Can you feel the ocean breeze? Smell those freshly mowed lawns? Hear those birds (you know the ones, they go booooooooo-woop)? The sensations of leafy suburbia – where I’ve taken respite from my inner city life to house-sit for a couple of days – feel good. I came for a bit of peace and quiet and easy beach access, but got a whole lot more than that. And it’s hard not to compare it to my usual residence in the grimy inner city.

So how do they stack up?

In the morning…

Suburbs: Sunday morning sleep-ins may come to an abrupt halt due to the sounds of birds (seriously it’s like a fricken rainforest out here), small children and lawnmowers.

Inner city: You are gently lulled awake by conversations of friendly locals as they drift past your house on their daily trip to the rehab centre. I don’t know why, but they prefer to converse with each other by shouting from opposite sides of the street.

Suburbs: You may awake to find a newspaper on your doorstep. Lovely.

City: Once I found THIS on my doorstep…

Or if you’re lucky you may even find this guy…

Daily Business…

Suburb: Your neighbours will happily collect your mail when you’re not home.

City: Your postwoman must hide your packages or they will be stolen… (potentially by your neighbours).

Suburb: Much to my surprise people smile, greet you and are genuinely friendly when you walk past them in the street.

City: The only people that talk to you on the street are generally drunk, asking for money, or both.

Suburb: I can steal biscuits like these from my nieces and get away with it…

City: If I steal food from my housemates, the risk of food contracting salmonella poisoning is mid to high.

Suburb: There is glitter everywhere; it’s come off small children’s dresses, shoes, and cakes.

City: Actually same, but it mainly comes from fully-grown peoples clothes (especially around Mardi Gras).

Suburb: There is so much green: front lawns, back lawns, side lawns… and people have GARDENS!

City: It’s alive with colour from the people that inhabit it, the bright houses, and the street art.

Suburb: These gardens don’t maintain themselves you know, that’s what Saturday is for. Mowing, pruning, weeding: you guys are BUSY! Except you lot at number 23, you’ve really let the team down…

City: It’s lucky city folk don’t have gardens. Their Saturday’s are already too full waiting half an hour to get served at the bakery.

Suburb: Utes represent a personal fashion statement under the guise of functionality.

City: As above, but for bicycles.

Winding Down…

Suburb: RSL’s get rowdy, especially on badge draw night

City: Hmm… same. I think that is consistent Australia-wide.

Suburb: You fall asleep to the sounds of cicadas, frogs and ocean waves crashing.

City: You fall asleep to the gentle hum of pub chatter, clinking glasses and the irregular footsteps of people too drunk to stand upright.

With all their differences they really are both great places to live. And despiste its faults and imperfections I can’t quite get enough of living in Surry Hills just yet. However, it is good to know there’s a lot more fun to be had living out of it too – if I ever want to leave.

What’s your lifestyle like? Any contrasts you have noticed?