A few words after returning from the UK on holiday…
Oct 17th 2007, 7:11 am
#1
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A few words after returning from the UK on holiday…
A trip to the UK recently provided an opportunity to make a comparison between life in the UK and Australia. Many of us make constant comparisons between the two and ask whether a move in either direction has been the right thing or not. I thought that I’d post my thoughts.
After leaving the airport my first shock was traffic – I was shocked by the hectic nature of the roads and my blood pressure was pretty high each time I got into the car. I remember when I first arrived in Perth a couple of years ago, thinking how relaxed driving was here – the speed limits slow you down. In the UK it was like being on a race track and I felt pressured to go faster and faster. Town driving was a nightmare and I’d have to leave lots of time to get from one side of the town the other (and believe it or not at one stage in my life I was a courier regularly driving hundreds of miles a day and frequenting inner London).
The countryside was as stunning as ever – this is one of the key aspects which I miss about England. Having said that, as I travelled back to the airport last week, the weather turned compared with the relatively benign conditions of the previous two weeks and the countryside – certainly in the Peak District – looked bleak and forbidding.
Supermarkets were an absolute dream – as I knew they would be. I’m afraid I’m not a believer of the Australian way of shopping in many small shops to get the prices, range and quality that you need – I just don’t get the time. Even if I did I’m not so sure that – certainly in Perth – that I would be able to get what I could in England. The fantastic range of organic produce – even in relatively lower end supermarkets such as Morrisons was unbelievable. The lack of colours and additives was great. The prices yet again were fantastic and the range superb. Some prices were not much lower than here – fish for example sat at about 9 GBP per kilo – around $22 – similar I think to here. But most other things were dirt cheap – apples at 1GBP per kilo – I struggle to find them at $2.40 a kilo in Perth and from what I tasted the quality was just as good. Bananas were 99p a kilo – unbelievable. Beer - my favourite real ales were 5 GBP for 4 500ml bottles – you can imagine where I spent most of my time. Marks and Spencers was also a dream – didn’t realise how much I missed their food. Also – clothing – M&S are now producing some excellent value clothing – I bought a pair of jeans for 9GBP and a pair of trousers for 15GBP. A local factory outlet type of shopping complex had great bargains also – I got a top brand pair of sandals reduced from 45GBP to 15 GBP.
We went to London for a couple of days and as you’d expect we lost money hand over fist. Trains were pretty good value though – we got returns to London – a 2 hour journey – for 20 GBP each but the quality of the carriages was pretty shameful. (On time though).
Eating out was as expensive as ever – lunch for 4 of us was equivalent to $75 – and it was nothing special. Don’t ask about eating out in London – but drinking in London wasn’t a shock after experiencing Perth prices – pretty much equivalent – or even slightly cheaper in London. (London felt like it is – a world city – and I felt a real sense of pride in the place – really happening.)
But we had fabulous Indian takeaway for 13GBP for two which I thought was pretty good value.
My daughter went to her old school for an afternoon and I was shocked by the state of the kids – it’s quite an affluent area but the behaviour of some of the kids wasn’t particularly inspiring and a number of them were massively obese. They looked unhealthy in that kind of grey-blue appearance of English kids in October. I certainly felt that I didn’t want my kids going to that school – and it achieves extremely highly in OFSTED reports. We asked about sporting facilities – and I knew the answer anyhow – but it made me thankful for what they can access in Perth.
Being with family was fantastic and a real wrench when we had to leave. My kids were desperately unhappy to leave – just having people pop round and meeting in town or having a big family dinner. Our departure was very difficult – and for the first time ever I seriously considered moving back – for whatever the UK’s faults – just to be with family.
The poor quality atmosphere in the UK was noticeable – the usual grey haze but also the smell of traffic pollution was pretty bad.
We arrived back in Perth at night and the smell of the eucalypts was beautiful as we came out of the airport - the morning after I awoke to the most brilliant sunshine (I got confused (by jetlag and lack of sleep) and first thought it had been snowing – you know the kind of very intense reflective light you get in the UK after a snowfall) and wonderful view of the ocean and the kids seemed happy (“I think I do like Australia Daddy”)
So on balance – well I don’t know really. I’m pretty sure that Australia isn’t forever for us. But nothing’s changed there. I wish the Australians could sort their supermarkets out though. Being away from family – which has never really bothered me before – has become an issue over the last year – mainly for the relationship between my kids and the rest of the family – I suspect that it will become more so in the future. I love the environment in Perth – the climate especially. And I love the fact the Perth is a city of migrants with all that that offers. Education is still a major concern – but I have to say that my views have changed at primary level – I now believe that Australia is better at primary education than the UK (very generally speaking and based on my own experiences.
