Back after 1st trip to the UK in 6 years
#1
Hillarys, Perth
Thread Starter
Joined: Mar 2005
Location: Hillarys, Perth.
Posts: 1,094
Back after 1st trip to the UK in 6 years
Few observations.....
First the thick low cloud was depressing, no blue sky during the day and it rained every day we were there.
(We live in Perth and so are fairly used to blue sky)
Generally the rain stopped late afternoon and the the sun came out (a little) and OMG..... we realised just how much we miss the late sunsets, it didn't get dark until 10.00pm, just amazing.
We went to visit friends about 1.5 hours away... we left at 6.30pm and at 8.00pm we were sitting in their garden overlooking green fields watch the sun set HOURS later..... WA get your fingers out and vote YES for daylight saving..... you have no idea the benefits of daylight after work, getting the grass cut, going to the beach.... just having a life, cannot believe they voted no!
Green, Green grass and over-grown weeds everywhere. I was told due to the large amount of rain and local authority cut backs, the grass on the roads side isn't being cut as often and has become very over grown. Gave the feeling of small roads and enclosed tunnels of trees and high grass, very different to sand and dust of Perth.
Driving.
Loved it, much more traffic, yes there was queues 100x's worse than Perth, but great to have good, fast, disciplined drivers around. Keeping to the left, allowing faster traffic through, lane discipline..... all the features you wont get here!
Many, Many more trucks on the roads.
A14 (Cambridgeshire) has average speed cameras along stretches to stop speeding, much better than one camera catching you for popping over the speed limit by mistake. (I got a speeding ticket 1 hour after arriving back in Perth) 1st ticket in 6 years.... 7km/h over the limit!
Is the supposed to be a recession there??
All our friends appear to be doing so well.... new cars (VW Tourag, Mini soft tops, Volvo, Mercs) none of them company cars, all personally owned. Nice big extensions, all new double glazed windows (nice and warm in winter.... not freezing cold like 'our homes'.
Most appear very financially secure.... If one more of my friends or close family tell me they will have their mortgage paid off n the next few years..... I think I will scream with frustration.... We have few hundred thousand to go! Yes we have higher wages, but there is something to be said for earning less and having cheaper house prices, paying it off early and enjoying retirement.
Glad we are living here.... don't want to go back....looking forward to the summer.... but worried about retirement!
First the thick low cloud was depressing, no blue sky during the day and it rained every day we were there.
(We live in Perth and so are fairly used to blue sky)
Generally the rain stopped late afternoon and the the sun came out (a little) and OMG..... we realised just how much we miss the late sunsets, it didn't get dark until 10.00pm, just amazing.
We went to visit friends about 1.5 hours away... we left at 6.30pm and at 8.00pm we were sitting in their garden overlooking green fields watch the sun set HOURS later..... WA get your fingers out and vote YES for daylight saving..... you have no idea the benefits of daylight after work, getting the grass cut, going to the beach.... just having a life, cannot believe they voted no!
Green, Green grass and over-grown weeds everywhere. I was told due to the large amount of rain and local authority cut backs, the grass on the roads side isn't being cut as often and has become very over grown. Gave the feeling of small roads and enclosed tunnels of trees and high grass, very different to sand and dust of Perth.
Driving.
Loved it, much more traffic, yes there was queues 100x's worse than Perth, but great to have good, fast, disciplined drivers around. Keeping to the left, allowing faster traffic through, lane discipline..... all the features you wont get here!
Many, Many more trucks on the roads.
A14 (Cambridgeshire) has average speed cameras along stretches to stop speeding, much better than one camera catching you for popping over the speed limit by mistake. (I got a speeding ticket 1 hour after arriving back in Perth) 1st ticket in 6 years.... 7km/h over the limit!
Is the supposed to be a recession there??
All our friends appear to be doing so well.... new cars (VW Tourag, Mini soft tops, Volvo, Mercs) none of them company cars, all personally owned. Nice big extensions, all new double glazed windows (nice and warm in winter.... not freezing cold like 'our homes'.
Most appear very financially secure.... If one more of my friends or close family tell me they will have their mortgage paid off n the next few years..... I think I will scream with frustration.... We have few hundred thousand to go! Yes we have higher wages, but there is something to be said for earning less and having cheaper house prices, paying it off early and enjoying retirement.
Glad we are living here.... don't want to go back....looking forward to the summer.... but worried about retirement!
#2
Banned
Joined: Jan 2011
Location: The REAL Utopia.
Posts: 9,910
Re: Back after 1st trip to the UK in 6 years
Good post. Wait for the BE economists to tell you the people only LOOK to be doing well and it is obviously all on credit.
