You don't get what you pay for.

Forget travelling to underdeveloped countries to help the modesties of less 'fortunate' places. There is no hot water...again! This is the third time in the less than two months we've lived in this flat. How is it possible London landlords are able to ask for the same amount of rent - more actually - than what we were paying to live in a bigger and newer with additional amenities, high rise, 1 bedroom condo..on the Las Vegas Strip no less!? And to have the audacity to deny our offer of £20 less a week from what he was asking when he can't even guarantee essential hot water.

Now, I want to clarify that I am not being a demanding American. If we weren't paying for it or if we were in a place that would excuse such deficiencies (and I have experienced living with a lack of plumbing in the Philippines without complaint), I would have no reason to throw a fit or bitch about the Brits. The problem is, this wouldn't happen anywhere else. And if it did, it wouldn't take 5 days to fix which is how long it took last time this happened. And(!!) perhaps the freaking rent wouldn't be as expensive.

I never have hateful feelings towards specific individuals but when I think abstractly of London as a civil whole, I think they are incompetent and benefit from a prosperous stereotype that they undeservingly possess.

PS In regards to my previous post on incompetent and lazy people, I went to Boots yesterday, was curious about this eye cream (because this city is advancing my ageing!), and asked the young lady behind the counter how much it costs. She walks to the open shelving, at which any customer could look him/herself, to look for the product and price. After about 20 seconds, she walks back to me and says she can't find it but there's a woman who might know how much it costs but she doesn't know when she'll be back. Then....a moment of silence. Hmmm how very helpful, as I was thinking in my head what an idiot she was. I'm glad we get what we pay for here.

Oh, and don't get me started on the Internet, its service and its speed. Seriously, it the worse I've ever experienced.