Life in lockdown has been a fairly unusual expertise for us all.
From working from residence to carrying masks and social distancing, the pandemic has altered our lives in methods we might have by no means imagined.
Most Londoners have needed to expertise lockdown in homes or flats, with growing numbers of individuals dealing with the continued fear of payments and lease to pay amid turbulent monetary occasions.
But some have opted for another way of life.
Some live on a slim boat, rent-free and submerged in nature.
For metropolis dwellers, the considered dwelling on the water could also be barely alien, however there are 1000’s of narrowboaters in the capital who like it.
Is this the perfect ‘do business from home’ area?
Alex Pringle, 25, and Daniel Booth, 26, live in their narrowboat, Olive, and are at present dwelling in the idyllic and scenic West London district, Little Venice.
Before making the choice to live life on the water, they had been paying over £1,000 on lease every month. Now, they don’t pay a single penny – on lease, that’s.
Alex stated: “The financial savings are unimaginable – we went from paying greater than £1,000 a month for a room excluding payments, to dwelling in a area that was fully ours.”
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The couple, who have lived on their narrowboat for a yr and a half, moved into their residence to keep away from the extreme value of lease in London.
Daniel stated: “It was initially a monetary choice to be trustworthy – we’d paid lease for years and years and hated the considered paying off somebody’s mortgage whereas we’re gaining no asset.
“We’re nonetheless managing to avoid wasting cash each month which is good – even with our million takeaways.”
Similar to many Londoners, the couple have needed to adapt to working from residence during the pandemic.
The dwelling space could also be small however it’s cosy
“It’s completely ample as now we have photo voltaic panels offering energy for all our devices and it’s good to get up, put a espresso on, gentle the hearth and sit at work whereas geese swim previous on the canal,” stated Alex.
“It’s a very peaceable and calming solution to work and my colleagues are at all times asking what’s happening in the background of the Zoom name.”
Like many people, the couple have hung out renovating their residence all through lockdown and sometimes share the method on their Instagram account.
The couple have redone their kitchen during the lockdown.
Alex stated: “We have the boat renovation as our essential precedence so it places most different issues to the again of our minds.
“I suppose it will get a little isolating dwelling in such a small area with out the flexibility to see family and friends however the towpath is a fixed hive of exercise so at the very least there’s a regular movement of individuals to smile, chat or clarify boat life to.”
Despite the smaller area, the couple are principally snug on the narrowboat however do face their justifiable share of challenges.
“We’re used to sharing a small area, whether or not or not it’s college halls or a shared room in a home share,” Alex stated.
“Living in a area the place you may attain out and contact each partitions does have its challenges – particularly when portray and all of the furnishings is piled in the center – however each time we knock one thing over or stumble upon one another we simply remind ourselves that that is our area and we personal it and we’re in Zone 1 London.
“The hardest factor was the clothes cull. The lack of storage means we’ve needed to attain an settlement on a staple wardrobe of 5 t-shirts, 5 pairs of trousers, and 5 shackets. Although now we’re embracing dwelling with much less.
Home renovations have been difficult in a smaller area
Daniel added: “Living and constructing in the identical slim area has been a entire different kettle of fish. We’re dwelling amongst constructing supplies 24/7.”
The couple are steady cruisers so that they have to maneuver their boat each two weeks and can’t dwell in one space, in keeping with the boat licence phrases and situations.
However, all through the lockdowns, the Canal & River Trust allowed steady cruisers to remain in one location, limiting navigation to “important use solely.”
Alex stated: “Throughout the newest lockdown we’ve been dwelling by Paddington and Little Venice. It’s such a lovely space and has a actual village really feel. There’s a good quantity of inexperienced area and loads of cafes close by. We’ll be unhappy to go away however we’re excited to get on the transfer once more.”
The couple benefit from the views from the narrowboat
“Walking round Little Venice with a espresso on the weekend has been nice,” Daniel added.
The couple love their way of life a lot that they don’t have any plans for transferring again to dry land.
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Daniel stated: “For the second we like it, I can undoubtedly envisage this long run, our preliminary ideas had been to maneuver onto a flat however the lifestyle is so calm on the water.”
“Eventually, we see ourselves making the transfer again, but it surely must be for the proper place as dwelling on the water is such a pretty way of life,” added Alex.
