Swerv-o

I like Germany too - My brother used to live in Lanwitz in Berlin - I loved visiting him. Berlin is a truly global 24 hour city where something is always going on, irrespective of the weather.

Could also happily live there...


S

Amazulu

For me (note the words 'for me' - the way I shop, what I buy, how I live), overall COL is very similar to the UK, with Australia being slightly more expensive. We gain in some areas, lose in others.

I also earn nearly 3x what I did in the UK too.

Bermudashorts

You could get a suitcase of clothes from Target or Big W for the equivalent of 100 UK pound. It would be about the same quality as Primark.

IvanM

I thought Germany would be a bit lefty for you.

Westiefields is hell on earth for me. The Internet is great. Other than housing Sydney and Melbourne are cheaper than elsewhere.

the troubadour

Within Europe yes, but rapidly increasing in price as foreign pension funds and the like download money into property there.

Still a great city,just hope it doesn't lose that sense of individualality and of being different in the sense of all inclusive with some of the changes taking place.

I have seriously thought moving there but it would have to be with the expectations of not working.

But know other areas of Germany pretty darn good as well.

the troubadour

Yep,I know you have and think we fully agree on that issue. I was only back there last October, very nice down by Lake Konstanz.
Having interests in the region I do think in a couple of years at the most will move to there.

House prices are great value and well built. What we could get there by selling here in Perth with a little top up would be fantastic value to say the least.

Shopping is not important to me either. Still good to know quality is on hand at a correct price though.

I love the closeness to Switzerland as well as Austria and the short way to Italy as well as France.

Not forgetting decent bread either and great beer ..at affordable prices.

the troubadour

It's a popular place alright. International but not a lot of work. I could live there happily as well.

nic75

When you buy from UK Amazon do Australian customs add import duty like UK customs. My son sent some birthday presents over and although not really expensive, we had to pay £20 before we could pick them up.

Amazulu

Under $1000 there is no GST or duty to pay

Amazulu

Nope. There is enough rightwingism there to counter their parasitic socialism

Internet or shopping overseas is the way to go.

nic75

Thanks for that Amazulu, that's good to know.

Swerv-o

For now...


S

BadgeIsBack

Warning - generalisations.

I'm also a fan of Germany. My boy could easily pass for a German boy - and people joke about it. I have a vivid memory of spending time there in my teens in the company of a gergeous German girl - and with brains too - I like the way they still retained the school system. German girls are on one hand very matter of fact (this comes in handy for maintenance tasks), but also liberal too, no towel required in the sauna, for example. No fuss. Some of the German traditions mean you know where you stand.

But I love France for just about every opposite reason.

the troubadour

Having lived with women from both countries for a considerable number of years I know where your coming from.

Afraid German won out in the end up to now anyway. The contradictions between the two as a genealrisation are pretty apt. Although in my experience the Germans have a strong tradition of romanticism which blunts to a degree their practical side just as French have a practical side that at times overhauls their romantic side.

All very interesting. To interchange one year French to the following year German would perhaps be rather nice in a make believe world.

Whatever it would have to be a woman of worldly disposition,no airheads or free riders.

the troubadour

Don't find much rightwingism at all depending on how you wish to devine it I guess. Practical thinking folk with a strong imput of romanticism (hence the German like of the pure/natural and the exotic)But also a strong belief in their state socialism.

The education system has largely kept right wing thoughts at bay.Be interesting to see if this remains with the strains of Europe being felt in the country.