michell

I live near rayleigh about 20 mins from southend on sea, We had a shooting in rayleigh not so long ago, and my daughter got jumped on in our park for her mobile phone, one of my friends sons (15) was walking home from school one day and a car pulled up next to him a load of thugs jumped out pulled a knife out and stole his mobile phone any money he had and his trainers, so in a way yes first hand and thats only in the last year, as time goes on it is getting worse, my kids primary school has been vandalised weekly as well, and we live in a small village, that is quiet and everyone knows everyone, its in my opinion overspill coming out of london.

michell

ausi dream

I can see where quoll is coming from, quoll has some very good points.
Not sure which area quoll is in but if you have been to Brisbane in the summer time then you would understand a bit about what is meant about the quote.

Cheetah7

I hate the cold, even if I wrap up in warm coat and a scarf, I get no pleasure from going out when it is cold and have the urge to go home, stay home and eat my bodyweight in food.

Where I live now I can cool off in the sea down the road from me and I can sit in the shade whilst still appreciating my surroundings.

I don't mind using suncream, in fact I was lulled into a false sense of security in England thinking that I didn't need it there when in fact I burned even when the skies were cloudy.

I never drank enough water, I ate the wrong foods - comfort eating if you like.

Here I have a healthier lifestyle, I don't feel a need to stay in all the time. I had a bike in the UK which I had to get rid of because cycling where I lived was too polluted and my asthma got really bad.

Today I must have cycled for about 5 miles and never used my inhaler once. I can't tell you how nice it was to ride my bike along the sea front and then sit down for an hour or so enjoying my surroundings.

The weather was a huge factor - I seem to be better adapted in hot countries than cold ones, and I have been to a fair few.

I am more active here than I ever thought I would be and if I am honest with myself, if the weather in England was just as sunny as it is in Australia I would have still moved to Australia.

It just feels right.

Wellies, jumpers, fleeces, waterproof jackets and layering up to protect against a bitter British winter does not do it for me and never has. I have never ever enjoyed going out in British winters.

Im proud to be British and don't hate the UK but by God am I glad I am living here now.

Even if I can't sit down after all that bike riding

rabsody

Just think about those pert bum muscles!

Great post PP, I'm the same. As shallow as it is, it was definitely a motivator for me to emigrate. The weather has such a bearing on your day to day life. I much prefer a warmer climate though admittedly the Brisbane summer can get a little overly so! (been good past couple of years though). I definitely feel healthier in the warmth and just more upbeat - I suspect I have SAD because even when it's overcast here for more than a few days I start feeling flat.

As much as I get homesick and would like to move back to UK at some stage, I definitely prefer the Qld climate. Funnily enough my Aussie OH and my eldest love the cold, rain, wind ... grass is always greener I guess!

BadgeIsBack

Someone was criticising the Aussies just now. Other people will now say you will fit in fine.

hippyboy1

Rather well said, furthermore, what Quoll and Rabsody don't seem to understand is some of us really like Australia-beyond weather(albeit a bonus) and non-existant cheap housing. I confess, I prefer EVERYTHING about the Australian way of life than the British-their is nothing I miss other than family and a few pretty spots.
I find Australians friendly and relaxed, I love the cafe culture and cosmopolitan feel of Melbourne (and Sydney) as opposed to the dreariness of the average English city-I like the vibe, the atitudes, the rythym of life here, the small talk about nonsense over the garden fence-the clubs, the beach, the bush, the wildlife.

rabsody

Why do you think I don't understand this? You don't know me or the first thing about me!!!

Actually I don't think there's one size fits all in this life - what one person loves, another hates - neither's right or wrong. There are certainly plenty of things I like about Aus over and above the weather. I asked the original question because I was genuinely interested whether people are moving primarily for weather or the Aussie 'way of life' and it seems to be a bit of both. Don't go making assumptions about people. Makes you look silly.

hippyboy1

I did use the word 'seem' (to understand) but fair enough, just confirming that you do realise some of us actually like the place beyond weather. Like you said , taste, is highly personal and there is no right or wrong.
If anything, it would be the Australia knockers here that seem to miss this point usually-especially in regards to the issues of 'culture' and 'history'-the question is who's culture and history.
Who could seriously expect that Australia could have more by way of Western European history or culture than Western Europe-yet even the issue of culture is subjective-one mans masterpiece might be anothers mess of paint-and one man's great building might be another's pile of old rocks.

pommybird

I'm glad you like Australia but the fact is that some of us actually believe we have a better quality of life in the UK - it's horses for courses - I found city life very dull in Oz in comparison to the UK.

In answer to Rabsody's question yes we would have still tried Oz as our primary motive for moving there was the belief it could offer our children a safer, more secure environment and a 'better way of life' - my experience was that in fact Oz did not offer any of this for our family - crime and the 'yob factor' was on par, education was IMO poor and the cost and standard of health care concerning.

Having tried Australia I much prefer life here in the UK as countless others do - IN MY OPINION if you emigrate to Australia for the adventure and the chance to try a DIFFERENT life then I'm sure you'll have a great time - if you emigrate to escape the crime and depravity of the UK then I'm afraid you are going to be sorely disappointed with what you find in Australia.

hippyboy1

What I am really trying to say, but not doing a good job of, is that the point is often made here that Australia has no 'culture'-the implication being that those who can't see this point are yobs or dull, perhaps lower middle class-and anyone with a bit of class can see this place is lacking sophistication.
Not necessarily-perhaps they are just not as interested in British history and culture as other things.
The head of the department of Zoology at the Hobart university (just a made-up example) might have little interest in cobbled streets and cathedrals and more in the Tasmanian devil-yet in common terms might be a highly cultured person-get my point.

sonlymewalter

Are you on drugs............. or related to badge

hippyboy1

on drugs

hippyboy1

I believe Australia does offer a safer environment for kids, definately. if you didnt get that impression you seriously chose the wrong neighbourhood.

sonlymewalter

phew. Thank God for that.

You might need something stronger

hippyboy1

Let me guess...you were in Perth. Actually, as subjective as we all are, comments like this amaze me-Yob culutre is so obviously more apparent and more depraved in the UK-I just can't understand this.
I think the desire for a cheap house perhaps got in the way-vast swathes of Australia are just sooo middle-class. Australians so aspirational-yobs are dying out here-while in the UK they are on the rise. You might have ended up in a last bastion type place.