We do feel lucky to be living in a county with lower than average traffic density and the councils appear to be spending just as much on keeping everything nice and tidy.
I definitely agree about the daylight savings, it is wonderful being outside at gone 9 oclock with the sun still shining being able to get work done.
Also the driving, what a revelation driving here again.
We do feel lucky to be living in a county with lower than average traffic density and the councils appear to be spending just as much on keeping everything nice and tidy.
I definitely agree about the daylight savings, it is wonderful being outside at gone 9 oclock with the sun still shining being able to get work done.
Also the driving, what a revelation driving here again.
#3
Re: Back after 1st trip to the UK in 6 years
Great post. I love visiting the UK, wouldn't want to live there though....
#4
Re: Back after 1st trip to the UK in 6 years
Gotta love that burgeoning underclass.
#5
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Oct 2005
Location: Hill overlooking the SE Melbourne suburbs
Posts: 16,622
Re: Back after 1st trip to the UK in 6 years
#6
Re: Back after 1st trip to the UK in 6 years
I think it depends who you ask - there must be people doing it tough in many places. Most people who bought in the 90s must have their mortgages cut down to size by now...it's quite normal for people to have their mortgages paid off in both countries - unless they bought recently...or remortgaged.
This will be what I'll be doing with my UK "Pesos" when I go back this Xmas... (go on, click on it!)
#8
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Oct 2005
Location: Hill overlooking the SE Melbourne suburbs
Posts: 16,622
Re: Back after 1st trip to the UK in 6 years
If people can lock in those rates for a few years yet...I'm guessing that the banks are not allowing people to lock them in for more than a year (or two?)
Otherwise people would be rushing to do it for 5...etc?
#9
Forum Regular
Joined: Nov 2008
Location: Fremantle, WA
Posts: 76
Re: Back after 1st trip to the UK in 6 years
Good point - the low interest rates - anyone with a job would be trying to overpay whilst they could.
If people can lock in those rates for a few years yet...I'm guessing that the banks are not allowing people to lock them in for more than a year (or two?)
Otherwise people would be rushing to do it for 5...etc?
If people can lock in those rates for a few years yet...I'm guessing that the banks are not allowing people to lock them in for more than a year (or two?)
Otherwise people would be rushing to do it for 5...etc?
#10
Banned
Joined: Jan 2011
Location: The REAL Utopia.
Posts: 9,910
Re: Back after 1st trip to the UK in 6 years
Oh well that didnt take long for the self righteous to drag it down. Glad you enjoyed your trip anyway
#11
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 1,905
Re: Back after 1st trip to the UK in 6 years
[QUOTE=h2oskineil;10226589]Few observations.....
First the thick low cloud was depressing, no blue sky during the day and it rained every day we were there.
(We live in Perth and so are fairly used to blue sky)
Is the supposed to be a recession there??
QUOTE]
Hi,
I returned for the first time in 5years. It rained every day for me too.
As for the recession, it had hit most of my relatives. Several made redundant and struggling with their mortgages. However as much as they complained about the state they were in, they still spent money they didnt have on holidays,gadgets, cars etc. The UK is still about keeping up with the Jones even if they can not afford it.
First the thick low cloud was depressing, no blue sky during the day and it rained every day we were there.
(We live in Perth and so are fairly used to blue sky)
Is the supposed to be a recession there??
QUOTE]
Hi,
I returned for the first time in 5years. It rained every day for me too.
As for the recession, it had hit most of my relatives. Several made redundant and struggling with their mortgages. However as much as they complained about the state they were in, they still spent money they didnt have on holidays,gadgets, cars etc. The UK is still about keeping up with the Jones even if they can not afford it.
#12
Banned
Joined: Jan 2011
Location: The REAL Utopia.
Posts: 9,910
Re: Back after 1st trip to the UK in 6 years
What crap.
#13
Re: Back after 1st trip to the UK in 6 years
If knowledge of the UK's economy could be represented as a spectrum, one end of that spectrum would consist of people who actually know something about the UK's economy. On the opposite end of that spectrum would be you.
#14
Banned
Joined: Jan 2011
Location: The REAL Utopia.
Posts: 9,910
Re: Back after 1st trip to the UK in 6 years
#15
Re: Back after 1st trip to the UK in 6 years
I think it depends who you ask - there must be people doing it tough in many places. Most people who bought in the 90s must have their mortgages cut down to size by now...it's quite normal for people to have their mortgages paid off in both countries - unless they bought recently...or remortgaged.
The problem will arise in the UK (IMO) if the interest rates rise. I am no economic expert but lots of my family and friends remortgaged for renovations, cars, holidays when rates were low and if the rates go up they will be up the proverbial creek. This has to have been repeated to some extent all over the country so I dread to think what will happen if rates increase.