London Living: Tales of Apartment Hunting.

On a mission to find the perfect flat for two which is within our meager price range, my friend Belen and I are up for a real challenge.
London is full of people and full of habitations, tiny little gems, disgusting over lived in lets, disastrous refurbishments. The city is divided up in zones and although we agreed zone one (the centre) is just too intense, we don't want to be out too far. Zone two would be brilliant and in our price range (sort of). In our quest to find this ideal apartment, we have met our share of landlords, or slumlords, each unique and eccentric as is the property they have to offer.
A few nights ago I saw one in Elephant and Castle, it was fairly nice, though dirty. It was close to the centre and the right price. But it was also owned by a racist princess, pulling up in her Audi declaring quietly to me that she would rather let to someone like me then someone like the current Africans she had living there now, even offering me a discount in the deposit. Although the place was nice I couldn't stomach giving this woman my dough and in the end I couldn't imagine our mums visiting. It wasn't in the best area or maybe it was because I was being too picky.
Sunday we were in in Highgate, a beautiful area, very high class and although the lounge and kitchen were lovely in this garden flat, the rooms reminded us of our first year at uni, ever so tiny. The same Sunday we also saw a flat in zone one, near the white chapel tube station, which made our skins crawl. The tenants, having left in a rush, left the place disgustingly dirty and what was supposed to be in reality a two bedroom flat was actually a one bed room with the living room used as a bedroom. The scary stairwell and the dirtyness of the place we couldn't ignore. We told the estate agent thanks, but no thanks.
We are still looking, ever diligent. We know we would be good tenants and I know there is that perfect place just waiting for us to find it. I think it's important to like the place you live. We have some time, three weeks or so and until then I will enjoy where I am at the moment. Looking out to the (SUNNY!!!) garden in Bounds Green.