Roaming Towards Myself

After two weeks staying in Teddington, London, I can honestly say it feels like one of the best places to use as a base for both living and exploring. It’s highly walkable, well connected by trains and buses, and has all the everyday essentials you need. There are cafés, pubs and restaurants everywhere, the architecture is full of English charm, and overall people have been very friendly.

One of the biggest surprises about staying in Teddington has been just how much is here. I expected a pleasant place to stay, but not quite this much choice for food, shopping and day-to-day life. It’s also incredibly walkable, which makes a huge difference. And then there are the little surprises, like foxes literally trying to raid bins and squirrels playing in the backyard.

What I’ve liked most is the everyday feel of the place. Teddington feels calm, intentional and friendly. It feels alive and bustling, but peaceful at the same time. Being close to London without being in the middle of central London has suited me perfectly. A few days in London was enough before we came here, and on the first morning in Teddington I remember saying to my friend that I felt instantly relaxed. It’s still easy to get into London, but the pace here is slower, and that shift has been one of the best parts of the stay.

England definitely doesn’t feel like home, but in a good way. The accents all around us are a constant reminder that we are very far from home. Even though they speak English, everything still feels different, and honestly that’s exactly what you want when you’ve travelled this far.

Things to do in Teddington and nearby.

Some of my favourite things to do in Teddington and nearby over the last two weeks have been Teddington Lock, Ham House, Bushy Park, Hampton Court Palace, Kingston, and the National Archives at Kew.
Teddington Lock
If I had to choose the most peaceful part of staying here, it would be Teddington Lock. Walking along the Thames with ducks and swans always nearby, watching boats move down the river, and seeing blossom starting to appear has been one of the loveliest parts of daily life here. Teddington Lock feels distinctly English, and the Thames itself gives the whole area a character that’s hard to explain until you see it.
Ham House
Ham House was one of the most beautiful places I visited. It doesn’t have the grand scale of Hampton Court Palace, but it’s impressive in a different way, more intimate, more atmospheric. The gardens and maze were amazing, and the fact that it’s said to be one of the most haunted houses in England only added to the appeal for me. No ghostly encounter sadly, but I loved every second there. It’s also older than colonised Australia, which is a pretty wild thing to think about as an Australian walking through it.
Bushy Park
One of the things that made Bushy Park so memorable was the deer. We simply do not have deer wandering around parks back home in Sydney, so that felt really special. Bushy Park is huge, green, flat and perfect for walking, with water, open space and benches scattered throughout.
Hampton Court Palace
Visiting Hampton Court Palace was such an easy and worthwhile outing. One of the first things I said to my friend was, “We’re in an actual palace.” We are fairly light on palace experiences in Australia. It was fascinating learning more about Henry VIII, his wives, and how the palace was run. The history feels far more real when you’re standing in the place where it actually happened.
Kingston
For shopping, Kingston was a great day out. I don’t really want to compare it to Teddington because it feels different rather than better or worse. It’s larger, busier and has a different style, but the shopping was excellent and I’ll definitely go back before I leave. Clothing-wise, I love shopping, and the variety and style here is a dream.
National Archives at Kew
The National Archives at Kew gave me one of the most memorable experiences of the trip for completely different reasons. Even though I didn’t find everything I hoped for, it still felt incredibly special to hold books and documents that were hundreds of years old. I don’t think I’ll ever forget the handwriting. Beautiful, even if it was very hard to decipher.

Food in Teddington
One of the biggest surprises has been the quality of the food here, even from supermarkets. We did our last grocery shop at Lidl, and even converting the prices into Australian dollars in my head, it still felt cheap. But the main thing was that everything was genuinely delicious. Properly yummy. Tesco has impressed us too.
The standout pub meal was at the Red Lion, where I had the best roast dinner I’ve had besides my mum’s. It was about £20, which sounded painful once I did the conversion, but I ended up getting two meals out of it. The portions were huge, especially the roast beef, and the Yorkshire pudding took up about half the plate but was still light and perfect. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a pub meal in Australia piled that high with food, let alone food that well cooked.

Tulips in Teddington
And then there are the tulips. They are everywhere. Outside shop doors, in people’s gardens, and in public green spaces. Every colour you can imagine. Because they don’t grow like that back home in Sydney, they’ve made walking around here feel even more special. They’ve been one of the strongest visual memories of these two weeks, little bursts of colour everywhere.

Why Teddington is a great base
For me, Teddington is a great base because it gives you both options. You can get into London easily, but you don’t have to live in the constant rush of central London. It feels slower, prettier and calmer, while still being practical. After two weeks here, I can see why people would love not just visiting Teddington, but living here too.
If I left tomorrow, I think I’d miss everything. The houses, the park, the lock, the people, and definitely the tulips. They’ve made such an impression on me.