Originally Posted by Amazulu (Post 6432353)

My wife went to university in Nottingham and she raves about the place. I must admit, on the few times I visited Nottingham, I couldn't see the attraction. Same with Manchester, Sheffield and Birmingham. I do like Liverpool, Newcastle and Cardiff though.

Originally Posted by moneypen20 (Post 6432776)

All very interesting but hardly helpful to Renth ;) Hope you find something that suits all of you mate. An hour plus drive through the outskirts of Perth, at your speed sounds far preferable than being stuck on the M25 for the same amount of time, breathing in xx million cars exhausts.

Originally Posted by NKSK version 2 (Post 6432514)

I think some people are at cross-purposes. I like Glasgow also - I don't think that you could ever deny that it has a buzz.

Violence is a different matter. There's probably an argument that suggests that violence and buzz go hand in hand - i.e. you can't have the excitement and vibrancy without the 'edge' which most cities have.
I certainly don't think that violence precludes buzz.

Originally Posted by renth (Post 6432806)

Absolutely, thanks. I've been told by my colleagues at the Fire Brigade that I will need to purchase a banjo and grow and extra head to be accepted at Chittering. :rofl:

Originally Posted by renth (Post 6402519)

I don't dislike the UK, but I do dislike living there and no, I think the kids are much better off here in Aus. But you know, there's not much you can do when the wife wants to go back is there?

Originally Posted by homewardbound (Post 6409165)

At the end of the day, it depends on each child's capabilities and support from parents. All of her friends in Oz left school going on to Uni or college or got good decent jobs - I don't know of anyone of her friends ending up in dead end jobs. A lot of them have also travelled throughout Europe and the Americas so from my point of view, the kids are better off finishing their education in Australia.

Originally Posted by renth (Post 6402861)

The wife wants to go back, not me I guess the answer is "emotional" then.

Originally Posted by NKSK version 2 (Post 6432299)

A city which has a 'buzz' to me is one where there is a feeling of something always going on, a place with energy and vibrancy.

Originally Posted by hippyboy1 (Post 6432245)

Funnily, all 'buzz' really is is a bunch of people scrambling in one place to acheive the kind of lifestyle one achieved (once upon a time) in a place like perth without even trying. Each and every aspirational in London on acheiving wealth spends the rest of their life using their money to distance themselves from people and crowds.
I truly believe if people got over their illogical need for this 'buzz' they would in fact be happier.

Originally Posted by NKSK version 2 (Post 6432381)

I lived there for 6 years and loved it. There are miserable aspects - St Anns, Clifton but I loved the 'buzz' of the city centre. One of the places where I'd live again.

Originally Posted by NKSK version 2 (Post 6432296)

Two theatres, a great selection of pubs (one of which dates back to 1280), clubs and restaurants, two universities and you think its tragic?

Originally Posted by Hutch (Post 6433472)

It's beguiling and deceptive though and all that 'buzz' is often meaningless chaff. Analyse the signal to noise ratio for an city and honestly tell me that most of that buzz is fulfilling in any way. Another opening night with another DJ in another nightclub. Another gallery opening with another artist about whom there's a 'buzz'.



I think that's spot on. People spend ludicrous sums of money to buy homes with gardens the size of a hanky, so they can build some pot-plant paradise to insulsated themselves from the horrors of city life.



Clifton? Buzz? Load of stuck-up London rejects blocking the tiny side streets with their Chelsea tractors? No thanks. You want proper buzz in Bristol you need to get down to St Pauls mate. :lol:



What bearing does the age of a pub have on its attractiveness? There's a pub in Berry just down the road from here that dates from 1860 and is nowhere near as good as the ram-shackle boozer 400 yards up the road that was built in 1974 from hub caps and surf rescue boats (and no, I'm not making that up).

I know it's horses for courses, but I'm over nightclubs (and I speak as someone who DJ'd profesionally for 15 years), I've never been invited (nor would attend) a gallery opening and I prefer simple food, not some 50 quid a course exercise in lettuce expressionism. I'm not turning this into a pissing contest, but I've lived in London, Bath (city in name only), Paris and New York and just about the only good thing I can say about any of them is that the shopping was great.

My priorities in life changed and I moved to the country in the UK in search of something different - but all I found was a load of other city rejects reshaping rural idyls to their own ends. Renth - I hope your missus finds what she's looking for on that acreage.

Originally Posted by NKSK version 2 (Post 6433562)

Not a touch of bias in there is there Hutch?

Clifton Nottingham not Clifton Bristol - and I was saying that it's a dive.

You really can't feel when a city or an area has a buzz or are you just being deliberately obtuse?

You're telling me that when you walk down a street full of character with pavement cafes, locals sitting chatting and watching the world go by and you can't feel anything?
Wandering down a street full of old pubs and restaurants and it feels sterile?

I think you're in the right country Hutch!

Originally Posted by hippyboy1 (Post 6432245)

Seriously, what about Perth's vital statistics could have led a would be immigrant to expect it to be abuzz????
And why the suprise at London being buzzy, its been a financial capital of the world for over three hundred years.
Funnily, all 'buzz' really is is a bunch of people scrambling in one place to acheive the kind of lifestyle one achieved (once upon a time) in a place like perth without even trying. Each and every aspirational in London on acheiving wealth spends the rest of their life using their money to distance themselves from people and crowds.
I truly believe if people got over their illogical need for this 'buzz' they would in fact be happier.

Originally Posted by Hutch (Post 6434088)

I am in the right country. It's a country that doesn't have its head shoved up its arse,

:D

Originally Posted by NKSK version 2 (Post 6435465)

Hahahahahahahahah!!

Yes that's right - Australia the quintessential Great Non-Parochialist!

Originally Posted by ozzieeagle (Post 6434719)

I think it comes down to personal choice. I honestly cannot get enough buzz in my life... Despite being past 50. I've had my fill of isolated places in Aus. For a while I had an isolated caravan and annexe, as a holiday getaway, with the Goulburn river right at my back door, for a vast percentage of the population it would have seemed like a permanent paradise. However it bored me stupid after the first 2 years.

Everytime I go to London and even living there in the past I can never remember feeling bored with the place. I honestly cannot get enough buzz in my Life and I can assure you I seek it out as often as possible in my life in Melbourne. Luckily for me I can find it, albeit to a much lesser degree in my Local area, which is central Melbourne.

Viva la difference, we would all be very boring people if we liked the same thing.

Nothing on my current trip has made me think any less of London, as being a very exciting place to be. I will admit I reckon after my time in Aus I would find it a strain living in London though, that is mostly to do with having to move around in the place, rather than the ambience of the different locales.