Moving back to UK
Jan 15th 2010, 5:56 pm
#211
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 3,054
Re: Vancouver (a few personal pros and cons)
It would be lovely to have a watering hole within walking distance of the house - sadly, there is not even a Cactus Club close-by. We are between Marpole and Kerrisdale (closer to Marpole), so there are restaurants within striking distance but it is not the same as having a neighbourhood bar/pub.
*grin* Apologies, I didn't intend to make myself sound like a fashion afficionado! I am really not. I think that I might be the kind of person who has a tendancy to make most fashionable outfits look, well...frumpy? So I guess that I've learned to stick with some basic things that do not make me feel awkward. I have found that quite a lot of the fashion here, at least in the shops near us, is Asian influenced. I think that the fashions are really cool but they do not suit me at all.
Btw, it has not helped that I've truly blimped since my arrival in Vancouver and I needed wardrobe basics in bigger sizes. I looked, tried things on, winced and fled - in the end, it was just easier to wait until I got home and was able to shop exactly where I knew I would find what I needed. It took me about an hour to sort myself out.
*grin* Apologies, I didn't intend to make myself sound like a fashion afficionado! I am really not. I think that I might be the kind of person who has a tendancy to make most fashionable outfits look, well...frumpy? So I guess that I've learned to stick with some basic things that do not make me feel awkward. I have found that quite a lot of the fashion here, at least in the shops near us, is Asian influenced. I think that the fashions are really cool but they do not suit me at all.
Btw, it has not helped that I've truly blimped since my arrival in Vancouver and I needed wardrobe basics in bigger sizes. I looked, tried things on, winced and fled - in the end, it was just easier to wait until I got home and was able to shop exactly where I knew I would find what I needed. It took me about an hour to sort myself out.
Jan 15th 2010, 5:59 pm
#212
slanderer of the innocent
Joined: Dec 2008
Location: Vancouver, BC
Posts: 6,695
Re: Vancouver (a few personal pros and cons)
I am definitely stuck in the 'burbs. Of the souless variety. I did meet some of my neighbours when we were digging our cars out of the snow last winter and almost gave them heart attacks when I introduced myself. Unfortunately, most sightings of neighbours melted pretty much away with the snow.
If downtown is too expensive to live, what do people think of Strathcona? I've walked around there a few times and went to the Eastside Cultural Crawl and it feels like it has a sense of community and is a mix of young families, shared houses, students etc.
Which goes to show even Van has it's soul-less aspects.
I LOVE strathcona but you need to be willing to live with bleed-over from the downtown eastside. $$$ though. I would live there in a heartbeat but OH was opposed
If you're looking within 20 mins drive of DT my neighbourhood is good too. (Vancouver/Burnaby Heights) *shameless plug*
Jan 15th 2010, 6:05 pm
#213
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 3,054
Re: Vancouver (a few personal pros and cons)
Only over 3 months - are you sure?! It feels like it rains here pretty much everyday between October and March! 
I thought that I was ready for the rain (my husband, then bf, told me how much it rains here but I thought he was exaggerating) but I just wasn't prepared (it turns out that he did not exagerate). I have never suffered from SAD in the past but after last/this autumn-spring period, I am thinking of getting one of those bloomin' lamps!
I am definitely stuck in the 'burbs. Of the souless variety. I did meet some of my neighbours when we were digging our cars out of the snow last winter and almost gave them heart attacks when I introduced myself. Unfortunately, most sightings of neighbours melted pretty much away with the snow.
If downtown is too expensive to live, what do people think of Strathcona? I've walked around there a few times and went to the Eastside Cultural Crawl and it feels like it has a sense of community and is a mix of young families, shared houses, students etc.
I think that it is possible to find what you need but I find it more of a treasure hunt. I am not saying that this is a bad thing, it is just different. I do not find it a one-stop shop experience at Safeway, in the way that I used to hit Sainsburys/Tesco for a weekly shop. Instead, depending on what's going on - we pick up things from a variety of different places to ensure that we have everything we need.
Also, it seems to me that availability of fruit and veg is more strongly linked to what's in season locally/California - I do not think that's a bad thing at all. E.g. sweetcorn in sweetcorn season. In the UK, we've got used to everything being available all year around because it's been zoomed in from somewhere else.
I thought that I was ready for the rain (my husband, then bf, told me how much it rains here but I thought he was exaggerating) but I just wasn't prepared (it turns out that he did not exagerate). I have never suffered from SAD in the past but after last/this autumn-spring period, I am thinking of getting one of those bloomin' lamps!
I am definitely stuck in the 'burbs. Of the souless variety. I did meet some of my neighbours when we were digging our cars out of the snow last winter and almost gave them heart attacks when I introduced myself. Unfortunately, most sightings of neighbours melted pretty much away with the snow.