Just wanted to add as a post script - the other thing which really caught my eye in the UK was the price of broadband packages - 30GBP - for free UK telephone calls, 8MBS broadband and Sky TV. Can't get anything approaching that here.
After leaving the airport my first shock was traffic – I was shocked by the hectic nature of the roads and my blood pressure was pretty high each time I got into the car. I remember when I first arrived in Perth a couple of years ago, thinking how relaxed driving was here – the speed limits slow you down. In the UK it was like being on a race track and I felt pressured to go faster and faster. Town driving was a nightmare and I’d have to leave lots of time to get from one side of the town the other (and believe it or not at one stage in my life I was a courier regularly driving hundreds of miles a day and frequenting inner London).
The countryside was as stunning as ever – this is one of the key aspects which I miss about England. Having said that, as I travelled back to the airport last week, the weather turned compared with the relatively benign conditions of the previous two weeks and the countryside – certainly in the Peak District – looked bleak and forbidding.
Supermarkets were an absolute dream – as I knew they would be. I’m afraid I’m not a believer of the Australian way of shopping in many small shops to get the prices, range and quality that you need – I just don’t get the time. Even if I did I’m not so sure that – certainly in Perth – that I would be able to get what I could in England. The fantastic range of organic produce – even in relatively lower end supermarkets such as Morrisons was unbelievable. The lack of colours and additives was great. The prices yet again were fantastic and the range superb. Some prices were not much lower than here – fish for example sat at about 9 GBP per kilo – around $22 – similar I think to here. But most other things were dirt cheap – apples at 1GBP per kilo – I struggle to find them at $2.40 a kilo in Perth and from what I tasted the quality was just as good. Bananas were 99p a kilo – unbelievable. Beer - my favourite real ales were 5 GBP for 4 500ml bottles – you can imagine where I spent most of my time. Marks and Spencers was also a dream – didn’t realise how much I missed their food. Also – clothing – M&S are now producing some excellent value clothing – I bought a pair of jeans for 9GBP and a pair of trousers for 15GBP. A local factory outlet type of shopping complex had great bargains also – I got a top brand pair of sandals reduced from 45GBP to 15 GBP.
We went to London for a couple of days and as you’d expect we lost money hand over fist. Trains were pretty good value though – we got returns to London – a 2 hour journey – for 20 GBP each but the quality of the carriages was pretty shameful. (On time though).
Eating out was as expensive as ever – lunch for 4 of us was equivalent to $75 – and it was nothing special. Don’t ask about eating out in London – but drinking in London wasn’t a shock after experiencing Perth prices – pretty much equivalent – or even slightly cheaper in London. (London felt like it is – a world city – and I felt a real sense of pride in the place – really happening.)
But we had fabulous Indian takeaway for 13GBP for two which I thought was pretty good value.
My daughter went to her old school for an afternoon and I was shocked by the state of the kids – it’s quite an affluent area but the behaviour of some of the kids wasn’t particularly inspiring and a number of them were massively obese. They looked unhealthy in that kind of grey-blue appearance of English kids in October. I certainly felt that I didn’t want my kids going to that school – and it achieves extremely highly in OFSTED reports. We asked about sporting facilities – and I knew the answer anyhow – but it made me thankful for what they can access in Perth.
Being with family was fantastic and a real wrench when we had to leave. My kids were desperately unhappy to leave – just having people pop round and meeting in town or having a big family dinner. Our departure was very difficult – and for the first time ever I seriously considered moving back – for whatever the UK’s faults – just to be with family.
The poor quality atmosphere in the UK was noticeable – the usual grey haze but also the smell of traffic pollution was pretty bad.
We arrived back in Perth at night and the smell of the eucalypts was beautiful as we came out of the airport - the morning after I awoke to the most brilliant sunshine (I got confused (by jetlag and lack of sleep) and first thought it had been snowing – you know the kind of very intense reflective light you get in the UK after a snowfall) and wonderful view of the ocean and the kids seemed happy (“I think I do like Australia Daddy”)
So on balance – well I don’t know really. I’m pretty sure that Australia isn’t forever for us. But nothing’s changed there. I wish the Australians could sort their supermarkets out though. Being away from family – which has never really bothered me before – has become an issue over the last year – mainly for the relationship between my kids and the rest of the family – I suspect that it will become more so in the future. I love the environment in Perth – the climate especially. And I love the fact the Perth is a city of migrants with all that that offers. Education is still a major concern – but I have to say that my views have changed at primary level – I now believe that Australia is better at primary education than the UK (very generally speaking and based on my own experiences.
