Go Back  British Expats > Living & Moving Abroad > Australia
Reload this Page >

notoriously expensive, over-crowded, grubby

notoriously expensive, over-crowded, grubby

Old Jul 28th 2004, 11:43 pm
  #1  
Bondipom
Guest
 
Posts: n/a
Default notoriously expensive, over-crowded, grubby

This one will get moved but thought you would like to get your teeth
into it first.


http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/magazine/3931277.stm


It's notoriously expensive, over-crowded, grubby and bewildering to
out-of-towners. So why do so many foreign visitors bother with London?


On Horse Guard's Parade scores of tourists are jockeying for position
in front of one of the statuesque sentries, and the chance to take the
perfect souvenir snap.

Moment captured for posterity, they're off -
past the Union Jack hats of the souvenir stalls, through the pavement
throngs and speedily on towards their next guide book-chosen
destination.

The chaotic scenes are mirrored at countless spots across
the capital, which has become the most visited city in Europe, ahead of
Paris.

Its position is one it may well hold on to, with record numbers
of tourists arriving in the UK in recent months. More than half pass
through the capital, the lynchpin of the industry.

But London is also
the second most expensive city in the world, making a long weekend in
the capital as costly as a fortnight away in many European destinations.
Can it really be worth the hard-earned wages of its guests?


--
Posted via http://britishexpats.com
 
Old Jul 28th 2004, 11:46 pm
  #2  
Bondipom
Guest
 
Posts: n/a
Default Re: notoriously expensive, over-crowded, grubby

What I found amusing was the biggest complainers were the British. The
foreigners were prepared and seem to enjoy London despite haemorraging
cash.

From a Londoner

Lucky tourists - they get to leave after a
fortnight. The rest of us poor sods will be stuck here until we retire,
die or flee.
Anthony Cody, London, UK.

I am an American and have
visited London twice. Although expensive, it is the greatest city in the
world. Aside from splurging on a couple of West End plays, my husband
and I are content to buy a couple of sandwiches, take them to a park and
people watch. We love London and cannot wait to go back.
Suzanna, US


--
Posted via http://britishexpats.com
 
Old Jul 28th 2004, 11:49 pm
  #3  
Marakai
Guest
 
Posts: n/a
Default Re: notoriously expensive, over-crowded, grubby

Originally posted by bondipom
    > I am an American and have
visited London twice. Although expensive, it is the greatest city in the
world. Aside from splurging on a couple of West End plays, my husband
and I are content to buy a couple of sandwiches, take them to a park and
people watch. We love London and cannot wait to go back.
    > Suzanna, US


I admit, I fit firmly into that stereotype. I've only visited
London several times, but loved it every time. Yet, having stayed with
friends and suffered through the the crowded motorways I can only
imagine what it's like to do it every day.

At least, you don't have to
put up with Denver drivers. ;)

Mike


--
Posted via http://britishexpats.com
 
Old Jul 28th 2004, 11:56 pm
  #4  
Wombat42
Guest
 
Posts: n/a
Default Re: notoriously expensive, over-crowded, grubby

"Notoriously expensive, over-crowded, grubby"

You could describe all of
Britain as being like this not just London.


--
Posted via http://britishexpats.com
 
Old Jul 28th 2004, 11:58 pm
  #5  
Megalania
Guest
 
Posts: n/a
Default Re: notoriously expensive, over-crowded, grubby

Originally posted by bondipom
    > This one will get moved
but thought you would like to get your teeth into it first.
    >
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/magazine/3931277.stm
    >
It's notoriously expensive, over-crowded, grubby and bewildering to out-of-
towners. So why do so many foreign visitors bother with London?
    >
    > On
Horse Guard's Parade scores of tourists are jockeying for position in
front of one of the statuesque sentries, and the chance to take the
perfect souvenir snap.
    >
    > Moment captured for posterity, they're off -
past the Union Jack hats of the souvenir stalls, through the pavement
throngs and speedily on towards their next guide book-chosen
destination.
    >
    > The chaotic scenes are mirrored at countless spots
across the capital, which has become the most visited city in Europe,
ahead of Paris.
    >
    > Its position is one it may well hold on to, with
record numbers of tourists arriving in the UK in recent months. More
than half pass through the capital, the lynchpin of the industry.
    >
But London is also the second most expensive city in the world, making a
long weekend in the capital as costly as a fortnight away in many
European destinations. Can it really be worth the hard-earned wages of
its guests?
The Internet made London is redundant - plenty of
webcams for those with a penchant for watching suffering.


