earlswoody

I will eventually go back to London as I loved it.
I was talking to a guy over here who has ping-ponged twice with his family after returning twice back to HULL
Nothing against Hull but I asked why he did not go back and try the south coast or somwhere else....he replied that all his family lived in Hull.
Now call me stupid or is this guy thick or what? he moves away from Hull because he says he hates the place and then returns back to it twice.
And is now back in Oz further away from his family.
What I am saying to people thinking of returning to the UK, would it not be better not to return to the place some of you hated before you left for Oz and try somewhere you have always fancied living in.

islandergirl

Compared to living in Aus you could move back to the other end of the UK from friends and family and it would still be what a 12 hour drive at the worst? So it's a great opportunity for returners to try somewhere different in the UK for sure.

I married an Aussie so I never left for The Better Life but I would be open to living somewhere in England maybe rather than authomatically returning to Scotland.

Tr1boy

Well I left when I was 22 and living at home with parents in Somerset, and I had a job. Now I'm more mature (don't start ) I have a career, so there's no way Somt would figure in our plans anyway. With a sister in Bucks, we'll probably gravitate towards London, but not in it.

Until Mrs Triboy gets her CPA, then look out Alan Sugar

quoll

There are so many gorgeous areas of Uk that the world would be your oyster I should think. I am from Cambridge and would go back there in a heartbeat but equally I wouldnt be averse to pretty much anywhere, preferably rural but I lived in London for 5 years and would be happy with that as well. There are just so many places I want to try!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Fleaflyfloflum

We intend to do just that.
Althugh we never left UK because we didnt like where we lived, when we return, we wont be anywhere near where we lived before. When i first returned back there a year ago, i discovered i didnt really want to live there anymore. I know just where i want to be now, near my daughter.

It always makes me smile when i read some people are returning to the exact same place they left if they admitted they left because they hated it!
One thing emigrating should teach you, is that just because you dont like one part of UK doesnt mean you have to up sticks to the other side of the world again!!
There are many different lifestyles in the UK, you just need to find the one that suits you.

DDL

I don't mean to spoil the party but does anyone moving back choose their location based on the JOB MARKET?

There are loads of areas we would love to return to (i.e., small village in Devon) but we both have to earn a living and even now are looking at areas "where the money is."

Tr1boy

Pretty much spot on for us, with the caveat that I wouldn't live 'just anywhere' for the money. But tbh in our professions, we are hardly going to be working in a shipyard 'oop norf' (not that there is anything wrong with that at all). I kind of like the idea of the job market 'making' us discover a new area, but in reality, given what we do, I would say we'll be somewhere between Swindon/Bucks/Berks.

Mrs Triboy loves Marlow, and so do I, but I told her she'd better start getting used to the idea of a flat

One thing I've noticed, a little bit last Xmas, and much more on the trip a couple of mths ago, was how much my style has changed compared to where I'm from. I'm a Somerset boy through and through, but I guess my tastes in clothes etc could be somewhat described as sophisticated, and when i look at what some of men wear in my hometown, i think 'why don't you wear something smarter', then I remember I'm in farming country, and then i feel bad, as I think I've turned into a clothes snob. But thinking about it i reckon it's just more a reflection of how long I've been away. I'd probably have the same reaction if I'd been in London for 19yrs.

3 go mad in Adelaide

No, we will be returning to Northampton. I think it's rather a nice town, very old with some beautiful architecture, excellent amenities, our family and friends are there.

Slap bang in the middle of the Country, so easy access to pretty much everything! Can shoot down to London for days/weekends away. Often went up to Great Yarmouth (my daughters fave holidays at Haven, to see Bradley Bear & Co!) usually a couple of times a year. 3/4 hour away from Luton airport, used to go to the continent once a year. Visits to beautiful Derbyshire, Cotswolds, Lake District - none of these are that far away that you can't just jump in the car. Northamptonshire itself is a lovely County (County - don't you just love that word?!) pretty villages and beautiful scenery. Northampton itself though is quite a big thriving town, so plenty of job opportunities (OH has to travel around a bit anyway, so no biggy there), but not too expensive, housewise.

No, definately back to Cobblers town for us

deborahjane

We will be moving back to Exeter which is a completely new place for us in January.

We've been away from the UK for 5 years and thought a complete change of place would be good. Setting up a new business there, new schools for the children and lot's of places to visit we have never been to before.

Will be hard work looking for schools and choosing areas that we don't know but after doing the same here on our own should be no harder. Really looking forward to it and just hope we'll like it there!

Chorlton

I think that from outside the country its easier to plan a location and strike a balance between nice locations and job markets. After a different continent, a new town isn't going to be a big deal!

Merseygirl

Northamptonshire itself is a lovely County (County - don't you just love that word?!)

Yes, County is a lovely word, it sounds so English, so contained and cosy, whereas when you live in a State as you do in Australia, it just sounds vast and inaccessible.

Elaine B.

Sounds like living in a bit of a "STATE" sums it up nicely

Fleaflyfloflum

PMSL

You just beat me to it

Jules Europe

He may well want to live down south but with ridiculous property prices down south going back to Hull may well be one of his few options. Property prices in Hull are some of the lowest in the UK. As for what its like never been there so can`t say.

Once knew a couple of head-bangers here in Spain from Hull so it can`t be that bad.

Jules Europe

Before I went to Northampton, I always heard negative stuff about it as in there is nothing there etc.........When I went there, I found that it was a lovely place with that old feel and as you say nice architecture etc and quite relaxed. Also it has great property prices which considering its great location between Birmingham and London is something of a surprise. Its also served by an international airport. I think the county is kind of a well kept secret.