Just wanted to add as a post script - the other thing which really caught my eye in the UK was the price of broadband packages - 30GBP - for free UK telephone calls, 8MBS broadband and Sky TV. Can't get anything approaching that here.
Last edited by NKSK version 2; Oct 17th 2007 at 7:15 am. Reason: post script
Oct 17th 2007, 7:23 am
#2
Crazy Cat Lady
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 65,493
Re: A few words after returning from the UK on holiday…
Great post. I have in the back of my mind plans for a visit but not sure I can be arsed 
Just one question which I often have when people talk about family - if you moved back, would your kids have a big, continuous relationship with the rest of the family or would it be, like the holiday, full on for a few weeks and then not see them for months at a time?
I know it's a hard one but it puzzles me, if only because although we all lived close in the UK the kids had such gaps in ages and are now all older that they never had that close family thing anyway.
Just one question which I often have when people talk about family - if you moved back, would your kids have a big, continuous relationship with the rest of the family or would it be, like the holiday, full on for a few weeks and then not see them for months at a time?I know it's a hard one but it puzzles me, if only because although we all lived close in the UK the kids had such gaps in ages and are now all older that they never had that close family thing anyway.
Oct 17th 2007, 7:24 am
#3
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Joined: Sep 2006
Location: WA
Posts: 1,280
Re: A few words after returning from the UK on holiday…
great post, the family thing is a real heart tug isn't it? but I'm glad things are going well for you.
S xx
S xx
Oct 17th 2007, 7:29 am
#4
Proudly Deplorable
Joined: May 2003
Location: Alloha snack bar
Posts: 24,246
Re: A few words after returning from the UK on holiday…
A trip to the UK recently provided an opportunity to make a comparison between life in the UK and Australia. Many of us make constant comparisons between the two and ask whether a move in either direction has been the right thing or not. I thought that I’d post my thoughts.
After leaving the airport my first shock was traffic – I was shocked by the hectic nature of the roads and my blood pressure was pretty high each time I got into the car. I remember when I first arrived in Perth a couple of years ago, thinking how relaxed driving was here – the speed limits slow you down. In the UK it was like being on a race track and I felt pressured to go faster and faster. Town driving was a nightmare and I’d have to leave lots of time to get from one side of the town the other (and believe it or not at one stage in my life I was a courier regularly driving hundreds of miles a day and frequenting inner London).
The countryside was as stunning as ever – this is one of the key aspects which I miss about England. Having said that, as I travelled back to the airport last week, the weather turned compared with the relatively benign conditions of the previous two weeks and the countryside – certainly in the Peak District – looked bleak and forbidding.
Supermarkets were an absolute dream – as I knew they would be. I’m afraid I’m not a believer of the Australian way of shopping in many small shops to get the prices, range and quality that you need – I just don’t get the time. Even if I did I’m not so sure that – certainly in Perth – that I would be able to get what I could in England. The fantastic range of organic produce – even in relatively lower end supermarkets such as Morrisons was unbelievable. The lack of colours and additives was great. The prices yet again were fantastic and the range superb. Some prices were not much lower than here – fish for example sat at about 9 GBP per kilo – around $22 – similar I think to here. But most other things were dirt cheap – apples at 1GBP per kilo – I struggle to find them at $2.40 a kilo in Perth and from what I tasted the quality was just as good. Bananas were 99p a kilo – unbelievable. Beer - my favourite real ales were 5 GBP for 4 500ml bottles – you can imagine where I spent most of my time. Marks and Spencers was also a dream – didn’t realise how much I missed their food. Also – clothing – M&S are now producing some excellent value clothing – I bought a pair of jeans for 9GBP and a pair of trousers for 15GBP. A local factory outlet type of shopping complex had great bargains also – I got a top brand pair of sandals reduced from 45GBP to 15 GBP.
We went to London for a couple of days and as you’d expect we lost money hand over fist. Trains were pretty good value though – we got returns to London – a 2 hour journey – for 20 GBP each but the quality of the carriages was pretty shameful. (On time though).
Eating out was as expensive as ever – lunch for 4 of us was equivalent to $75 – and it was nothing special. Don’t ask about eating out in London – but drinking in London wasn’t a shock after experiencing Perth prices – pretty much equivalent – or even slightly cheaper in London. (London felt like it is – a world city – and I felt a real sense of pride in the place – really happening.)
But we had fabulous Indian takeaway for 13GBP for two which I thought was pretty good value.
My daughter went to her old school for an afternoon and I was shocked by the state of the kids – it’s quite an affluent area but the behaviour of some of the kids wasn’t particularly inspiring and a number of them were massively obese. They looked unhealthy in that kind of grey-blue appearance of English kids in October. I certainly felt that I didn’t want my kids going to that school – and it achieves extremely highly in OFSTED reports. We asked about sporting facilities – and I knew the answer anyhow – but it made me thankful for what they can access in Perth.
