Aus to UK shoe on the other foot
Mar 4th 2017, 6:35 am
#1
Lost in BE Cyberspace
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Aus to UK shoe on the other foot
My eldest child has just turned 18 and decided to go off travelling for a couple of months. We had an hilarious video chat last night after her first few days in the UK since she was 8. These are the observations of an 18 year old who has only lived in Queensland, WA and The UAE.
Apparently the UK is so cold and wet that it's unnatural. People don't bat an eye that it's only 10 degrees and she's struggling to survive.
The postman has to come to every front door and put letters in a slot and then they drop to the floor. What a waste of time and effort for all involved - much easier to ride your motorbike past a house and throw something in the letterbox without even stopping. Though it does make it feel like a Harry Potter movie.
Houses aren't real houses, they're one house cut into small pieces to make a number of houses. Backyards are tiny but despite the tiny house and garden - they are very pretty.
Everyone knows everyone's business. They know who has driven down their street and whether they're strangers entering their neighbourhood. The neigbours even phone to see whether their dog walker walked past with the dog to check they've done their job.
Everyone just goes to the pub which is really boring and there's nothing else to do.
The Uber driver thinks he's in an episode of Neigbours with you in his cab. Everyone asks what's happening in Neighbours and are mortified when you tell them you've never watched it.
And lastly, you've gotta work out the conversion rate before you tip the Uber driver 9 pounds (she'd just spent some time in Dubai where durhams are worth bugger all).
She was off to visit a Great Aunt in Chelmsley Wood, Birmingham for the day so I bet there will be some great stories tonight.😃
Apparently the UK is so cold and wet that it's unnatural. People don't bat an eye that it's only 10 degrees and she's struggling to survive.
The postman has to come to every front door and put letters in a slot and then they drop to the floor. What a waste of time and effort for all involved - much easier to ride your motorbike past a house and throw something in the letterbox without even stopping. Though it does make it feel like a Harry Potter movie.
Houses aren't real houses, they're one house cut into small pieces to make a number of houses. Backyards are tiny but despite the tiny house and garden - they are very pretty.
Everyone knows everyone's business. They know who has driven down their street and whether they're strangers entering their neighbourhood. The neigbours even phone to see whether their dog walker walked past with the dog to check they've done their job.
Everyone just goes to the pub which is really boring and there's nothing else to do.
The Uber driver thinks he's in an episode of Neigbours with you in his cab. Everyone asks what's happening in Neighbours and are mortified when you tell them you've never watched it.
And lastly, you've gotta work out the conversion rate before you tip the Uber driver 9 pounds (she'd just spent some time in Dubai where durhams are worth bugger all).
She was off to visit a Great Aunt in Chelmsley Wood, Birmingham for the day so I bet there will be some great stories tonight.😃
Mar 4th 2017, 7:26 am
#2
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 14,040
Re: Aus to UK shoe on the other foot
My eldest child has just turned 18 and decided to go off travelling for a couple of months. We had an hilarious video chat last night after her first few days in the UK since she was 8. These are the observations of an 18 year old who has only lived in Queensland, WA and The UAE.
Apparently the UK is so cold and wet that it's unnatural. People don't bat an eye that it's only 10 degrees and she's struggling to survive.
The postman has to come to every front door and put letters in a slot and then they drop to the floor. What a waste of time and effort for all involved - much easier to ride your motorbike past a house and throw something in the letterbox without even stopping. Though it does make it feel like a Harry Potter movie.
Houses aren't real houses, they're one house cut into small pieces to make a number of houses. Backyards are tiny but despite the tiny house and garden - they are very pretty.
Everyone knows everyone's business. They know who has driven down their street and whether they're strangers entering their neighbourhood. The neigbours even phone to see whether their dog walker walked past with the dog to check they've done their job.
Everyone just goes to the pub which is really boring and there's nothing else to do.
The Uber driver thinks he's in an episode of Neigbours with you in his cab. Everyone asks what's happening in Neighbours and are mortified when you tell them you've never watched it.
And lastly, you've gotta work out the conversion rate before you tip the Uber driver 9 pounds (she'd just spent some time in Dubai where durhams are worth bugger all).
She was off to visit a Great Aunt in Chelmsley Wood, Birmingham for the day so I bet there will be some great stories tonight.😃
Apparently the UK is so cold and wet that it's unnatural. People don't bat an eye that it's only 10 degrees and she's struggling to survive.
The postman has to come to every front door and put letters in a slot and then they drop to the floor. What a waste of time and effort for all involved - much easier to ride your motorbike past a house and throw something in the letterbox without even stopping. Though it does make it feel like a Harry Potter movie.
Houses aren't real houses, they're one house cut into small pieces to make a number of houses. Backyards are tiny but despite the tiny house and garden - they are very pretty.
Everyone knows everyone's business. They know who has driven down their street and whether they're strangers entering their neighbourhood. The neigbours even phone to see whether their dog walker walked past with the dog to check they've done their job.