--
Posted via http://britishexpats.com
 
Old Jul 29th 2004, 12:06 am
  #6  
Bondipom
Guest
 
Posts: n/a
Default Re: notoriously expensive, over-crowded, grubby

Originally posted by wombat42
    > "Notoriously expensive,
over-crowded, grubby"
    >
    > You could describe all of Britain as being
like this not just London.
If you were pig ignorant and had
never been there you could.


--
Posted via http://britishexpats.com
 
Old Jul 29th 2004, 12:06 am
  #7  
Chippy
Guest
 
Posts: n/a
Default Re: notoriously expensive, over-crowded, grubby

London is the best city in the world.


--
Posted via http://britishexpats.com
 
Old Jul 29th 2004, 12:15 am
  #8  
Bondipom
Guest
 
Posts: n/a
Default Re: notoriously expensive, over-crowded, grubby

Originally posted by chippy
    > London is the best city
in the world.
I recommend that if you emigrees get the
chance to do a weekend in London to say goodbye. You can see the best
and worst of Britain in one go. It may give you fond memories or just
reasons to leg it.


--
Posted via http://britishexpats.com
 
Old Jul 29th 2004, 12:18 am
  #9  
Wombat42
Guest
 
Posts: n/a
Default Re: notoriously expensive, over-crowded, grubby

Originally posted by bondipom
    > If you were pig ignorant
and had never been there you could.

You don't believe 70
million people living in a country the same size as the state of
Victoria as being overcrowded.


--
Posted via http://britishexpats.com
 
Old Jul 29th 2004, 12:26 am
  #10  
Bondipom
Guest
 
Posts: n/a
Default Re: notoriously expensive, over-crowded, grubby

Originally posted by wombat42
    > You don't believe 70
million people living in a country the same size as the state of
Victoria as being overcrowded.
You stated all of Britain.
Clearly untrue and if you have ever ventured out of the main areas
people live there you will find plenty of uncrowded beautiful
countryside. As Australias population is crammed into small parts of the
East Coast most of Britain's population is crammed into the SE, midlands
and NW.

You seem to be ignorant of that.


--
Posted via http://britishexpats.com
 
Old Jul 29th 2004, 12:36 am
  #11  
Ceri
Guest
 
Posts: n/a
Default Re: notoriously expensive, over-crowded, grubby

Originally posted by wombat42
    > You don't believe 70
million people living in a country the same size as the state of
Victoria as being overcrowded.

It's around 60 mill.. and 50
of those are in England.. around 7 mill of those in London ( some of the
big cities account for the population) while other areas in England are
not over populated at all.. plenty of countryside . I don't know where
you pluck figures from.. try adding another 10 to it next time.. you'll
soon get it to 80 if you try a bit harder
(Population of the UK : 59.2
million (UN, 2003)

A lot of Aus is unliveable. Did you get a sat
picture in your Sunday paper of your area.. People in Aus live in built
up, populated areas.. i.e. around the coast. For gawd sakes.. I think
the average plot sold now in those estates here in Brisbane is around
600sq.. postage stamp size.

I don't know why at every opportunity you
like to slag of the UK. I find it odd that you claim to be Australian
and then most of your posts are slagging off the UK.. it's like me
slagging off the living standards in the US - I can't as I've never
lived there.


--
Posted via http://britishexpats.com
 
Old Jul 29th 2004, 12:45 am
  #12  
Bob And Ginnie
Guest
 
Posts: n/a
Default Re: notoriously expensive, over-crowded, grubby

Originally posted by bondipom
    > What I found amusing was
the biggest complainers were the British. The foreigners were prepared
and seem to enjoy London despite haemorraging cash.
    >
    > From a Londoner

    >
    > Lucky tourists - they get to leave after a fortnight. The rest of
us poor sods will be stuck here until we retire, die or flee.
    > Anthony
Cody, London, UK.
    >
    > I am an American and have visited London twice.
Although expensive, it is the greatest city in the world. Aside from
splurging on a couple of West End plays, my husband and I are content to
buy a couple of sandwiches, take them to a park and people watch. We
love London and cannot wait to go back.
    > Suzanna, US

