What's the best country in the world?

What's the best country in the world?

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Discussion

stevesingo

4,848 posts

221 months

Sunday 20th August 2017
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carreauchompeur said:
British culture dues have some unique quirks. In a good way.
This is the issue for me, the British culture is eroding before our eyes. We have squandered our culture in search of multiculturalism, which is rather like making dinner with all the ingredients is the fridge rather than the ingredients which work together.


Colonial

13,553 posts

204 months

Sunday 20th August 2017
quotequote all
stevesingo said:
This is the issue for me, the British culture is eroding before our eyes. We have squandered our culture in search of multiculturalism, which is rather like making dinner with all the ingredients is the fridge rather than the ingredients which work together.
It all went downhill with the Romans.

RBH58

969 posts

134 months

Sunday 20th August 2017
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Colonial said:
And the bank managers might even say mate instead of sir eek
Still crooks though.

AW111

9,455 posts

132 months

Sunday 20th August 2017
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It depends a lot on a couple of things:
How well off you are, and whether you're looking at city or country life.

I spent nearly 10 years in a seaside village 500 km from the nearest big town - miles of beaches almost deserted for 50 weeks of the year, great weather (we used to watch migrating whales from the lounge room), fantastic fishing, etc.
But :
No nightlife apart from the pub (or friends), not much in the way of galleries / concerts / plays etc.
Minimal public transport.
It was a 1000 km drive to visit my sick father (no viable alternative to driving).

I would argue that in some ways the city/countryside difference is greater than moving from one major city to another one in a different country.

How well off you are is the other biggie. I wouldn't like to be poor in many countries that are otherwise attractive.

XJSJohn

15,959 posts

218 months

Sunday 20th August 2017
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King Herald said:
eventually the 'quaint idiosyncrasies' turn into highly frustrating tedium.
this statement is very true,

King Herald

23,501 posts

215 months

Sunday 20th August 2017
quotequote all
AW111 said:
Minimal public transport.
It was a 1000 km drive to visit my sick father (no viable alternative to driving).

I would argue that in some ways the city/countryside difference is greater than moving from one major city to another one in a different country.

How well off you are is the other biggie. I wouldn't like to be poor in many countries that are otherwise attractive.
I flew from Perth to Sydney a few times long ago, and looking down from aloft, it was utterly amazing the solitude some of the cattle stations or tiny settlements lived in. You could fly over one and carry on for a half hour or more flying without seeing a single thing apart from dust and a track or two. I can't imagine what on earth it would be like growing up so far from everything. Or why anybody would do it.

I can't think of any other country on earth where people life so physically far apart.

Roman

2,031 posts

218 months

Sunday 20th August 2017
quotequote all
Colonial said:
stevesingo said:
This is the issue for me, the British culture is eroding before our eyes. We have squandered our culture in search of multiculturalism, which is rather like making dinner with all the ingredients is the fridge rather than the ingredients which work together.
It all went downhill with the Romans.
Hey!

AW111

9,455 posts

132 months

Sunday 20th August 2017
quotequote all
King Herald said:
I flew from Perth to Sydney a few times long ago, and looking down from aloft, it was utterly amazing the solitude some of the cattle stations or tiny settlements lived in. You could fly over one and carry on for a half hour or more flying without seeing a single thing apart from dust and a track or two. I can't imagine what on earth it would be like growing up so far from everything. Or why anybody would do it.

I can't think of any other country on earth where people life so physically far apart.
I think northern Canada may come the closest.

I've driven north-south Australia a few times, and there's a whole lot of nothing in the middle. Children educated by radio (the "school of the air" has been running since 1951), not seeing the sea, a city, or maybe rain for a decade.
It's a whole different place to Melbourne / Sydney / Brisbane.

Colonial

13,553 posts

204 months

Sunday 20th August 2017
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Roman said:
Hey!
biggrin

valiant

10,069 posts

159 months

Sunday 20th August 2017
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King Herald said:
I flew from Perth to Sydney a few times long ago, and looking down from aloft, it was utterly amazing the solitude some of the cattle stations or tiny settlements lived in. You could fly over one and carry on for a half hour or more flying without seeing a single thing apart from dust and a track or two. I can't imagine what on earth it would be like growing up so far from everything. Or why anybody would do it.

I can't think of any other country on earth where people life so physically far apart.
Sounds like absolute bliss!

Although the Amazon logistics man may get a little pissed off...

King Herald

23,501 posts

215 months

Sunday 20th August 2017
quotequote all
stevesingo said:
This is the issue for me, the British culture is eroding before our eyes. We have squandered our culture in search of multiculturalism, which is rather like making dinner with all the ingredients is the fridge rather than the ingredients which work together.
I wonder if it will ever descend to the days of peasantry and serfdom, where we are all literally owned by the local baron or whatever they were called, and no better than slaves. Our only aspirations in life to get a good meal occasionally, and to die a favourable death so we meek serfs can inherit the earth.

Real 'Pillars of the Earth' stuff.....

Robertj21a

16,475 posts

104 months

Sunday 20th August 2017
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valiant said:
Sounds like absolute bliss!

Although the Amazon logistics man may get a little pissed off...
Google Maps presumably didn't bother doing their Streetview ?

