Despite living in close proximity to the capital for the last 18 years, it is only when forced to consider the pros and pitfalls of prospective university towns that I finally appreciate the delights of London life.

With most local areas only a short train ride away from the city centre it seems bizarre that so many teenagers resign themselves to local high streets!

By day, London offers free museums and galleries, with screaming kids populating interactive exhibitions and archetypal art students sketching couture fashion in the V&A.

In the summer months, lazy days spent lounging in London's comparative litter-free, gang-free parks are a perfect budget option for those who feel compelled to avoid the institutions enduringly associated with tedious school trips!

By night, there is a hub of cultural delights with the thriving West End and loveably pretentious fringe theatre, whilst masses of city workers and media types descend upon London's arguably unparalleled nightlife.

Yet surely the privilege of all in the south east is that London is both tourist destination and our home ground - which means freedom to shamelessly pose for photographs outside famous landmarks along with feelings of pride towards one's own territory.

With the Olympic bid promising to propel the city's international reputation to new heights, London is more than firmly established as one of the cultural capitals of the world.