After almost 2 years, I returned. The deal was to see if Belfast worked, and, for several reasons, it didn’t.
Coming back involved three cab rides, a ferry and two trains with two scared cats in tow; a completion on a house just seconds before closing time on a Friday and after several headaches that come with buying your own house; but now that’s all done and it was all worth it.
This was 7 months ago, and I have avoided leaving since. London is just as magnificent as it was before, perhaps more, and I am happy to be a part of it again.