ozzieeagle

Very interesting view points Bix, got to say I agree with a fair few of them. The views on the Youth I totally agree with. Even in Inner Melbourne, there isnt the 'tude that you get from most youth that you encounter... even out here in Rural Prestatyn, you get that ~wanna have a go look~ I can hardly ever recall seeing that in all my time in Aus.... I've seen it every day on this trip.

Cars well you've said it all in detail, I just dont know how people put up with the ever present congestion here.

Customer service, how any Migrant to Aus can complain about the way people interact in shops in Aus is beyond me. Service here is nothing short of rude and arrogant for the most part.

Mind you besides that, I still think the UK is a fairly good place, and one major thing you have missed out is costs... It is cheaper for clothes... Food and now unbelievably eating out here. Lets just hope the exchange rate keeps the UK cheap for our visits eh.

I'm coming back again, even if it is just to see family, and the totally necessary for me, trip to Europe that I will always throw in from now on.... In fact I reckon, I'll do two trips to Europe each time now... after all service is much better over there and by that, I mean everywhere in Europe. Even the East European service people smile at foreign strangers in shops... even in their 'burbs.

Got to say I enjoy those stares you get... the Locals seem to spot the difference in the way we Aussies hold ourselves.

Best of luck.... I may even be up those parts for a trip in the next 18 months.... after all the 'lucky country' now gives the wife and I, 7 weeks holiday every year, cos we both have been in our jobs over 10 years, and have qualified for long service.




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BadgeIsBack

People will line up every hoon or drunk as an example, but I find Australian teens a lot less aggressive and without that look you mention that some UK teens have.

I found the rental mobs in the UK extremely rude. Felt like banging their heads together. I don't even think they know they are doing it. I think it takes an upbringing in a different country with a slower pace of life or a change to make people realise. People will tell you that they hate Australian manners but ''false'' manners are better than none at all.

I reckon it's nothing else but the pace of life.

I didn't notice dog poo but the photos look terrible, Bix.

wannabauzzienurse

Hi guys n gal, so glad you enjoyed the trip (dog poo excluded) and back home safe and sound, hope to catch up soon

Bix

Not sure about the prices Oz.
Didn't do a lot of shopping but Cornwall was always expensive so you may have seen a larger difference anyway.

Bix

Was talking about you today.
Your ears must be burning.

Indeed we must.

wannabauzzienurse

Nigel will be back from Aurukun week after next, perhaps we could meet up for a drink or two then

Bix

wannabauzzienurse

YAY! will look forward to it!! be in touch

PaulandNic

Good read Bix ...

Hutch

Haha! Making me feel all homesick mate. To complete the collection though, I feel you should have taken some photos of dogshit in plastic bags hanging from bushes and trees (could someone please explain to me what the ****ing point of that is?).

It's a forum 'meme' - for many of us when we think of the UK, we don't imagine olde pubs and the white cliffs of dover, we picture pavements festooned in dog shit.

Vash the Stampede

I LOLed at the comments about cars. So true!

Poms are easily the most courteous drivers, but they can't park for peanuts - and they don't care.

Even in my neighbourhood the owners just dump their cars all over the place; they park on corners, they park on double yellow lines, they park bumper-to-bumper, they park against traffic flow, they park at bizarre angles, they park in "no waiting" zones, they park half a foot from the curb, and they'll happily box in another parked car if they get half a chance.

I had to take my wife's car to work one day because two insufferable morons had trapped my car by double-parking around it. Madness.

rugbymatt

Hey hey, nothing wrong with the Park "n" Dump my man!

MartinLuther

Bix, I agree with your comments about Heathrow. It is so 3rd world. I can't understand why there was a complete lack of travolators. 1 travolator from plane to baggage hall and it covered about a quarter (or less) of the distance we had to walk.

Also remember the 1st time I turned into a street with parked cars either side reducing the road down to 1 lane. I'd forgotten about that!

Agree on the food as well. Definitely not as good as I remember, except for the scotch eggs. Food wasn't as cheap as people led me to believe unless you wanted to buy ready made pizza, crisps, fish fingers, ready made transfat and other bogan food.

The UK is definitely littered with cars and dog poo.

BadgeIsBack

In parts of France it is the practise to physically nudge cars to get in.

Australians also park along way from the kerb - as much as a good foot - and so do I occasionally. But we can!

The White Cliffs of Dover. Very overated.

Remember when people from school visited Germany they noticed how clean it was. Can't say I noticed poo and litter but we were lucky to be staying in what is now an ''exclusive' London suburb.

Bix's posts just reinforces that sometimes the deal some migrants get in Australia is better than the deal they got in the UK and no amount of picture-postcard tourist areas or the legacy of Charles Dickens and Graham Greene (etc) will change their day to day life.

MartinLuther

Another thing I noticed when I went back to the UK. I hadn't realised how many cr@p pubs I used to pass before I got to a decent one. Before someone jumps on me, I'm not saying that Aussie pubs are better than Brit pubs. They're not, but I hadn't noticed how many cr@p ones there were.

Repeat for Indian restaurants...