MartinH

Long time since my last post.

Potted history - we left the UK in 1999 to live in Germany - went to live in Australia in 2008 but it did not work out and we were back in Germany within 12 months.

Anyway, one child had already left home (university in the UK) and the second has two years left in school (after this year) so thoughts are now turning to our long term location (into retirement). In two years we will both be 50.

We have enjoyed living in Germany and both speak German to a good standard. However, we really miss the British sense of humour and having a conversation in German is never really that much fun (no banter if you see what I mean).

So here are our alternatives

1. Stay put.

2. Move to Austria (where we have always enjoyed holidays and really like it)

3. Return to the UK.

Part of what influences us will be where the children decide to settle as we would like to be reasonably near them (same country at least).

There are lots of things we like about the UK but to be honest we are not sure whether that is rose tinted spectacles. Also the summer riots and other news reports (there seems to be at least one stabbing a day now!) scare us a bit.

As we get older health care is a concern. I recently was quite ill and required an operation. The German health care system was amazing and I have fears about long waiting lists in the uk.

So not sure what to do and would like the views of others - particularly those who recently returned after a long time away.

the troubadour

I remember you when you were in Australia and your return to Germany.
Having German connections myself and thoughts of returning there to live from Australia, I know what you mean.
For the social interaction I would go for England but other things like you rightly mention it would have to be Germany.
Don't really recall why you didn't like Australia but apart from the weather the negative factors seem to be ever mounting. The extreme cost of living being the main thing. London seemed a good deal living there for sometime back in 2010 compared to Perth.

As you will be aware there is no easy solution to this question. I have considered the South Coast from Brighton to Eastbourne as a place to retire, have considered London and Berlin both being happening sort of places and even Malta and Malaysia, but all present with certain negatives.
Spain looks like there may well be some good deals a little further down the path with their collapsing real estate market.
Plenty of locations there have big ex pat populations with the added bonus of sun. Any interest in further South?
Good luck with coming up with a place. Be great to know where you finally decide.
Oh,Austria is great for a holiday but to live? Not for me.

cookiepapa

Keep in mind that holidaying in a particular place and living at that some place are very different experiences