Back in the UK soon, first time in 7 years. Any changes?

[jaybkay]

If things go according to plan I should be back in the UK in a few months time - for the first time since 2003 ish.

I have a number of relatives and friends to visit in Colchester, London, Nottingham, Northampton, Coventry, Portmadoc, Bedford, Castle Douglas and Leicester (amongst others).

1. Am I mad?
2. Is the Archers still on?
3. Will Winky still be PM?

[cheddar]

Don't do it.

Stay where you are.

Wherever it is..............

[Not now Kato]

Mad idea, I went back for the first time in 8 years last July. W London, Nottingham, Warwick, Alton.
Apart from seeing my mates I couldnt wait to get home.

[sneijder]

I have to make my return in two weeks. First time since the Credit Crunch (TM). Is it all underwater now ?

[DickyC]

Armed Police everywhere, packs of rabid dogs, lawlessness, senseless violence, disease.

And the noise, the constant noise.

It's fine, come on home.

Actually, in all seriousness, there has been a big change. Terry Wogan is no longer the morning DJ on Radio 2. Anything else? No, I think that's it.

[Colonial]

FFS it's really not that bad.

[JRM]

Colonial said:

FFS it's really not that bad.

Are you saying that whilst sitting on Avoca Beach?

Edited by JRM on Monday 15th February 09:05

[Pothole]

Northampton's mostly empty shops, Leicester is still quite brown, Nottingham apparently has gun crime, London is still one of the world's great cities. Bedford has a very cold railway station. Not been to the others.

[Colonial]

JRM said:

Colonial said:

FFS it's really not that bad.

Are you saying that whilst sitting on Avoca Beach?

Edited by JRM on Monday 15th February 09:05

Maybe...

[Hitch78]

The place hasn't changed much but the people are all miserable, oh...hang on, they've always been miserable.

[Timmy35]

Hitch78 said:

The place hasn't changed much but the people are all miserable, oh...hang on, they've always been miserable.

That's because the weathers crap. So is the public transport, and the food. Oh and the houses are pokey and overpriced. And you get taxed until you bleed.

We do have the best pubs in the world though, which is actually the only reason to stay here.

[yorky500]

Once there, you will very soon realise that there are far, far better places to live in the world than the UK. Get out as fast as you can.

[AJS-]

I was about to echo what others have said, that anywhere else is better, then I looked at your profile and notice that you are in possibly the one country in the world that isn't.

[yorky500]

AJS- said:

I was about to echo what others have said, that anywhere else is better, then I looked at your profile and notice that you are in possibly the one country in the world that isn't.

Actually thinking of going there this year

[GilbertGrape]

AJS- said:

I was about to echo what others have said, that anywhere else is better, then I looked at your profile and notice that you are in possibly the one country in the world that isn't.

That's interesting. Alot of Brits I talk to here say they cannot wait to get back to NZ after going back to the UK for holidays.

Although, I'm sure some feel different and love being back in the UK.

Edited by GilbertGrape on Monday 15th February 09:51

[AJS-]

I met plenty of poeple there who liked it and were glad they moved, though I never quite understood why, nor escaped a niggling feeling they were slightly deluding themselves, or living in Australia-lite for one reason or another.

It has got some nice countryside, and I didn't see everything - I missed out a lot of the south island which is meant to be the best bit.

I just found it very dull and dreary, very far from anything else, and could not see any good reason to travel 12,000 miles to get there.

Then there's the way they insist it's such a cosmopolitan, vibrant place - it really isn't, and the way they try to ape all the worst aspects of Australia while claiming to be so much better already.

Horses for courses obviously, you might love it.

[Eric Mc]

It's become a veritable paradise. You won't recognise the place.

Thanks to Global Warming we can all sit outside sipping our Martinis watching the world pass by.

Thanks to the booming economy and the excellent stweardship of our leaders,, we all have plenty of funds to enable us to increase our leisure time.

Oh, hang on a minute - sorry, I was dreaming.

[Engineer1]

jaybkay said:

If things go according to plan I should be back in the UK in a few months time - for the first time since 2003 ish.

I have a number of relatives and friends to visit in Colchester, London, Nottingham, Northampton, Coventry, Portmadoc, Bedford, Castle Douglas and Leicester (amongst others).

1. Am I mad?
2. Is the Archers still on?
3. Will Winky still be PM?

1. Possibly
2. Yes although you probably won't know who people are.
3. If he is the country is fked.

Seriously though things have changed, Cov city centre has had new stuff built, Portmadoc may well be struggling into the 20th Century the 5p toll has been stopped and that section of road widened, just means the queues are longer now.

Things are more expensive and you will probably find any old stomping ground pubs are either closed or changed beyond recognition.

[GilbertGrape]

AJS- said:

I met plenty of poeple there who liked it and were glad they moved, though I never quite understood why, nor escaped a niggling feeling they were slightly deluding themselves, or living in Australia-lite for one reason or another.

It has got some nice countryside, and I didn't see everything - I missed out a lot of the south island which is meant to be the best bit.

I just found it very dull and dreary, very far from anything else, and could not see any good reason to travel 12,000 miles to get there.

Then there's the way they insist it's such a cosmopolitan, vibrant place - it really isn't, and the way they try to ape all the worst aspects of Australia while claiming to be so much better already.

Horses for courses obviously, you might love it.

Australia-lite? Completely different countries. For starters, one is a desert, the other is green and lush covered with hills, rivers and mountains. In terms of geographic makeup, it's more like USA/Canada-lite. With it's cobble stone roads, Castles and all of it's fascinating history, the UK certainly is an interesting place. But it too looks pretty dreary. Some see our distance from the rest of the world as a positive. I think only an Aucklander would boast of their city being cosmopolitan. Auckland is over rated.

I'd like to visit the UK someday, most of us who live in NZ and Aus are here because our ancestors from the UK, and other European countries made their way over here.

Edited by GilbertGrape on Monday 15th February 10:54

[Alex97]

Bring a chair. There's a shortage of chairs.