Moving Houses From Town to the Country

Since the Industrial Revolution which saw thousands of country bumpkins flock to the city where job opportunities were sprouting like parsley in a well sewn patch of soil, a strange relationship between the city and the countryside has been festering- one that is both hostile and full contradictions. The self-professed city lovers would tend to view country life as provincial, sheltered and closed off from the cultural diversity and vibrancy of a cosmopolitan cityscape.

On the other hand, the country dwellers would see the city as a machine that breeds tension, stress and hostility towards your fellow man. City types are notoriously unfriendly (be honest, how many of you Londoners know your neighbours? As in going round for a cup of tea and a natter type of knowing, not a simple nod in the street?) But similarly, country villages are renowned for their ferocious gossip culture. The sort of gossip that would make the characters of any Jane Austen novel cringe with embarrassment- and that's saying something.

In recent years however, the city/country conflict has seen a slight turnaround, as more and more city types- tired of the strain and vacuousity of city life, are going back to the country to re-discover themselves and reconnect with nature and a more ethical way of living. Countless high powered journalists have boycotted (yes, and I am thinking of Rosie Boycott) the big smoke with its supermarket chains and reliance on quick fixes, for the slower pace, Aga fitted, local produce saturated climes of suffolk or Devon. It's the cool thing to do. Nothing could be more urban chic than to set up camp with your own vegetable patch, jam making materials and an old type writer on which to write about your experiences 'on the other side'.

So if you're thinking about moving house, you may as well up root and move over to the lighter side of life (that's if you're a City breed). If you've always known greenery and the sounds of sheep in the far distance, then you'd best stay put- but expect a rather unfriendly neighbour any day who may not immediately leap at your offer of a nice cup of tea...

Joanna writes for root7.com which hosts a handful of highly professional and innovative web-based companies including BigRemovals.com, a leading home removals service.