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May 25th, 2004
 | 05:52 pm - More updatey goodness
So, here we are in a rather large internet cafe in Edinburgh, one which takes advantage of LCD monitors in a big way, squeezing about 200 terminals in a decent-sized but by no means huge room.
Earlier today we went looking at a couple of places for rent, one in Edinburgh, in the suburb/area/locality of Morningside, and one in a town about 15 miles away called Linlithgow (another place with a castle in the middle of town).
The Morningside flat was ... well, a typical flat, not hugely different from moderately older style flats you might see in Melbourne (apart from being furnished, as the majority of places for rent around here are). Not bad, probably not quite what we're looking for (it'd be nice to have a parking space of our own, rather than fighting the other residents along the street for on-street parking).
As an aside, it strikes me as a little strange that new blocks of flats around here aren't forced to include parking spaces. There's little enough parking in most areas of Edinburgh, and every new block of flats will generally increase the population density and demand for parking spaces. Most new Melbourne developments these days, even in middle suburbs (say, 5-15km out), generally have to include on-site parking, either in garages, or when more flats/townhouses/etc are involved, maybe as an underground carpark or similar. Seems odd that it's not required here by whatever planning committees/councils oversee such developments.
The Linlithgow place was something rather different. It would have had Melbourne real estate agents screaming "huge", "like a house", and so on, but had a relatively calm description here. It had three bedrooms, one "boxroom" (another local oddity, seems to be common for houses to have a random space not big enough to squeeze a bed in, so it gets called a boxroom), and plenty of space. We could possibly even squeeze in all the people from Oz who've "booked" places with us for the Worldcon next year, maybe even without resorting to stacking people up on shelves. So, quite easily a large enough place for us, and not too expensive. Unfortunately, jobs are likely to be in Edinburgh or Glasgow. Commuting by car is a possibility, but would take at least 30-something minutes, up to over 60, especially in times of heavier traffic. There are frequent trains between Edinburgh and Glasgow, and they do stop at Linlithgow, but the fares for both of us commuting would probably pay the rent difference for getting a nice large place in the city centre in either Edinburgh or Glasgow.  rwrylsin suggested that living outside a city would be fine, which I mostly agree with, but I think that while we don't really know many people around the place, and haven't yet settled into the usual routines of fencing, fandom, dancing, etc, it'd be more convenient to be in one of the main cities.
Anyway, we have job interviews in Glasgow on Thursday, so we'll have a look at some places there, and see where our jobs end up. Assuming we end up working in or near the same city, we'll probably end up in that city, at least for a while.
(random observations: Motorways here are just as crazy as they were last year, the nominal limit is 70 mph, but many people breeze on past at 80-100+ mph, ignoring the many fixed (and well sign-posted) speed cameras around the place.
People really do come out to sunbake when there's any decent amount of sunshine - it was 16ish C, and mostly clear the other day, and a few people were lying out in the park near our apartment catching some rays.)
Current Mood:  busy
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Comments - no one would build in central Edinburgh if they were forced to include parking space (tho most new housing developments I've seen in fact do have driveways. It's more or less the main reason to buy a new flat rather than a tenemnt in fact.) There is NO ROOM here - bit different from Australia y'know :-) You won't get a flat in Morningside/Merchiston/Bruntsfield wth its own parking space unless you're millionaires or get a new house/flat.
No one lives in Linlithgow unles one partner lives in Glasgow and one in Edinburgh, then it's really convenient. It's pretty but we aren't adusted to the idea of serious commutes.
I drive on the M8 at a nice sensible 80-90 mph and have never ever had a speeding ticket :-)
And believe me if you stay a year or two you too will be desperate to catch whatever 61 degrees rays are going round, pah :-(( I spent the entirety of Sunday in my sister's back garden.. Yup, the room thing is pretty different, although the inner suburbs around Melbourne are also getting fairly squishy now. Lots of developments in those areas include parking spaces, though, usually underground, or, for the many 15-30 story apartment buildings going up in the docklands area, by making the first few floors the parking areas, then having the apartments on top (guess it makes sure everyone gets a view of some sort, too :-). I guess I was surprised that no-one seems to be putting parking spaces underground in new developments hereabouts.
Actually, the weird thing to me is that there's much less architectural variation around here - even new developments tend to look a lot like the older ones. I guess blending in is good, but the "InstaSuburbs" around here look even more homogenous than the Melbourne ones :-)
Edinburgh is v keen on being a Heritage Old Town and I susepct restrictions on new developments fitting in with the old are high, esp in places like Dean Village (where there are some staggeringly succesful integrations of new flats in with old artisan houses.)
Re underground car parks - Edinburgh also has a LOT of subsidence esp in Morningside - it may be impossible or prohibitively expensive.. ![[User Picture]](https://l-userpic.livejournal.com/86910587/1131998) | | From: | drjon |
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| Date: | May 25th, 2004 04:19 pm (UTC) |
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Good luck. I hope it comes together *hugs*
Got your smail to the PO Box as well. Ta. Haven't tried the floppy as yet -- it might be risky and all, the metal cowl's bent back. We'll see. ![[User Picture]](https://l-userpic.livejournal.com/39805950/477916) | | From: | dmw |
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| Date: | May 25th, 2004 07:18 pm (UTC) |
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it'd be nice to have a parking space of our own
Bwehahahahahammmffph. Um, I guess you won't be in Edinburgh, then.
![[User Picture]](https://l-userpic.livejournal.com/4484283/977366) | | From: | bungo |
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| Date: | May 26th, 2004 08:10 am (UTC) |
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Good to hear you made it there. Have fun settling in.
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