Being with family was fantastic and a real wrench when we had to leave. My kids were desperately unhappy to leave – just having people pop round and meeting in town or having a big family dinner. Our departure was very difficult – and for the first time ever I seriously considered moving back – for whatever the UK’s faults – just to be with family.
The poor quality atmosphere in the UK was noticeable – the usual grey haze but also the smell of traffic pollution was pretty bad.
We arrived back in Perth at night and the smell of the eucalypts was beautiful as we came out of the airport - the morning after I awoke to the most brilliant sunshine (I got confused (by jetlag and lack of sleep) and first thought it had been snowing – you know the kind of very intense reflective light you get in the UK after a snowfall) and wonderful view of the ocean and the kids seemed happy (“I think I do like Australia Daddy”)
So on balance – well I don’t know really. I’m pretty sure that Australia isn’t forever for us. But nothing’s changed there. I wish the Australians could sort their supermarkets out though. Being away from family – which has never really bothered me before – has become an issue over the last year – mainly for the relationship between my kids and the rest of the family – I suspect that it will become more so in the future. I love the environment in Perth – the climate especially. And I love the fact the Perth is a city of migrants with all that that offers. Education is still a major concern – but I have to say that my views have changed at primary level – I now believe that Australia is better at primary education than the UK (very generally speaking and based on my own experiences.
Just wanted to add as a post script - the other thing which really caught my eye in the UK was the price of broadband packages - 30GBP - for free UK telephone calls, 8MBS broadband and Sky TV. Can't get anything approaching that here.
After leaving the airport my first shock was traffic – I was shocked by the hectic nature of the roads and my blood pressure was pretty high each time I got into the car. I remember when I first arrived in Perth a couple of years ago, thinking how relaxed driving was here – the speed limits slow you down. In the UK it was like being on a race track and I felt pressured to go faster and faster. Town driving was a nightmare and I’d have to leave lots of time to get from one side of the town the other (and believe it or not at one stage in my life I was a courier regularly driving hundreds of miles a day and frequenting inner London).
The countryside was as stunning as ever – this is one of the key aspects which I miss about England. Having said that, as I travelled back to the airport last week, the weather turned compared with the relatively benign conditions of the previous two weeks and the countryside – certainly in the Peak District – looked bleak and forbidding.
Supermarkets were an absolute dream – as I knew they would be. I’m afraid I’m not a believer of the Australian way of shopping in many small shops to get the prices, range and quality that you need – I just don’t get the time. Even if I did I’m not so sure that – certainly in Perth – that I would be able to get what I could in England. The fantastic range of organic produce – even in relatively lower end supermarkets such as Morrisons was unbelievable. The lack of colours and additives was great. The prices yet again were fantastic and the range superb. Some prices were not much lower than here – fish for example sat at about 9 GBP per kilo – around $22 – similar I think to here. But most other things were dirt cheap – apples at 1GBP per kilo – I struggle to find them at $2.40 a kilo in Perth and from what I tasted the quality was just as good. Bananas were 99p a kilo – unbelievable. Beer - my favourite real ales were 5 GBP for 4 500ml bottles – you can imagine where I spent most of my time. Marks and Spencers was also a dream – didn’t realise how much I missed their food. Also – clothing – M&S are now producing some excellent value clothing – I bought a pair of jeans for 9GBP and a pair of trousers for 15GBP. A local factory outlet type of shopping complex had great bargains also – I got a top brand pair of sandals reduced from 45GBP to 15 GBP.
We went to London for a couple of days and as you’d expect we lost money hand over fist. Trains were pretty good value though – we got returns to London – a 2 hour journey – for 20 GBP each but the quality of the carriages was pretty shameful. (On time though).
Eating out was as expensive as ever – lunch for 4 of us was equivalent to $75 – and it was nothing special. Don’t ask about eating out in London – but drinking in London wasn’t a shock after experiencing Perth prices – pretty much equivalent – or even slightly cheaper in London. (London felt like it is – a world city – and I felt a real sense of pride in the place – really happening.)
But we had fabulous Indian takeaway for 13GBP for two which I thought was pretty good value.
My daughter went to her old school for an afternoon and I was shocked by the state of the kids – it’s quite an affluent area but the behaviour of some of the kids wasn’t particularly inspiring and a number of them were massively obese. They looked unhealthy in that kind of grey-blue appearance of English kids in October. I certainly felt that I didn’t want my kids going to that school – and it achieves extremely highly in OFSTED reports. We asked about sporting facilities – and I knew the answer anyhow – but it made me thankful for what they can access in Perth.