If downtown is too expensive to live, what do people think of Strathcona? I've walked around there a few times and went to the Eastside Cultural Crawl and it feels like it has a sense of community and is a mix of young families, shared houses, students etc.
I think that it is possible to find what you need but I find it more of a treasure hunt. I am not saying that this is a bad thing, it is just different. I do not find it a one-stop shop experience at Safeway, in the way that I used to hit Sainsburys/Tesco for a weekly shop. Instead, depending on what's going on - we pick up things from a variety of different places to ensure that we have everything we need.
Also, it seems to me that availability of fruit and veg is more strongly linked to what's in season locally/California - I do not think that's a bad thing at all. E.g. sweetcorn in sweetcorn season. In the UK, we've got used to everything being available all year around because it's been zoomed in from somewhere else.
4 months crap (winter and late fall)
2 months not bad at all (early spring)
1 month very nice (late spring)
5 months outstanding (summer and early fall)
I personally don't care much for the rainy season here and try to get away. Skiing seems to give some a different perspective. It really is no different than Manchester through the winter. Summer makes up for the rainy season. You get used to it.
Last edited by dboy; Jan 15th 2010 at 6:08 pm.
Jan 15th 2010, 6:14 pm
#214
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 396
Re: Vancouver (a few personal pros and cons)
Maybe last year, as it was outstanding. Previously year it was bloody miserable, cold and rainy up to and including June. Jul & Aug were better.
Last summer was possibly the best summer on record here, I don't think you could rely on 5 outstanding months during summer/fall here every year.
Last summer was possibly the best summer on record here, I don't think you could rely on 5 outstanding months during summer/fall here every year.
Jan 15th 2010, 6:19 pm
#215
slanderer of the innocent
Joined: Dec 2008
Location: Vancouver, BC
Posts: 6,695
Re: Vancouver (a few personal pros and cons)
Maybe last year, as it was outstanding. Previously year it was bloody miserable, cold and rainy up to and including June. Jul & Aug were better.
Last summer was possibly the best summer on record here, I don't think you could rely on 5 outstanding months during summer/fall here every year.
Last summer was possibly the best summer on record here, I don't think you could rely on 5 outstanding months during summer/fall here every year.
Jan 15th 2010, 6:22 pm
#216
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 3,054
Re: Vancouver (a few personal pros and cons)
Maybe last year, as it was outstanding. Previously year it was bloody miserable, cold and rainy up to and including June. Jul & Aug were better.
Last summer was possibly the best summer on record here, I don't think you could rely on 5 outstanding months during summer/fall here every year.
Last summer was possibly the best summer on record here, I don't think you could rely on 5 outstanding months during summer/fall here every year.
I do find that summer is a bit out of sync, with sept being one of the more dependable months and october sometimes being nice. Nov 1 though its like a garden hose is turned on - never fails it seems.
I'm not suggesting that Vancouver has great weather, but outside of late fall and winter, it doesn't bother me at all. I can't think of a particularly bad summer since I've been here, but yes, last year was exceptional.
Either way - major improvement over manchester.
Last edited by dboy; Jan 15th 2010 at 6:27 pm.
Jan 15th 2010, 8:06 pm
#217
Just Joined
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 21
Re: Vancouver (a few personal pros and cons)
I ski but my husband doesn't. Neither does his son - they are not interested at all. My husband loves sailing and my stepson is glued to his PS3. Oddly, that seems to have made it impossible to get anywhere near the mountains so far. I haven't taken off to ski on my own as it seems quite expensive. I have not worked for over a year now (my PR did not come through until Christmas) so I have been trying to conserve my funds until I am working again. Maybe it will be more possible in the next ski season.
Jan 15th 2010, 8:19 pm
#218
Just Joined
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 21
Re: Vancouver (a few personal pros and cons)
I doubt we'll be moving though - my husband has had this house for about 20 years and his mother's house (where he grew up) is about 2 blocks away. I need to make the best of where we are now.
Kerrisdale is okay but I'm not sure that I'd want to spend a whole evening in the Cheshire Cheese Inn..? There's a neighbourhood pub over on Dunbar but that's a drive. As mentioned, about the only thing that you can say about Marpole is that it is convenient for the airport.
That is, unless we fancy hanging out in the Fraser Arms, which - from the leaflets that the police distributed - was one of the places that a drug dependent prostitute used to hang out before she was found floating in the Fraser River back in July. It is not necessarily my first choice of nightspot!
Jan 15th 2010, 11:00 pm
#219
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 3,054
Re: Vancouver (a few personal pros and cons)
I was being lighthearted about the weather - apologies. Dead on though November 1st - hosepipe! I hope that I will get used to it as I think that I am going to have to stay in Vancouver for at least the next 5 years.
