account, but it beat walking through the rain with no particular destination in mind.
"Where to?" asked the driver in a similar tone to the guy earlier.
"Uhh, do you have any suggestions for a shopping centre or a furniture shop nearby?" I asked in response.
He suggested the centre that was just up the road and explained that there would be a furniture store inside but also some places to buy linen for my bed and maybe some food, which to be honest, I'd kind of forgotten about. The shopping centre was massive and slightly overwhelming if I'm being honest, but I quickly identified the furniture store I'd been told about.
"How can I help you?" asked a young guy as I stepped into the store. His dark brown curtains parted above his eyebrows to perfectly show his deep green eyes. He had a slightly wonky smile but really white teeth.
"Umm, I'm looking to buy some furniture," I replied.
He looked rather stunned, "anything in particular?" he asked with a tilt of his head.
"Everything, except a bed frame," I responded as I began to walk down the aisles of the shop.
"A bed frame? What happened there? My name's Alex by the way."
"My friends call me PJ, and I just moved here from Australia and forgot to preorder my furniture," I said with a sigh.
"PJ? Isn't that more of a guy's name?" Alex asked.
"It has some hidden meaning I guess but the basis is that my name is Peyton, middle name Jade, so PJ."
"It's cool, I like it. Okay let's get you some furniture, you said you needed everything?" he questioned. I nodded and we began to pick out items of furniture, a mattress that would hopefully fit the frame, a couch and a similar accent chair. As well as a dining table, six dining chairs and some bar stools. I already had all my appliances, and I had a built-in wardrobe so I was good on that front.
"Do you do same-day delivery?" I asked realising all this furniture would be no use if I couldn't even get my mattress.
"I could get you the mattress, and maybe the bar stools, they're already stocked here, but everything else is ordered in."
"Yeah that sounds perfect thank you, Alex," I said with a smile. As I paid for the furniture I refused to hear the price because I simply didn't want to know how much I had just spent without even buying groceries or linen. A quick stop to buy some sheets, blankets and towels meant I was on the way to get some food.
Some bread for breakfast with some butter and honey, some fruit for a snack tomorrow and I decided on ordering dinner. There would just be too many ingredients required to cook, I did however, manage to grab a packet of biscuits for a treat.
Back home, well it didn't really feel like home, just four white walls and a big open window that protected me from the outside, I began to unpack my bags. I slowly unloaded my clothes into the few drawers built into the wardrobe. The one thing I did forget was clothes hangers, and maybe laundry detergent, but I could get that another day.
I'd bought lunch out and it was only around 2 pm, I was told my couple of furniture items would arrive around 4.30 pm, so I had some time to fill in. It was still raining and cold, but I'd finally found the heater for the apartment which was quickly turned on. I decided I'd at least go and introduce myself to my immediate neighbours in an attempt to be somewhat friendly to the people I was sharing a hallway with.
Apartment 114, my new home. I stepped across the hallway to apartment 115, and gently knocked on the door. A nice-looking older lady opened the door with a smile, "how can I help you?" she asked.
"Hi my name is Peyton," I introduced myself holding out my hand for her to shake. "I just moved in next door," I said as I pointed to the open door across the walkway.
"Nice to meet you Peyton, I'm Beatrice, but everyone calls me B."
"It's nice to meet you too," I replied, "I didn't want to intrude just introduce myself to some of the neighbours." She began to explain who lived around us, on the right in apartment 116 was a family of four, mother, father, and twin 11-year-old boys, apparently, it gets really loud at times. On the other side was a single mother with a 3-year-old daughter, her name was April and her daughter, Maybelle.
"So what brings you to London?" she asked, "I can tell you're not English, the accent is very strong."
I giggled to myself before explaining that I moved from Australia for work and that I was only 23 years old. Afterwards, I thanked Beatrice for her hospitality and headed back over to my apartment ready to wait for my soon-to-arrive furniture. As 4.30 approached I anticipated the arrival of the items for my new home, hopefully, it would begin to feel like I belonged, and that I wasn't just standing in a plain box.
I missed my surfboards that used to sit in the corner of my bedroom, and the paintings of the water in the living room. I honestly don't know why I had the beach paintings in my kitchen and living room, the balcony that extended from the back door looked out to the beach, so I had a constantly changing view of the beach - of the sandy serenity.
I chose to keep my house in Australia because I planned to travel back regularly, but it seemed like the return trip may be sooner than not. My tan seemed out of place with the London winter and rain, and the January chill wasn't making me feel like I was connected to England as much as I first thought I would be. Maybe it was too good to be true?
* * *
With my mattress placed snuggly on the bed frame and the barstools all set up on the kitchen bench, the warmth of the apartment had begun to fill. It wasn't just temperature warm, it was beginning to feel warm in terms of the atmosphere too. The sheets were white, as well as the duvet, which had navy blue detailing. It looked similar to the one I had back home, well I guess this is home, but the one back in Australia.
Dinner was a takeaway pizza that was ordered to the door. I felt bad making someone trudge through the still-heavy drizzle, but I wasn't doing it, that's for sure.
I always say that home is the place where you feel most comfortable, my home wasn't always my family's house. Quite often it was elsewhere, friend's couches, motels, the back of my car, wherever I could find refuge, but after finding serenity in Byron, I thought I was set for life. This new adventure in London is out of my comfort zone, and because of that, it doesn't feel like home, but I believe that it will. I'm going to miss the beach, the sand, the salt spray that would be in the air on the balcony, the sun that would hit your face when waking up in the morning, I would miss it all. Yet, this was my next step, this was me following my passion and stepping out of my comfort zone, the safe space I had restricted myself to.
Byron Bay, Australia, the big sunny island I called home for 23 years is now my past, and this new adventure is my future, where it will take me I don't know, but I'm ready for the ride of my life.
WORDS: 2193
a/n: NEW BOOK ALERT!!! I'm going to keep writing my other book 'Cameryn May - A Fresh Start', but this idea came to my mind so I thought most well try and start it at the same time and see where it takes me
let me know what you think of Peyton, and her story so far (I know it's not much to work off), but the fact that her story isn't too deep means you guys can contribute if you like
hope you enjoy, please vote if you like it and feel free to leave feedback