Being with family was fantastic and a real wrench when we had to leave. My kids were desperately unhappy to leave – just having people pop round and meeting in town or having a big family dinner. Our departure was very difficult – and for the first time ever I seriously considered moving back – for whatever the UK’s faults – just to be with family.
The poor quality atmosphere in the UK was noticeable – the usual grey haze but also the smell of traffic pollution was pretty bad.
We arrived back in Perth at night and the smell of the eucalypts was beautiful as we came out of the airport - the morning after I awoke to the most brilliant sunshine (I got confused (by jetlag and lack of sleep) and first thought it had been snowing – you know the kind of very intense reflective light you get in the UK after a snowfall) and wonderful view of the ocean and the kids seemed happy (“I think I do like Australia Daddy”)
So on balance – well I don’t know really. I’m pretty sure that Australia isn’t forever for us. But nothing’s changed there. I wish the Australians could sort their supermarkets out though. Being away from family – which has never really bothered me before – has become an issue over the last year – mainly for the relationship between my kids and the rest of the family – I suspect that it will become more so in the future. I love the environment in Perth – the climate especially. And I love the fact the Perth is a city of migrants with all that that offers. Education is still a major concern – but I have to say that my views have changed at primary level – I now believe that Australia is better at primary education than the UK (very generally speaking and based on my own experiences.
Just wanted to add as a post script - the other thing which really caught my eye in the UK was the price of broadband packages - 30GBP - for free UK telephone calls, 8MBS broadband and Sky TV. Can't get anything approaching that here.
Overall, life in Perth is much better than over there. My wife got stuck in a jam on the M25 for 4 hours - imagine that in Perth! Agree abut the kids too - one of my main reasons for moving here. It would take a lot to get me to move back there.
Oct 17th 2007, 7:32 am
#5
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Re: A few words after returning from the UK on holiday…
Great post. I have in the back of my mind plans for a visit but not sure I can be arsed Just one question which I often have when people talk about family - if you moved back, would your kids have a big, continuous relationship with the rest of the family or would it be, like the holiday, full on for a few weeks and then not see them for months at a time?
I know it's a hard one but it puzzles me, if only because although we all lived close in the UK the kids had such gaps in ages and are now all older that they never had that close family thing anyway.
Just one question which I often have when people talk about family - if you moved back, would your kids have a big, continuous relationship with the rest of the family or would it be, like the holiday, full on for a few weeks and then not see them for months at a time?I know it's a hard one but it puzzles me, if only because although we all lived close in the UK the kids had such gaps in ages and are now all older that they never had that close family thing anyway.
(for us when we did live there for a year in 2004 it was nightmare because they got so spoilt and got into really bad habits - we could see it happening again towards the end of our holiday this time)
Oct 17th 2007, 7:44 am
#6
Crazy Cat Lady
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 65,493
Re: A few words after returning from the UK on holiday…
It must be very hard if there is a really close relationship going on. My girls were only close in years to one cousin and she, when we left, was 15 and going totally off the rails. All the others were 6,8 and 10 years older than my eldest so it's never been an issue although they do all get on well when they meet but have nothing in common apart from family
Did the trip answer questions or just pose more?
Did the trip answer questions or just pose more?
Oct 17th 2007, 8:00 am
#7
Forum Regular
Joined: Jul 2007
Location: quinns rocks
Posts: 221
Re: A few words after returning from the UK on holiday…
Great post!
It is good to have an honest opinion to know in advance of what I will miss!!! No surprises there but I at least I know I am not the only one!
It is good to have an honest opinion to know in advance of what I will miss!!! No surprises there but I at least I know I am not the only one!
Oct 17th 2007, 8:16 am
#8
Account Closed
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 1,693
Re: A few words after returning from the UK on holiday…
[ .[/QUOTE]
Interesting read, thanks for that.
Dave
Interesting read, thanks for that.
Dave
Oct 17th 2007, 11:38 am
#9
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Re: A few words after returning from the UK on holiday…
That was pretty much my experience of the UK on a recent trip back there. Disagree about the driving though - I enjoyed driving fast for a change. Perth speed limits are too low and too strictly enforced. I was also impressed by the quality of the cars, you don't see as many crappy cars as you do here - and the driving standards are much higher. .
Major issue for us too.
Oct 17th 2007, 11:49 am
#10
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Re: A few words after returning from the UK on holiday…
Ironically we've never really been UK-lovers. In 1999 when we first left I was desparate - and I mean desparate - to leave. At that stage we only had a 6 month old baby.
