I was born in Ebbw Vale, grew up in Garnlydan and Risca before doing uni in Stafford, then worked in London for ten years before moving to Cardiff.

The valleys are great for nice peaceful living, but job opportunities and transport are crap.
Getting around in London on bus/tube was easy - having a car was a burden, jobs are relatively plentiful, but London is a dirty, expensive shithole. My mrs is a Londoner, and even she says she'd never want to go back.

In Cardiff, we have the best of everything (ok, nearly the best)