Wales - any advice

Old Apr 30th 2009, 2:43 am
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Default Wales - any advice

Hi,

Me and my partner are returning to the UK after doing our recce trip around OZ and some parts of NZ. We are going to be heading for Cardiff though and neither of us have been to Wales.

I have done a lot of reading on Cardiff so know roughly what to expect. We have started looking for work but not much is around.

To help you help me:

- We are 28 & 27 respectively. Not sure if age will matter.
- We work in the social care and health sector so need to look for work around those areas (youth work, community work, support work, project worker etc).
- We don't go out clubbing any more, I have served my time going to raves all around the UK. We do like to go for quiet drinks.
- We prefer quiet trendy bars and cafe's with comfortable seating (trendy ones).
- We will be looking for places to live in the city centre.

Not sure what else to say really.

Do you have any suggestions on anything really, places to see, where to find work, what Cardiff is like etc. We are from Edinburgh so you can use that to compare if you like.
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Old Apr 30th 2009, 5:44 am
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Default Re: Wales - any advice

Anywhere in Cardiff Bay is lovely. There are a lot of 'trendy' wine bars and restaurants in the area and there has been a lot of investment in that part of town.

A lot of money has been spent on developments (a bit like those of the Docklands in London) and there is a plentiful supply of very nice spacious modern appartments for rent.

If you prefer to live a bit further out then Penarth is really nice as is Barry. Youth/community/ social work shouldn't be too hard to come by as the government has invested heavily in this area.... Although it's been a while since I was there.

HTH

Barb
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Old Apr 30th 2009, 12:22 pm
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Default Re: Wales - any advice

Thanks Barb,

Isnt Cardiff Bay lonely as I was reading that it is still dead in that area? could you inform me where in the city are the trendy bars and cafes which are quiet?
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Old Apr 30th 2009, 6:07 pm
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Default Re: Wales - any advice

Scout can probably give you some good advice, as she lives in the Valleys (Bargoed, I think).

I lived and worked in S. Wales for a few months when I first came back. My impressions and recollections are as follows:

Cardiff and surrounding area have undergone a lot of redevelopment and are quite trendy (but also therefore quite expensive). I didn't go into Cardiff too much but from what I did see, it has a lot of what you'd expect from a city in terms of shopping, eating, sport, etc.

You can't beat a Wales rugby match for sheer electric excitement.

Much of the valleys is quite socially and economically depressed - but on the other hand, there is some beautiful countryside to be visited.

The weather can be very wet for prolonged times and especialy in winter (in combination with the above) can make for pretty depressing surroundings.

But on the other hand, generally the people there are the salt of the earth.

I taught at University of Glamorgan in what used to be the School of Health and Social Care. They seemed to train a heck of a lot of nurses and social workers, and in that area they are needed. Whether that means there are vacancies I couldn't tell you.

On the whole, I'd say the area is relatively inexpensive to live, varies widely from Cardiff to the Valleys, has its positives and negatives (some extremes of both) but overall is a decent place to live.
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Old Apr 30th 2009, 9:48 pm
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Default Re: Wales - any advice

It rains an awful lot in Wales. You will need stout wellies and waterproofs and preferably a golf umbrella.
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Old May 1st 2009, 1:26 am
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Default Re: Wales - any advice

Originally Posted by Lothianlad
It rains an awful lot in Wales. You will need stout wellies and waterproofs and preferably a golf umbrella.
Hehe, Im from Scotland so i'm used to the rain.
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Old May 1st 2009, 1:58 am
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Default Re: Wales - any advice

North Wales is better
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Old May 1st 2009, 2:10 am
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Default Re: Wales - any advice

Originally Posted by Mummy in the foothills
North Wales is better
Cardiff it is I'm afraid.
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Old May 1st 2009, 10:29 am
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Default Re: Wales - any advice

Looking good for a great Summer 2009 weatherwise in the UK which includes Wales of course!