When we returned for a year in 2004 although I saw a big improvement on 1999 I initially didn't settle (found it very parochial) but by the time we left for Australia I felt a sense of belonging there - just being able to have a drink and dinner with my sister on a Friday night for example.
I've always been a bit ambivalent about Australia - I can really see it's good points but those good points have never been so good that I would dismiss a move elsewhere in the world. Until recently I thought that our next move would be back to Asia.
But now I don't know - we are seriously considering whether a move back to the UK might be good for the family. But there are some major issues which stand in the way. Pretty much everything about our place of abode is for our kids - where they can experience the best lifestyle and best education. I would never send my kids to the secondary schools in the area in the UK in which we'd live. There aren't any private schools in the area and we couldn't afford them anyhow.
The trouble is, I also have major issues with secondary schools in Perth. At this stage I couldn't bring myself to send my kids to any of the secondary schools I know here - that goes for the so-called good ones such as Carine and Duncraig. This leaves private ones and although less expensive than the UK, would still take big sacrifices.
So all in all I don't know. I think that we are happy here for the next 3 years until my eldest hits secondary age. Then we have major decisions to make.
When we returned for a year in 2004 although I saw a big improvement on 1999 I initially didn't settle (found it very parochial) but by the time we left for Australia I felt a sense of belonging there - just being able to have a drink and dinner with my sister on a Friday night for example.
I've always been a bit ambivalent about Australia - I can really see it's good points but those good points have never been so good that I would dismiss a move elsewhere in the world. Until recently I thought that our next move would be back to Asia.
But now I don't know - we are seriously considering whether a move back to the UK might be good for the family. But there are some major issues which stand in the way. Pretty much everything about our place of abode is for our kids - where they can experience the best lifestyle and best education. I would never send my kids to the secondary schools in the area in the UK in which we'd live. There aren't any private schools in the area and we couldn't afford them anyhow.
The trouble is, I also have major issues with secondary schools in Perth. At this stage I couldn't bring myself to send my kids to any of the secondary schools I know here - that goes for the so-called good ones such as Carine and Duncraig. This leaves private ones and although less expensive than the UK, would still take big sacrifices.
So all in all I don't know. I think that we are happy here for the next 3 years until my eldest hits secondary age. Then we have major decisions to make.
Oct 17th 2007, 12:11 pm
#11
Emigrated 24/11/07
Joined: Apr 2007
Location: Umina Beach, NSW
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Re: A few words after returning from the UK on holiday…
What a great set of posts .................. really good reading thanks to everyone on this subject...................................... 
We're due to leave the UK 22nd Nov and I can't wait to get away from the stress of driving. The A1 and M1 are like racing circuits. As soon as I pull out into the fast lanes there is someone tailgating trying to make me move over and generally I'm no slouch clocking between 80 and 90 usually.
We currently live in a fairly small village and even that is like a race track - a 30 zone and people still OVER TAKE! and there's a school just along the road. Everyone has to race up to the lights and then slam on the brakes - this is the way 75% of drivers conduct themselves in the midlands and east england. As for politeness, I can't remember too many instances of courteous driving. People live in their own bubbles. They barge into people walking down the high street, ram a shopping trolley into peoples legs, generally behave in a selfish and uncaring manner. There are always exceptions but its my experience that the rule is to be rude, the exceptions are few and far between.
There are a lot of new and newer cars in the UK but in the main it's people keeping up with the Jones' or needing to own the newest models rather than replacement for mechanical problems or defects (OK I admit its not always the case). Cars are well engineered all over the world and will last and last if serviced and treated with respect. Does that mean that the older stock in Aussie is better cared for or less cared for? I'm not sure about that one but the secondhand market is much higher in price than the UK market. We've just sold our Renault Laguna 1.8 5 door for £4300, we paid £14,000 for it LESS than 3 years ago (just coming up to MOT) - do cars depreciate THAT fast in Aussie? I have lived in the UK all my life and its a throw away economy.
Give you an example: at a recent music festival in Leeds, the attending population was probably early to mid twenties. The general "thing" was to turn up with tents, sleeping bags, garden collapsible folding chairs and maybe a few other handy items, awnings or something to keep the rain off. At the end of the weekend, 75% of the equipment had been smashed up or simply left in the fields. When the younger people were asked why they were smashing up their tents (around £30 in blacks or millets for a summer tent) or seats or whatever - they replied that it was more hassle to get it all home again and that they would buy new for next year and leave it all behind then too! The clean up operation was massive and all of this kind of stuff heading for landfill.
