If you’ve never lived here, it’s easy to forget just how far north London is. It’s at 51°30′ N, which means that–at least in terms of latitude–it’s closer to Moscow than to Venice. Vancouver, Seattle, and Zurich are all south of London. Still not clear on how far north this city is? There are parts of Siberia that are south of London.
Fortunately, thanks to the Gulf Stream, London has a far more temperate climate than its geographic sisters. Unfortunately, the Gulf Stream can’t carry sunlight.
In winter, the sun can rise as late as 8AM, and set as early as 4PM. After a summer in which there’s still light in the sky until 9PM, the transition to winter is a brutal one, and this is the time it hits me hardest. In a month or so, I’ll be once again used to getting up before, and staying at work after, the sun does the same. But for now, it’s hard to get out of bed in the morning, let alone stay awake until dinner time.