I ski but my husband doesn't. Neither does his son - they are not interested at all. My husband loves sailing and my stepson is glued to his PS3. Oddly, that seems to have made it impossible to get anywhere near the mountains so far. I haven't taken off to ski on my own as it seems quite expensive. I have not worked for over a year now (my PR did not come through until Christmas) so I have been trying to conserve my funds until I am working again. Maybe it will be more possible in the next ski season.
I ski but my husband doesn't. Neither does his son - they are not interested at all. My husband loves sailing and my stepson is glued to his PS3. Oddly, that seems to have made it impossible to get anywhere near the mountains so far. I haven't taken off to ski on my own as it seems quite expensive. I have not worked for over a year now (my PR did not come through until Christmas) so I have been trying to conserve my funds until I am working again. Maybe it will be more possible in the next ski season.
Too bad you are not closer into town. My friend bought the old Campoverde social in Kits (forget the new name), which is a great place to meet people. Its very much like a pub in that regard.
On the north shore, where there are tons of Brits it seems, i've found a couple of spots that are very British - teh rusty gull and the queens. Funny thing is that i've gotten out of the habit, I rarely go for a pint anymore, although i never really was much of a drinker.
I dated a girl who lived on marine drive and we never did anything down there, always came down my end. Can't think of a single pub around there.
You and your hubby should try popping out for a social through this:
http://www.meetup.com/BritishExpat/
Vancouver is an odd place and can be tough to break into, an you are right it's just an average city with a nice garden as brizzle rightly put it in the past.
Jan 17th 2010, 2:31 pm
#220
Account Closed
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 7
Re: Moving back to UK
Me and my family have decided to move back, Canada is way too expensive and I can get twice the wage I get here back in the UK. I have had enough of paying 20 dollars for a bad bottle of wine and 10 dollars for very small piece of cheese. I also find that the Canadians are very two faced and really cant be trusted. After moving here I think that life is better in the UK.
Jan 18th 2010, 8:27 am
#221
Sidecar Falcon
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 9,504
Re: Moving back to UK
I remember using Amtrak in the US a few times and that was quite expensive, although I did go from Providence to NYC for around $35 by train which wasn't too bad, but I was always told that the greyhound buses were much cheaper.
Jan 18th 2010, 10:51 am
#222
Beep
Joined: Jan 2009
Location: Here
Posts: 8,311
Re: Moving back to UK
How expensive are local public transport systems and long distance bus/train trips over there?
I remember using Amtrak in the US a few times and that was quite expensive, although I did go from Providence to NYC for around $35 by train which wasn't too bad, but I was always told that the greyhound buses were much cheaper.
I remember using Amtrak in the US a few times and that was quite expensive, although I did go from Providence to NYC for around $35 by train which wasn't too bad, but I was always told that the greyhound buses were much cheaper.
As far as i'm aware, other than the West Coast Express (with very very restricted service) i don't know of any other train service that could be used as public transport.
Jan 18th 2010, 10:55 am
#223
Sidecar Falcon
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 9,504
Re: Moving back to UK
No worries, thanks anyway 
I actually got my Bunac welcome pack yesterday, they had sent it to my family's address by mistake so I was reading through their handbook, it all seems a little more daunting now to be honest.
I actually got my Bunac welcome pack yesterday, they had sent it to my family's address by mistake so I was reading through their handbook, it all seems a little more daunting now to be honest.
Jan 18th 2010, 10:56 am
#224
Just Joined
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 4
Re: Moving back to UK
We have been in Nova Scotia for 6 months now. the companies in the Uk now too busy employing cheap labour from the old eastern bloc countries they are laying off British workers and employing people from the Eastern bloc my wife and I have first hand knowlrdge of this.nearly everybody you talk to over 40 now wants to get out, Yes it is very expensive in Nova scotia even for day to day things like food etc but we have a house on the ocean about 45 mins out from Halifax. It hasn't been easy but overall we are happier in Canada than the UK
Jan 18th 2010, 11:02 am
#225
Beep
Joined: Jan 2009
Location: Here
Posts: 8,311
Re: Moving back to UK
We have been in Nova Scotia for 6 months now. the companies in the Uk now too busy employing cheap labour from the old eastern bloc countries they are laying off British workers and employing people from the Eastern bloc my wife and I have first hand knowlrdge of this.nearly everybody you talk to over 40 now wants to get out, Yes it is very expensive in Nova scotia even for day to day things like food etc but we have a house on the ocean about 45 mins out from Halifax. It hasn't been easy but overall we are happier in Canada than the UK