This is the waswastefulness the British economy. While the government and local councils try to stem the tide of waste and refuse from households for future generations, those generations actually show that they don't give a sh&^ anyway! There is fly tipping at the road sides, general littering has not got any better, youths still discard their macdonalds cartons and chip papers wherever they are standing. London is the dirtiest City I believe I have ever been too. Papers swirl around the streets and the cleaning system can not keep pace. The cleanest City I know of is Tokyo. I'm hoping that Australians have a better love of their homeland than the people of the UK.
I agree, the supermarkets are excellent and the prices kept low - but at what cost to the UK farming industry? A lot of the produce is imported from europe and UK farming is going to the wall. Very soon they will be specialist producers selling as "organic" which in the main reflects the high price of production in their retail prices.
I'm looking forward to Australia and all it has to offer. Both sides of the world have their own attractions, and their own disappointments too I'm sure. One thing is for sure ~ it can't be any worse down under!
We're due to leave the UK 22nd Nov and I can't wait to get away from the stress of driving. The A1 and M1 are like racing circuits. As soon as I pull out into the fast lanes there is someone tailgating trying to make me move over and generally I'm no slouch clocking between 80 and 90 usually.
We currently live in a fairly small village and even that is like a race track - a 30 zone and people still OVER TAKE! and there's a school just along the road. Everyone has to race up to the lights and then slam on the brakes - this is the way 75% of drivers conduct themselves in the midlands and east england. As for politeness, I can't remember too many instances of courteous driving. People live in their own bubbles. They barge into people walking down the high street, ram a shopping trolley into peoples legs, generally behave in a selfish and uncaring manner. There are always exceptions but its my experience that the rule is to be rude, the exceptions are few and far between.
There are a lot of new and newer cars in the UK but in the main it's people keeping up with the Jones' or needing to own the newest models rather than replacement for mechanical problems or defects (OK I admit its not always the case). Cars are well engineered all over the world and will last and last if serviced and treated with respect. Does that mean that the older stock in Aussie is better cared for or less cared for? I'm not sure about that one but the secondhand market is much higher in price than the UK market. We've just sold our Renault Laguna 1.8 5 door for £4300, we paid £14,000 for it LESS than 3 years ago (just coming up to MOT) - do cars depreciate THAT fast in Aussie? I have lived in the UK all my life and its a throw away economy.
Give you an example: at a recent music festival in Leeds, the attending population was probably early to mid twenties. The general "thing" was to turn up with tents, sleeping bags, garden collapsible folding chairs and maybe a few other handy items, awnings or something to keep the rain off. At the end of the weekend, 75% of the equipment had been smashed up or simply left in the fields. When the younger people were asked why they were smashing up their tents (around £30 in blacks or millets for a summer tent) or seats or whatever - they replied that it was more hassle to get it all home again and that they would buy new for next year and leave it all behind then too! The clean up operation was massive and all of this kind of stuff heading for landfill.
This is the waswastefulness the British economy. While the government and local councils try to stem the tide of waste and refuse from households for future generations, those generations actually show that they don't give a sh&^ anyway! There is fly tipping at the road sides, general littering has not got any better, youths still discard their macdonalds cartons and chip papers wherever they are standing. London is the dirtiest City I believe I have ever been too. Papers swirl around the streets and the cleaning system can not keep pace. The cleanest City I know of is Tokyo. I'm hoping that Australians have a better love of their homeland than the people of the UK.
I agree, the supermarkets are excellent and the prices kept low - but at what cost to the UK farming industry? A lot of the produce is imported from europe and UK farming is going to the wall. Very soon they will be specialist producers selling as "organic" which in the main reflects the high price of production in their retail prices.
I'm looking forward to Australia and all it has to offer. Both sides of the world have their own attractions, and their own disappointments too I'm sure. One thing is for sure ~ it can't be any worse down under!
Last edited by jellibaby; Oct 17th 2007 at 12:15 pm.
Oct 17th 2007, 12:19 pm
#12
BE Forum Addict
Thread Starter
Joined: Oct 2005
Location: Perth
Posts: 3,453
Re: A few words after returning from the UK on holiday…
All interesting points and I did see many of these negatives also. People certainly looked miserable and just generally.....well, ill really.
Oct 17th 2007, 12:34 pm
#13
Gutter Gob!!
Joined: Feb 2005
Location: Perth
Posts: 13,098
Re: A few words after returning from the UK on holiday…
Ironically we've never really been UK-lovers. In 1999 when we first left I was desparate - and I mean desparate - to leave. At that stage we only had a 6 month old baby.
When we returned for a year in 2004 although I saw a big improvement on 1999 I initially didn't settle (found it very parochial) but by the time we left for Australia I felt a sense of belonging there - just being able to have a drink and dinner with my sister on a Friday night for example.