Maybe you can chuck the brolly and take a parasol instead.

Trust the Daily Torygraph to use weird old fashioned Fahrenheit temps. Summer 2009 in the UK should see daily temps of +30C or more....cool!

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/topics/we...bove-80-F.html
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Old May 1st 2009, 2:03 pm
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Default Re: Wales - any advice

Originally Posted by Lothianlad
Looking good for a great Summer 2009 weatherwise in the UK which includes Wales of course!

Maybe you can chuck the brolly and take a parasol instead.

Trust the Daily Torygraph to use weird old fashioned Fahrenheit temps. Summer 2009 in the UK should see daily temps of +30C or more....cool!

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/topics/we...bove-80-F.html
Wow That sounds nice, but maybe a bit too warm with the humidity.
We'll be there June and July, I was hoping it stayed around 70F. I pack the summer stuff then.
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Old May 1st 2009, 2:07 pm
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Default Re: Wales - any advice

Originally Posted by Mummy in the foothills
Wow That sounds nice, but maybe a bit too warm with the humidity.
We'll be there June and July, I was hoping it stayed around 70F. I pack the summer stuff then.
Thats nothing compaired to 42C in Adelaide during a summer heat wave I can tell you.
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Old May 1st 2009, 2:42 pm
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Default Re: Wales - any advice

Originally Posted by Lothianlad
It rains an awful lot in Wales. You will need stout wellies and waterproofs and preferably a golf umbrella.
Just make sure neither the wellies or the water proofs are white.....you know how rumours can start about the 'new comers'....
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Old May 1st 2009, 8:51 pm
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Default Re: Wales - any advice

Originally Posted by Jay-Producer
Thats nothing compaired to 42C in Adelaide during a summer heat wave I can tell you.
Yes, we regularly get past 43 in the summer here, that's why we are going to UK for the summer. We'll still be back for a quite a lot of the hot hot weather in August, as Ds has school. Now what the heck kind of school district has school in that kind of heat and uses buses with no A/C? Ours, they are idiots! I hate the heat, I hate the grass fires, I hate summer in general after being here so long. Now winter is wonderful round here
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Old May 1st 2009, 9:43 pm
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Default Re: Wales - any advice

Originally Posted by Mummy in the foothills
Yes, we regularly get past 43 in the summer here, that's why we are going to UK for the summer. We'll still be back for a quite a lot of the hot hot weather in August, as Ds has school. Now what the heck kind of school district has school in that kind of heat and uses buses with no A/C? Ours, they are idiots! I hate the heat, I hate the grass fires, I hate summer in general after being here so long. Now winter is wonderful round here

Oh how I agree with you. The longer I live here the more I dread the summer heat.

I lived for years in the foothills and now live a little north of Sacramento. One saving grace down here is that every now and again in the summer the Delta Breeze blows up this far and helps cool down the night air.

I too love winter ...
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Old May 1st 2009, 11:00 pm
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Default Re: Wales - any advice

To live in or close to Cardiff Centre is going to be more expensive the closer in you are. However.......property prices in Wales in general are cheaper than the rest of the UK......if you're renting.......then it's cheaper for that as well.

The Bay area has undergone a lot of 'gentrification' in the past few years with lots of new flats and loft apartments........there's also a few developments around the City Centre and many I think are begging for buyers or tennants...due to the depressed housing market. They are still probably pricey though.

Lots of shopping, cafes, pubs, and restaurants are around the Queen Street area.....but a word of warning.......from what I hear the valleys empty out on Friday and Saturday nights and head to Cardiff for some insane libations.

If you're in the health field.......The Heath is the major hospital complex in Cardiff.

The best places to live around Cardiff are pricey but nice.....they are around Roath Park and Cyncoed. Whitchurch is nice, not too expesive and close to the Heath. Around Heath is also nice.

Without knowing whether you are buying or renting it's sort of hard to recommend....but I'd start with Roath, Cardiff Bay and Whitchurch or Heath.
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