Frankie Goes To London

By October 7, 2015Jobbio Choice

In Jobbio I am Head of Business Development in London, creating lifetime relationships between Jobbio and Brands, ensuring their opportunities are marketed brilliantly to attract top talent. This is all about my move from Dublin to London. And how I have managed it all in less than 14 days (yes, really).

 

EPISODE 1: Here Comes London

I’ve lived abroad before but had the guts of 8 months to plan it. Move office, move house and move my life all in a matter of days – where to begin? It can be done and so I have compiled a quick list of must-haves before embarking on this adventure. This first lesson is about what I learned from my recon trip and what I would have done differently.

Oyster cards and a sense of directionIMG_1744

The underground system is the only way to travel. Load up your oyster card but be prepared to also load up your iTunes and Maps as there is no service down there. People move fast and furious and lift tourists out of the way, so get into the right lane and stay there. I mean it, stay there.

You’ll check your direction on the go? Forget about it. Know where you are going and the stop names, because there is no time to check half way through. You will end up in the middle of nowhere if you don’t pay attention.

If you don’t know your North, South, East and West (and surprisingly don’t have a compass handy), learn them as it is key to emerging from the tunnels below.

Hand luggage: you will be lugging it around for the day

Going with work, I  had to make an appearance in the office so I was booked onto the red-eye flight. Hand luggage is key, in and out of the airport with minimal time to spare. Get a good bag with wheels, no one wants to arrive to a meeting with a sweaty back from your backpack.

And as always, it’s a city, so watch those pockets, no one wants to lose their phone and wallet on the first day.

Somewhere to stay

Being Irish definitely had its advantages on this trip, everyone knows someone in the city with a spare couch. In my case, I landed a spare bed. If that isn’t the case jump on Hotels.com or Airbnb and grab yourself a comfortable room with WiFi. After a day roaming the city, you really do want a place to get some rest. If you will manage to get inside the Zone 1 of the tube map, you’ve advanced to the next level, and now you can access nearly everything by foot.IMG_1708

I was lucky to get a spare room in a flat in South London, ideal location to jump on the Victoria Line (one of the few quiet morning lines). The simple things like being able to prepare some food or grab a stroll in suburbia is something you will definitely take for granted until you meet the hustle and bustle of London.

Grabbing a bite to eat

You will not find a bigger selection of food on your doorstep. The big brand chains will hit you first from Five Guys burgers to Wasabi. For me it was the street markets. On every corner and open space, these “pop-up” style vendors have an array of tastes from all over the world. Check out Dinerama – comprising of old freight containers that have been arranged to enclose what was a derelict site into a trendy food and drink spot. It’s there from lunchtime till the early hours of the morning. My recommendation is the bbq ribs and a London Pale ale to wash it down.

List of places to visit – London is Huge

The abundance of choice – again and again. Preparing the list of the spots you want to visit first would be handy. There is always too much to do, so here’s my 5 S’s of London:

  • Fiveguys
  • Soho
  • South London
  • South bank
  • Spitalfields

And that is it. Frankie now lives in London. Tune in next week when I explore each area of London.

Follow me for more updates from my London life
@frankiejobbio

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