King Herald

23,501 posts

215 months

Sunday 20th August 2017
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Robertj21a said:
valiant said:
Sounds like absolute bliss!

Although the Amazon logistics man may get a little pissed off...
Google Maps presumably didn't bother doing their Streetview ?
I can imagine the google directions: turn right into the Darwin highway, continue straight for 1840 kilometres.......

C70R

17,596 posts

103 months

Sunday 20th August 2017
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paua said:
C70R said:
vsonix said:
C70R said:
New Zealand, only in some parts. Infrastructure is dreadful (bordering on non-first-world) and inequality is rife, but the coffee and people almost make up for it.
It's a mostly rural economy based round farming. Dirt tracks are all that are needed in many places. True, getting from the East to West coast of the South Island can be very difficult if the weather has been severe, and the earthquakes have really messed st up for a lot of people. But 'inequality'... of course there are rich and poor people but actually it's a lot easier to find work that pays OK out there. I was making the equivalent of £120 a day labouring in fields. I would say the inequality in NZ isn't a patch on parts of the UK like Cornwall or South Devon.
Getting anywhere on the South Island is miserable. Single-lane roads only, and one of those (Picton-Kaikoura-Christchurch) has been closed completely or partially for almost four years. Modern it is not.
I think my 'inequality' point was made a little inelegantly. I meant to highlight that there are a lot of poor, miserable people, who spend their days tapping away at gambling machines in pubs and sports clubs.
Closed four years my aaarse. I live in Kaikoura. My industry (paua diving ) has been largely destroyed by the quake though.
I was only going on what I was told by a few locals when we arrived a few weeks back (having been forced to take the horrendous Inland Road on a misty night, because Highway 1 was closed both North and South of town).
A beautiful part of the world, which will be fantastic when it's finished.

C70R

17,596 posts

103 months

Sunday 20th August 2017
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Mothersruin said:
Lots of positive stuff about the UK
...
I've come to the conclusion that you really do need to travel away from the UK to appreciate it.
Perversely, the ones who seem most vocal about how it's "going to the dogs" tend to be those with the least experience of the rest of the world.

RobDickinson

31,343 posts

253 months

Sunday 20th August 2017
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C70R said:
I was only going on what I was told by a few locals when we arrived a few weeks back (having been forced to take the horrendous Inland Road on a misty night, because Highway 1 was closed both North and South of town).
A beautiful part of the world, which will be fantastic when it's finished.
They must have been drunk or having you on.

The kaikoura quake was November 2016, the road will be open again by Christmas this year so just over a year and it's been a major effort.

I don't find getting around nz any problem at all

Robertj21a

16,475 posts

104 months

Sunday 20th August 2017
quotequote all
C70R said:
Perversely, the ones who seem most vocal about how it's "going to the dogs" tend to be those with the least experience of the rest of the world.
+1.

Very true.

RBH58

969 posts

134 months

Sunday 20th August 2017
quotequote all
King Herald said:
I flew from Perth to Sydney a few times long ago, and looking down from aloft, it was utterly amazing the solitude some of the cattle stations or tiny settlements lived in. You could fly over one and carry on for a half hour or more flying without seeing a single thing apart from dust and a track or two. I can't imagine what on earth it would be like growing up so far from everything. Or why anybody would do it.

I can't think of any other country on earth where people life so physically far apart.
Biggest misnomer about Australia. It's the most urbanised country on the planet. 75% of the population lives in the 6 biggest cities. 50% of the population lives in the 3 biggest cities. 90% of the population lives within 100 kms of the ocean. The Average Australian spends a couple of hours a day in their car. Crocodile Dundees? LMAO

Most Australians see the desert from 40,000 ft on their way to Bali or Thailand.

Edited by RBH58 on Sunday 20th August 20:41

paua

5,649 posts

142 months

Sunday 20th August 2017
quotequote all
RobDickinson said:
C70R said:
I was only going on what I was told by a few locals when we arrived a few weeks back (having been forced to take the horrendous Inland Road on a misty night, because Highway 1 was closed both North and South of town).
A beautiful part of the world, which will be fantastic when it's finished.
They must have been drunk or having you on.

The kaikoura quake was November 2016, the road will be open again by Christmas this year so just over a year and it's been a major effort.

I don't find getting around nz any problem at all
Rob has it right.
C70 R, I think you may be caught up in language that is a bit too emotive - The Inland Rd is, by no means "horrendous". Pre-quake it was a lot of fun with 2 doors & 6(manual) gears & little traffic. I learned to drive on this road when it was mostly loose shingle. Currently, it has quite heavy traffic, pot holes/ poor surface - no fun at all & certainly not fit for a low-slung sports car. It has always been narrow, but hardly like a rural English road between hedgerows, where you can't pass the village tractor.
The quake caused major infrastructure damage, NZ has challenging terrain, but things are being repaired. We're not a war ravaged, politically unstable banana republic. Hope you enjoy your visit. Cheers

sparks_E39

12,738 posts

212 months

Monday 21st August 2017
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There are some very nice places in the UK. Some parts of North Wales in particular take my fancy. Also love Devon, I'd happily relocate. I grew up in Poole, which is an utter hole. For some reason the tourists love it? Neighbouring Wimborne/Corfe Mullen is much nicer.