Everyone just goes to the pub which is really boring and there's nothing else to do.
The Uber driver thinks he's in an episode of Neigbours with you in his cab. Everyone asks what's happening in Neighbours and are mortified when you tell them you've never watched it.
And lastly, you've gotta work out the conversion rate before you tip the Uber driver 9 pounds (she'd just spent some time in Dubai where durhams are worth bugger all).
She was off to visit a Great Aunt in Chelmsley Wood, Birmingham for the day so I bet there will be some great stories tonight.😃
Mar 4th 2017, 7:28 am
#3
Lost in BE Cyberspace
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Mar 4th 2017, 7:38 am
#4
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Joined: Jan 2013
Location: Western Australia
Posts: 21,138
Re: Aus to UK shoe on the other foot
What a great read Kim, very entertaining! I especially laughed at tipping the Uber driver £9, best tip that driver ever had 
I can vouch for cab drivers thinking they're in an episode of an Oz soap, except in Liverpool it's Home and Away they all talk about. And we all live right on the beach. Apparantly
I loved that the postie drops your mail through the slot. Then we replaced the front door with a leadlight one made of hard wood - scouse didn't want to spoil the look of it so put a old fashioned style letterbox in the inside of one of the front wall pillars. I'll never forget answering the door to the poor postie the next day - he was standing there with a handful of letters looking puzzled and bereft.
Looking forward to hearing your daughter's take on her visit to her Great Aunt!
Mar 4th 2017, 7:46 am
#5
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Re: Aus to UK shoe on the other foot
What a great read Kim, very entertaining! I especially laughed at tipping the Uber driver £9, best tip that driver ever had I can vouch for cab drivers thinking they're in an episode of an Oz soap, except in Liverpool it's Home and Away they all talk about. And we all live right on the beach. Apparantly
I loved that the postie drops your mail through the slot. Then we replaced the front door with a leadlight one made of hard wood - scouse didn't want to spoil the look of it so put a old fashioned style letterbox in the inside of one of the front wall pillars. I'll never forget answering the door to the poor postie the next day - he was standing there with a handful of letters looking puzzled and bereft.
Looking forward to hearing your daughter's take on her visit to her Great Aunt!
Mar 4th 2017, 7:54 am
#6
Home and Happy
Joined: Dec 2002
Location: Keep true friends and puppets close, trust no-one else...
Posts: 93,810
Re: Aus to UK shoe on the other foot
What a great read Kim, very entertaining! I especially laughed at tipping the Uber driver £9, best tip that driver ever had I can vouch for cab drivers thinking they're in an episode of an Oz soap, except in Liverpool it's Home and Away they all talk about. And we all live right on the beach. Apparantly
I loved that the postie drops your mail through the slot. Then we replaced the front door with a leadlight one made of hard wood - scouse didn't want to spoil the look of it so put a old fashioned style letterbox in the inside of one of the front wall pillars. I'll never forget answering the door to the poor postie the next day - he was standing there with a handful of letters looking puzzled and bereft.
Looking forward to hearing your daughter's take on her visit to her Great Aunt!
Mailboxes at our unit are small and insecure and the landlord will not change them for something better, as a result a lot of the mail that comes here gets stolen before it can be claimed by the residents. Only way round it a P O Box at a crazy price.
Mar 4th 2017, 7:57 am
#7
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Re: Aus to UK shoe on the other foot
Having just had to fork out $180 for a post office box I would LOVE to have a slot in my door to get the mail posted through!!
Mailboxes at our unit are small and insecure and the landlord will not change them for something better, as a result a lot of the mail that comes here gets stolen before it can be claimed by the residents. Only way round it a P O Box at a crazy price.
Mailboxes at our unit are small and insecure and the landlord will not change them for something better, as a result a lot of the mail that comes here gets stolen before it can be claimed by the residents. Only way round it a P O Box at a crazy price.
Mar 4th 2017, 7:57 am
#8
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Joined: Jan 2013
Location: Western Australia
Posts: 21,138
Re: Aus to UK shoe on the other foot
Having just had to fork out $180 for a post office box I would LOVE to have a slot in my door to get the mail posted through!!
Mailboxes at our unit are small and insecure and the landlord will not change them for something better, as a result a lot of the mail that comes here gets stolen before it can be claimed by the residents. Only way round it a P O Box at a crazy price.
Mailboxes at our unit are small and insecure and the landlord will not change them for something better, as a result a lot of the mail that comes here gets stolen before it can be claimed by the residents. Only way round it a P O Box at a crazy price.
Mar 4th 2017, 8:15 am
#9
Home and Happy
Joined: Dec 2002
Location: Keep true friends and puppets close, trust no-one else...
Posts: 93,810
Re: Aus to UK shoe on the other foot
Theres no way of doing it, the stupid boxes are small and metal and the only way to get the ail in or out of them is to lift the top of each one. So if it locked, the postman can't get the mail in. And anything A5 size or larger doesn't fit, so just gets left in the flowerbed - with predictable results when it rains 
When I first moved here there was a lovely old Austrian guy here, used to tellme tells of castle he had back home (yeah right
) - he used to collect everyone's mail from the boxes and store it for them after he caught local kids pinching stuff. Unfortunately he is now in a castle in the sky and the mail is vanishing again!
