I lived about 5min towards the centre (Bow) for almost ten years - and the other side in W2 & W12 (worlds apart!) for a couple before that - and I agree with yo

I lived about 5min towards the centre (Bow) for almost ten years - and the other side in W2 & W12 (worlds apart!) for a couple before that - and I agree with you, but the optimistic alternative reading is that it is also quite amazing how much is accessible within that time. i.e. it takes 40m to get anywhere... But there's an incredible variety of things & places to which you can get in 40m!