'I moved from Sydney to London six months ago. Here are 4 things I won't take for granted back home.'

For the last decade, the idea of moving to London took up the majority of my vision board. 

Year after year, my closest friends had to hear about these big plans I had for my mid-20s, then suffer through a personalised pitch on why they should move as well.

Suddenly, June of this year came around, and just like that, my vision became a reality. 

This city has been my home for six months now, and I can honestly say, living here has surpassed all my expectations.

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London is an extremely easy city to love.

As a 20-something, there's a complete shift in what is expected of you. 

There's an inability to get bored with how much is going on.

There's also a refreshing openness when it comes to meeting and making new friends. 

That being said, there are some things that I won't be taking for granted once I'm back in Sydney.

1. A cloudless day.

Starting with the most obvious: clear blue skies and long stretches of sunshine. 

If there's one thing I've noticed since moving here, it's that I've never thought about the sun this much in my life.

Growing up in Sydney, the weather has spoiled me, and I miss not having the guarantee of a beautiful day when I wake up most mornings.

I remember when I arrived at the peak of London summer (an experience everyone should have once in their life), I happily soaked up the beautiful, long days and surprisingly high temperatures.

I embraced the park culture, which meant not questioning sunbathers at the local common or knowing that, no matter how late it was, if the sun was out, so were you.

The picnics were endless, the vibes were high, and, of course, this lulled me into a false sense of security, so that when autumn arrived, it took me a minute to adjust.

Having a picnic with a friend. Image: Supplied.

It made me think about all the weekends I woke up to gloriously sunny weather year-round in Sydney and chose to stay inside. 

Now that I've come to terms with how drastically different the seasons are over here, I'm learning to love them for what they are.

Autumn is its own festivity, with pumpkins on the doorsteps, Halloween decorations and a distinct change in fashion on the streets.

It turns out earmuffs aren't just fashionable, they're a necessity.   

My Gilmore Girls heart has fallen in love with the cosiness of it all.

The sun still comes out every day, and even though it's for short periods of time before the clouds get in the way, I make a conscious effort to get outside way more than I did in Sydney.

If I had to pick one thing that endears me most about the culture of these colder months, it's how much effort everyone puts in to making the change of season as enjoyable as possible.

2. Pathway etiquette.

In Australia, walking from A to B is easy because we've collectively agreed that when on a path with other people, you always stick to the left.

It's orderly, it's predictable, and it's completely logical considering we drive on the left side of the road.

In England, walking on the street is a free-for-all, meaning, whichever direction you're coming from, you're always doing that little dance of which side to walk on to avoid a collision.

The pathway etiquette in London could confuse someone who has been living in Sydney. Image: Supplied.

And if this lack of pathway etiquette doesn't sound chaotic enough, just imagine a rogue lime bike speeding past, a couple of prams strolling at snail's pace and add in some overly excited dogs in the mix too.

The one rule they do share with us is having a fast lane on the escalator. 

Except once again, prepare for your brain to break because they've chosen to adopt a stand right, walk left rule. 

So the first time you make that mistake here, and believe me, you will make it at least once, you'll probably get a stern tap on your shoulder to move aside.  

Consider yourself warned.

3. Holding my phone in public.

Whipping my phone out in the middle of the Sydney CBD is an everyday luxury I will never take for granted again.

In London, you just have to be more cautious in the touristy areas, but that doesn't mean it doesn't get tiring. 

If I'm in central London and don't know where I am, I'll walk into a store nearby to safely pull out Google Maps on my phone and get my bearings before heading back outside. 

Hopefully, at that point, I've memorised street names, how many turns I need to take and have kept an eye out for landmarks along the way, so I know I'm relatively on track.

It all feels very old school. 

On the days I can't be bothered and just want to be directed somewhere, I'll pop an AirPod in and turn on the voice navigation from Maps. 

Or my partner will take the lead, since he has an Apple Watch, and that way, our phones never have to leave our bags.

It's an inconvenience for sure, but it's become second nature now, and as someone who used to be directionally challenged, my sense of direction is actually improving.

I'm also learning to rely on my phone less and less.

The thought of standing in the middle of the city with my head buried in my phone feels so foreign to me now.

4. Coffee culture.

Lastly, as a non-coffee drinker, this one's on behalf of all my London-living Aussies who have realised that there's no place like home when it comes to our morning cuppa.

When you grow up in Australia, you're led to believe a decent cup of coffee, or in my case, matcha or chai, should be easily accessible at all times. 

And this isn't to say there aren't great places in London to get your fix, it's just that you really have to seek them out. 

In Sydney, coffee addicts are used to walking around to any unassuming corner cafe, ordering blindly and knowing that they'll receive something excellent. 

The standards are so high, and when you're paying just as much, if not more, in London for something that you know won't be as good, it just feels wrong. 

The London coffee culture is very different from Sydney. Image: Supplied.

To be honest, Sydney's prices would always sting, but somehow, after living here, I look back and feel like it stings less.

After about a month, my partner and I opted out of our daily coffee and matcha and decided to embrace the culture of tea instead.

The stakes are low when you're making it at home, it's significantly cheaper and, if anything, it's probably the healthiest coping mechanism I've developed since moving here.

Moving overseas? Read these stories next:

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• 'I'm moving to another country for someone I've never met in person.'

Feature image: Supplied.