Britain has many kilometers of rivers and canals (运河) —and around 30,000 people live on these waters in houseboats.
People started living in houseboats in the 1800s, when the country's canals were built. People chose to live on the water in order to feel closer to nature and have a quieter way of life.
Living on the water sounds romantic (浪漫的) , but it is also hard work. There are many jobs to do every day, such as bringing in clean water and getting rid of dirty water from the toilet, sink (水槽) and shower. During winter, living on a boat can be very cold. Also, most boats are quite small inside. You don't have much space, especially if you are a couple, family or group of friends.
Although it is not easy, the number of people living on houseboats has grown by around 50% over the past 10 years. More families and young people are choosing to live on houseboats because it is much cheaper to buy or rent (租) a boat than a flat or a house.
Another good thing about living on the water is the friendly neighbors. People who live on houseboats always help each other and usually become good friends. This is quite a different story from people who live in flats or houses and may hardly know the people next door at all.