When I first moved here there was a lovely old Austrian guy here, used to tellme tells of castle he had back home (yeah right
) - he used to collect everyone's mail from the boxes and store it for them after he caught local kids pinching stuff. Unfortunately he is now in a castle in the sky and the mail is vanishing again!
Mar 5th 2017, 4:41 am
#10
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Oct 2005
Location: Hill overlooking the SE Melbourne suburbs
Posts: 16,622
Re: Aus to UK shoe on the other foot
Having just had to fork out $180 for a post office box I would LOVE to have a slot in my door to get the mail posted through!!
Mailboxes at our unit are small and insecure and the landlord will not change them for something better, as a result a lot of the mail that comes here gets stolen before it can be claimed by the residents. Only way round it a P O Box at a crazy price.
Mailboxes at our unit are small and insecure and the landlord will not change them for something better, as a result a lot of the mail that comes here gets stolen before it can be claimed by the residents. Only way round it a P O Box at a crazy price.
Mar 5th 2017, 5:52 am
#11
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Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 38,612
Re: Aus to UK shoe on the other foot
My eldest child has just turned 18 and decided to go off travelling for a couple of months. We had an hilarious video chat last night after her first few days in the UK since she was 8. These are the observations of an 18 year old who has only lived in Queensland, WA and The UAE.
Apparently the UK is so cold and wet that it's unnatural. People don't bat an eye that it's only 10 degrees and she's struggling to survive.
The postman has to come to every front door and put letters in a slot and then they drop to the floor. What a waste of time and effort for all involved - much easier to ride your motorbike past a house and throw something in the letterbox without even stopping. Though it does make it feel like a Harry Potter movie.
Houses aren't real houses, they're one house cut into small pieces to make a number of houses. Backyards are tiny but despite the tiny house and garden - they are very pretty.
Everyone knows everyone's business. They know who has driven down their street and whether they're strangers entering their neighbourhood. The neigbours even phone to see whether their dog walker walked past with the dog to check they've done their job.
Everyone just goes to the pub which is really boring and there's nothing else to do.
The Uber driver thinks he's in an episode of Neigbours with you in his cab. Everyone asks what's happening in Neighbours and are mortified when you tell them you've never watched it.
And lastly, you've gotta work out the conversion rate before you tip the Uber driver 9 pounds (she'd just spent some time in Dubai where durhams are worth bugger all).
She was off to visit a Great Aunt in Chelmsley Wood, Birmingham for the day so I bet there will be some great stories tonight.😃
Apparently the UK is so cold and wet that it's unnatural. People don't bat an eye that it's only 10 degrees and she's struggling to survive.
The postman has to come to every front door and put letters in a slot and then they drop to the floor. What a waste of time and effort for all involved - much easier to ride your motorbike past a house and throw something in the letterbox without even stopping. Though it does make it feel like a Harry Potter movie.
Houses aren't real houses, they're one house cut into small pieces to make a number of houses. Backyards are tiny but despite the tiny house and garden - they are very pretty.
Everyone knows everyone's business. They know who has driven down their street and whether they're strangers entering their neighbourhood. The neigbours even phone to see whether their dog walker walked past with the dog to check they've done their job.
Everyone just goes to the pub which is really boring and there's nothing else to do.
The Uber driver thinks he's in an episode of Neigbours with you in his cab. Everyone asks what's happening in Neighbours and are mortified when you tell them you've never watched it.
And lastly, you've gotta work out the conversion rate before you tip the Uber driver 9 pounds (she'd just spent some time in Dubai where durhams are worth bugger all).
She was off to visit a Great Aunt in Chelmsley Wood, Birmingham for the day so I bet there will be some great stories tonight.😃
keep it coming.
I've subscribed as so refreshing to see something through fresh eyes.
Mar 5th 2017, 11:00 am
#12
Concierge
Joined: Jan 2013
Location: Western Australia
Posts: 21,138
Re: Aus to UK shoe on the other foot
I recall UK letter boxes also shred A3 size items nor take parcels...you can barely get the Sunday Times in! The best thing you can hope for is a house with enough privacy :they leave it on the door step, or its collect like in many countries..units or flats are always an issue for mail.
Mar 5th 2017, 7:35 pm
#13
Lost in BE Cyberspace
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Mar 5th 2017, 7:41 pm
#14
Home and Happy
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Mar 5th 2017, 8:07 pm
#15
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Re: Aus to UK shoe on the other foot
She is having fun I think. She was a bit home sick for the first week. Dubai wasn't the childhood playground she remembered and she was missing her boyfriend and the other two kids, but since she's got to England and staying worth family she's much better. She arrives home on my 50th so that'll be a happy ending to a miserable day hehe.