I've always been a bit ambivalent about Australia - I can really see it's good points but those good points have never been so good that I would dismiss a move elsewhere in the world. Until recently I thought that our next move would be back to Asia.
But now I don't know - we are seriously considering whether a move back to the UK might be good for the family. But there are some major issues which stand in the way. Pretty much everything about our place of abode is for our kids - where they can experience the best lifestyle and best education. I would never send my kids to the secondary schools in the area in the UK in which we'd live. There aren't any private schools in the area and we couldn't afford them anyhow.
The trouble is, I also have major issues with secondary schools in Perth. At this stage I couldn't bring myself to send my kids to any of the secondary schools I know here - that goes for the so-called good ones such as Carine and Duncraig. This leaves private ones and although less expensive than the UK, would still take big sacrifices.
So all in all I don't know. I think that we are happy here for the next 3 years until my eldest hits secondary age. Then we have major decisions to make.
When we returned for a year in 2004 although I saw a big improvement on 1999 I initially didn't settle (found it very parochial) but by the time we left for Australia I felt a sense of belonging there - just being able to have a drink and dinner with my sister on a Friday night for example.
I've always been a bit ambivalent about Australia - I can really see it's good points but those good points have never been so good that I would dismiss a move elsewhere in the world. Until recently I thought that our next move would be back to Asia.
But now I don't know - we are seriously considering whether a move back to the UK might be good for the family. But there are some major issues which stand in the way. Pretty much everything about our place of abode is for our kids - where they can experience the best lifestyle and best education. I would never send my kids to the secondary schools in the area in the UK in which we'd live. There aren't any private schools in the area and we couldn't afford them anyhow.
The trouble is, I also have major issues with secondary schools in Perth. At this stage I couldn't bring myself to send my kids to any of the secondary schools I know here - that goes for the so-called good ones such as Carine and Duncraig. This leaves private ones and although less expensive than the UK, would still take big sacrifices.
So all in all I don't know. I think that we are happy here for the next 3 years until my eldest hits secondary age. Then we have major decisions to make.
Oct 17th 2007, 12:39 pm
#14
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Joined: Aug 2004
Location: Castle Hill, Sydney (previously Brum)
Posts: 1,095
Re: A few words after returning from the UK on holiday…
A great post and really sums-up the fact that it's impossible to claim one country as better than the other. I'm really so suprised though at how many people are complaining about the UK driving....crikey! I think it's a bloomin dream compared to here in Sydney. When we return home, we find courtesy, good driving practice and can't say I really saw anyone speeding - and who'd be daft enough with all those cameras around! We also found people far more courteous and friendly, in fact, for us it's one of the big drawcards to returning home...just wish they could fix the schools, hospitals and immigrant issues though!
and really sums-up the fact that it's impossible to claim one country as better than the other. I'm really so suprised though at how many people are complaining about the UK driving....crikey! I think it's a bloomin dream compared to here in Sydney. When we return home, we find courtesy, good driving practice and can't say I really saw anyone speeding - and who'd be daft enough with all those cameras around! We also found people far more courteous and friendly, in fact, for us it's one of the big drawcards to returning home...just wish they could fix the schools, hospitals and immigrant issues though!
Oct 17th 2007, 12:43 pm
#15
Forum Regular
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 270
Re: A few words after returning from the UK on holiday…
This is a great thread and quite honest as well which is refreshing.
Lets not get into a situation where we are all slamming the UK, it is still one of the best countries in the world and there are a lot worse places to be, Aus is not the land of milk and honey but it does do a good job of being happy with itself and I think that reflects on your own life and well being. The UK on the other hand is a grey country and has a lot of stress involved with your everyday life and that reflects on your well being.
I haven't heard the sound of children playing here for quite a long time now, you know the sound when you sit in the garden and hear all the kids haveing fun, (gees I sound old) or is that just my frame of mind blocking all the bad points out, but my point is I would put up with the heat the crap supermarkets, the high second hand car prices and all the bad points in Aus to have a happy family that enjoys the sunshine and healthier lifestyle.
Lets not get into a situation where we are all slamming the UK, it is still one of the best countries in the world and there are a lot worse places to be, Aus is not the land of milk and honey but it does do a good job of being happy with itself and I think that reflects on your own life and well being. The UK on the other hand is a grey country and has a lot of stress involved with your everyday life and that reflects on your well being.
I haven't heard the sound of children playing here for quite a long time now, you know the sound when you sit in the garden and hear all the kids haveing fun, (gees I sound old) or is that just my frame of mind blocking all the bad points out, but my point is I would put up with the heat the crap supermarkets, the high second hand car prices and all the bad points in Aus to have a happy family that enjoys the sunshine and healthier lifestyle.