I was
born in London. My mum lived thro' the blitz with my grandparents. sho
were both Londoners.
My dad and his folks were from Bethnal Green . .
. inner London that copped a lot of bombing in the '40's
Yeah, London
is great if you're relaxed and on holiday with no problems or worries
except buying sandwiches and sitting in parks to watch the pidgeons and
people stroll by. It's like two lovers by moonlight. See how the two
lovers get on in the light of day, and give them five years and three
kids later . . . see if they love the same park, let alone look at the
moon?
That's London.
If you live, work in a menial job, breathe the
air, eat, sleep, get on the tube each day, look at the people on the
tube going to work in the mornings with dull glazed lifeless eyes
telling their story, instead of relaxed people in a park, you wake up to
a different perception of the place.
I'm just glad to be in
Australia. Was glad back in 1972 ro be here and am still glad in 2004 to
be here. Not so my youngest sister back in south east London with Hubby
working 24/7 7 days a week and 3 kids in school


--
Posted via http://britishexpats.com
 
Old Jul 29th 2004, 12:50 am
  #13  
Chippy
Guest
 
Posts: n/a
Default Re: notoriously expensive, over-crowded, grubby

Originally posted by bondipom
    > I recommend that if you
emigrees get the chance to do a weekend in London to say goodbye. You
can see the best and worst of Britain in one go.


I suppose
this is a fair comment.

    > It may give you fond memories or just
reasons to leg it.
    >
    > Bit of a flippant remark methinks. Many
on here think the main reason to move to Aus is to get away from the UK.
Why not just go to France/Spain?
    >
    > I'm glad to be far away from some
of the UK bad points of course. But that in itself is not a reason to
come here IMO.


--
Posted via http://britishexpats.com
 
Old Jul 29th 2004, 12:57 am
  #14  
Chippy
Guest
 
Posts: n/a
Default Re: notoriously expensive, over-crowded, grubby

Originally posted by bob and ginnie
    > I was born in
London. My mum lived thro' the blitz with my grandparents. sho were both
Londoners.
    > My dad and his folks were from Bethnal Green . . . inner
London that copped a lot of bombing in the '40's
    > Yeah, London is
great if you're relaxed and on holiday with no problems or worries
except buying sandwiches and sitting in parks to watch the pidgeons and
people stroll by. It's like two lovers by moonlight. See how the two
lovers get on in the light of day, and give them five years and three
kids later . . . see if they love the same park, let alone look at the
moon?
    > That's London.
    > If you live, work in a menial job, breathe
the air, eat, sleep, get on the tube each day, look at the people on the
tube going to work in the mornings with dull glazed lifeless eyes
telling their story, instead of relaxed people in a park, you wake up to
a different perception of the place.
    > I'm just glad to be in
Australia. Was glad back in 1972 ro be here and am still glad in 2004 to
be here. Not so my youngest sister back in south east London with Hubby
working 24/7 7 days a week and 3 kids in school

All good
stuff, but could you not substitute 'London' for Paris/NY/Sydney or any
other major world city in this post?

A 'like for like' comparison puts
London at the top of the pile IMO.


--
Posted via http://britishexpats.com
 
Old Jul 29th 2004, 12:58 am
  #15  
Jayr
Guest
 
Posts: n/a
Default Re: notoriously expensive, over-crowded, grubby

High population density is not a bad thing necessarily

For example
based on numbers in this link:

]http://www.publicpurpose.com/ut-cr-
sydney.pdf[/url]

Tokyo Pop Density 15369/sq mile
Public transport share
57%

London Pop Density 7644/sq mile
Public transport share 17.1%


Sydeny Pop Density 4365/sq mile
Public transport share 13.6%

From the
use of resources point of view, it is much more efficient to have high
population density. You then need less roads, less water and sewer
pipes, less power stations, fewer schools etc per person. As a member of
the public you then have greater accessibility to services at shorter
distances and thus lower cost. All this is good for the economy and
ultimately (by the reduction of resources utilised) also good for the
environment.


--
Posted via http://britishexpats.com
 

Contact Us - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Use of this site indicates your consent to the Terms of Use.