brissybee

Time seems to have flown since we arrived back... and many things that initially seemed unusual are gradually becoming the norm.

My initial observations (after a long time living in Australia and a few trips back) are that English motorists drive fast (though they're very polite), warm water comes out of taps when you go to a public loo (this is good), the range of produce in supermarkets is wonderful, petrol is expensive, cars are cheap, parking is expensive and a pain in the butt, escalators to get to and from the tube are scary high (for a height phobe), English strawberries and raspberries do taste good - actually, great, most people in villages seem very friendly, wild baby bunnies are very cute, trains are very expensive, Summer can be really hot (but not hideous hot thank goodness), it's great being able to get from one place to another quite quickly because it's relatively close, take-away food is hideously expensive, boot sales are an excellent way to spend part of a sunny day on a green, you really can have a day trip to France, there is a white stag in Sevenoaks which has undermined a lifetime of deer devotion, having a red squirrel run up your arm is cute, down your back - not so much and there is a point in life where you can walk past a packet of Revels on special and not buy it.

We have been in temporary accommodation since we arrived and will be getting into our own place soon which I'm really looking forward to. My husband has a job lined up, we have a car and bank accounts and it's nice not having to worry about being bitten by spiders and snakes. (Yes, I did.)

I like it, husband likes most of it, 18 year old is homesick and missing friends. I'm hoping time will overcome this... but only time will tell. I'm asking that judgement is reserved until after Winter has passed.

The things I miss in Australia? Regular contact with the few remaining family members there, the six o'clock news , Bio Zet laundry powder, Vanish degreaser, Canesten laundry rinse, my top loader, a rotary clothes line (the UK is laundry deprived in my opinion and if anyone can tell me about a laundry detergent which doesn't stink of cheap perfume I'll be delighted). I also miss Continental chicken rice, Eta barbeque sauce and Masterfoods horseradish. Also sorbolene soap. And I think that's about it.

We feel life here isn't that much different to life in Australia... but to state the obvious, there are differences which make a difference.

There is a lot to be said for the same s... different bucket theory... but it's good to be able to at least choose your bucket.

Am I glad to be here? So far, yes.

Pollyana

Sounds good

Laundry stuff - try Surcare, its hypoallergenic laundry liquid

Sainsbury's horseradish is good if you want tasty stuff!

Mummy in the foothills

I miss my top loader washing machine too Always managed to find a sock on the stairs that fell off the pile and is locked out of the wash.

brissybee

Yes, I've already had one thing left out of the front loader situations...

Will definitely try Surcare and Sainsburys Horseradish (though not together) thank-you Polly.

Btw, am also missing Betadine. Can anyone please advise if it can still be bought in the UK... and if so where?

morayeel

Glad you are liking it so far. Hope after some time your teen adjusts and thanks for the update. I love reading updates since I plan on moving home in the future.

quoll

Gosh, I missed your departure and arrival, so, Welcome Home!

Betadine - one of my DH's "must haves" - nope, best we've been able to find is bog standard iodine and that was like hens teeth but one of our smaller Lloyds pharmacies had it. The practice nurses have stuff called Inadeen (I think). We get iodine wipes on line.

Laundry - you can get rotary clothes lines but the flimsy little fold up ones. You get used to them eventually. The Ecover range of laundry detergents are pretty good.

So glad to hear that the job front is sorted! Hope things continue to go well!

Lorry1

Hi brissybee, Welcome home!

I'm glad that for the most part you are enjoying it and settling back well. I think its funny you miss so much from OZ. I didn't miss a thing from Canada after my return, and even now, a year later, I can honestly say I do not miss a thing

I have to agree with most of your observations though... very good!

brissybee

Thanks Quoll. Will check out Lloyds for the iodine and order some of those iodine wipes. Also Ecover after I finish the Surcare I just bought. (Really can't stand perfumed laundry.)

Thanks Lorry. It's mainly cleaning things I miss but only because I'm used to them and haven't yet found their UK substitutes. I am surprised though that I can't buy Betadine and Sorbolene soap in the UK. I wonder if there's a Sorbolene substitute? Anyone? Basically, soap gives me dermatitis as I have super sensitive skin.

As for Australia, purely as a country, there's not much I miss either.

quoll

Aqueous cream can be used as soap they recommend it for frail aged skin apparently - I didn't know there was Sorbolene soap but the nearest we've found to Sorbolene is Diprobase but it's not Sorbolene price!!!!!(mum gets it on prescription)

Can't get Lucas PawPaw ointment here either - that's one thing DH brings back every year.

fizzybangs

They do now sell top loader washing machines in the UK, google them. Wuite interesting actually as they do narrow ones - all sizes. I had same problem with laundry detergents until I found one in Asda, no perfume and liquid. Plus cheap!

jad n rich

I thought you were going back for a holiday., had no idea you had moved back.

Well done!

No more summers from hell, you lucky duck

Lothianlad

I am from Edinburgh but now living in Cheltenham - I do not miss much really except perhaps the annual international festival ....and soft water and kettles that don't develop a furring up problem, but there is a positive side..hard water is supposed to be healthier.

Editha

Is it? They used to say that. I remember being told it when I was at school (50 years ago!). I'd love to know whether there is any firm scientific evidence for hard water being healthier than soft. It contains calcium which must be good for building bones, but I remember being told that people in soft water areas have more heart attacks.

Bnet36

Ha! Had to google it because the softer water has been kinder to my hair and skin but alas there are more nutrients in hard water.

Hard water... is water that contains an appreciable quantity of dissolved minerals (like calcium and magnesium).

Soft water... is treated water in which the only ion is sodium.

Editha

I did some googling too. Apparently the calcium is good for bones, but there is no clear evidence that people in hard water areas have less heart disease.