I've had a simply loverly time here in Medway for the last three weeks....just like happened four years ago when I moved back between houses for three months.
It's a funny thing coming back to my home town which is basically an urban sprawl of 350K people, mostly working class, mostly relatively deprived but with pockets of wealth.
I spent most of my teenage years wanting to get the fuck out of here, which I did until four years ago when I moved back temporarily, then out again to Hereford and Portugal - but now I just feel the pull back to Medway - it's basically where I belong, other people have said this too.
I'm not really sure what it is - the sprawl is nothing special, parts of it would definitely classify as high social problem areas with visible homelessness, crack addiction and groups of probably racist feral teenagers hanging around on the streets, but I understand it somehow at a deep emotional, feelingful level.
And I feel somehow connected to all of it, mainly the nice bits such as Rochester High Street and the relatively expensive half a square mile of property/ greenery up from the river nearby, but somehow to all of it too.
It's just been an AMAZINGLY pleasant time wandering from my Dad's place to my loverly co-working space every morning, buying the (Very occasional because they are so damned expensive) Costa and drinking it in the very lovely Castle Gardens....
Hanging out in various pubs with some old and new friends of course has also been fun, and the weather has helped this A LOT, but I know this is only a seasonal thing and I can't sustain going as hard at it as I have been for the last three weeks, but it's nice even for gentle drinking - the landlady at my favourite pub now pours me a pint BEFORE I order because she knows what I like, and I like being institutionalised in that kind of way!
And then there's some damned good running near where my Dad lives - just a ten minute walk/ job and you're into Ranscombe Nature Reserve - you could do a variety of 20K plus runs around here as there are so many cross cutting routes, it's lovely at 6.00 a.m. when it's hot...
And There's even something about 'shitty British shops' that I like too - £2.50 T Shirts from Primark, Gregg's lunches (but I AM NOT buying the Greggs line from Primark, no fucking way!) and later on today I'm in for a real treat.... a Poundland visit to buy fly spray, and maybe flypaper, if they have any, and probably some more cheap deodorant and pain killers just for the sheer hell of it!
And OK OK it's about TWICE as expensive to live here compared to Portugal, all-in (mainly due to rent) but I just don't belong in Portugal, I belong in Medway, it's just that simple!