You beat me to it on the TV issue. I don't watch 7, 9 and 10 but they are pretty much up to date with the 'latest' shows.

The other question that was asked, was about violence in Oz.
Since arriving in December, there have been fatal stabbings and shootings in Sydney just about every week!
I must say that my moaning about Oz, is just the way I feel about it. I think that the things that annoy me now, will increasingly get under my skin. That's why it's not for me! I think that it's vital to come and 'Look before you jump!'

Regarding TV, I have mentioned in another post about 'FilmOn HD'. With this program you can watch, or record to your hard drive all U.K. (NOT SKY) program's (I use it in Spain). Check out the free 'FilmOn SD' version.

+1

Perth Fringe going on at the moment with plenty to see and do. We went to the Faulty Towers dinner show (part of the Fringe) last weekend and it was brilliant - an Aussie company too.

I'm glad your life in Spain is perfect but then why did you look at moving to Australia?

Agreed on all counts you've both made. And if someone wants to take a potshot at low-life culture in Australia - be my guest!

I have noticed though that the good thing about some people returning to the UK is that in a few reported cases they do get out of the houses where they were formerly trapped by rain, experience some sort of renaissance and get a few tours in around the county looking at National Trust houses....

I wonder how long that lasts!

Our family live here
We came here to visit the family and to see if things had changed since we were
here eight years ago. We were thinking of coming here then, but decided against it in favour of Spain That decision proved to be the right one. Australia just doesn't do it for us, devastating floods (sorry, inundation ), and fires across the country that have ruined thousands of people's lives, leaving them with nothing, because the insurance companies (if they could get insurance after the last lot), are refusing to pay out!
The other thing, is Australia's increasing involvement/imports from Asia (cheap labour will cost Ozie jobs!!!). That of course is only the way I see it. It isn't the best place in the world for us.

I don't think this is correct.

BB

After the first flood, in 2010 (not Noah's)
I think there was a situation where some paid out, and some didn't.
To do with flood levels arising from rivers bursting banks or rising water levels due to rainfall (I may not have the terminology right).

We visited not long before we came here and wild horses wouldnt take me back to Geelong, if I didnt have family there I would never see Geelong again. It just seems depressing to me. As we drove in from Melbourne we both realised why we had moved to Brisbane BUT it would be very boring if we all thought the same.

Spain - the economic powerhouse of Europe with zero Asian imports

yep

Are you saying that the people that I have seen interviewed on The TV news program's over the last weeks, some of them sobbing their hearts out, are telling 'Porky Pies'?

I don't think so! Many of them had just finished rebuilding after the last lot and couldn't get insurance again

The economic state of the country doesn't bother me, I'm retired, with good pensions/investments, and live on a golf complex with wonderful Spanish neighbours (the family unit is still very strong here).
Also Spain does have the second best health service in Europe, (France is number One!!!).
Where I live we average 300 days of sunshine a year, with miles of beautiful beaches, promenades and restaurants (the beaches are cleaned every day).
Also the refuse is collected every day (Australians don't appear to mind leaving piles of unsightly junk on their front lawns! ).
So you see, as far as I'm concerned, Australia isn't even in the running.

If you're retired and don't care about the state of the economy, why do you care if Australian jobs will go to Asia? Can't have it both ways.

The culture thing... I couldn't cope with being stuck in some small town Australian places but then I couldn't cope with being stuck in some small town UK places either. Besides, the majority of expats on here seem to move to the big cities (although not all).

In Melbourne we used to love the comedy festival, went to Booktown the last couple of years which I absolutely adored, I regularly went to the design markets at Fed Square/Exhibition Buildings, we went to Melbourne Open House, frequently went to fantastic restaurants. I was really disappointed not to be able to get a ticket to hear Bill Bryson speak last year, sold out. I'm not really into music, went to one really good gig but my partner went fairly often to see some acts that he loved (not particularly mainstream).

It's cool if Australia isn't for you, we left too, but not because we hated it. I just don't think you can dismiss the entire country just because it didn't suit you.

Tis very true. Some of those flooded after TC Tasha have not been able to get insurance again, or have been unable to afford the hiked up premiums. I would say it might be in the hundreds, unlikely to be thousands. Many of the worst areas hit by T C Oswald were not impacted in Tasha - eg most of Bundaberg - and so a lot of those are covered by insurance.
However, as with Tasha, this is very early days so far. most of the insurance wrangling hasn't actually started yet and the figures may rise over the next few weeks.