BristolUK

This is not a thread for what is difficult to get hold of, different cost of living or things having different names etc but for those less obvious things that you were surprised about once you'd settled here.

I'd never seen fridge/freezers that dispensed ice without opening the door.

Also, freezers where a light comes on as with a fridge when the door is opened.

Of course, it's possible that I had an old fridge/freezer back in blighty!

How about the stove and how they simply plug in rather than having to get an electrician to connect it?

Anyone have any other offers?

Danny B

Central vac surprised the hell out of me. It took us 2 weeks to realise that you plug the hose into the wall when you want to hoover.

Absolutely amazing

mandymoochops

Good thread - yep central vac too - like wrestling with a boa constrictor tho!

Never thought comforters would be warm enough but they are and I love em, plug sockets that have 1 above the other that you can't fit the 3 pin canadian into both got my goat a bit errrrrm those cool long brushes that you clean the snow off your windscreen with (used an old credit card back in the UK!)

Entertainment units make sense!

Those thermal coffee cups that I used to see everyone with when we moved and didn't quite get it - now I do (walking to work with a cup of steaming hot coffee mmmmmm!)

geedee

I don't want to sound negative.... but.... our biggest surprise, without a doubt, was how bad the roads are here. We're talking West Africa standards!!!

the davis family

Plug sockets on the actual ovens

Had same trouble with central vac Amazed at how much static there is, usually have to finish of hoovering the pipe to get rid of the cat and dog hairs stuck on it.

YYZlover

???????


You have got to be kidding me.

Ok, so the potholes on the 401 aren't a good thing but still waaaaaaaaaaaaaaay better than any road in the UK.

dingbat

You've never been to Nova Scotia have you... Roads are pretty awful here in BC too. Some bank and dip and reflect water like a black mirror on rainy nights.

roanin

"Robinson" screws and screw drivers, "4 way stops" (that would never work in England). winter overshoes.

Biiiiink

Scoop and weigh biscuits/flour/cereal etc. I'd only ever seen that in the recreated shop in Beamish museum

AmyDavid

Are you joking?! Seeing shops like that remind me of my childhood! We used to shop in one all the time - we must have been poorer than I remember!

G77

They used to have those here quite common - maybe 15 years ago? You're right though, not seen them here for ages, hadn't even occurred to me till you mentioned it though.

Still have them in Ireland, went in one as recently as Jan this year....

Biiiiink

The only scoop stuff I'd ever seen in the UK was pick'n'mix sweets

G77

Maybe it's illegal to sell stuff like that now in the UK? Wouldn't surprise me

DOBBIE

I can only comment on here in Calgary, but the number of long sunny days in a year - even at -20 you are able to wrap up warm and don a pair of sunglasses for some fresh air. The power of the sun; because we are 3500 ft above sea level +18 feels like +25...

The laziness of everyone with drive thru's, especially at Tim Hortons. They'd rather spend 30 minutes in a queue with their engine running than park up and walk in and be served in 5...!

The size of the TVs available.....

Backward financial services available to the average customer (pay to get access to my money..??????):curse:

Like the others - in wall vacuuming. I am a modern man and therefor take up my fair share of household chores - vacuuming is one of them...!

The quality and availability of boys football. My son is, literally, having a ball.

Cheers

Dobbie

AlvicBC

How genuinely friendly the locals are

People buying 4 cases of bread at the one time = 40 loaves. I work in the local bakery and this amazes me everytime - what size of freezers do thses folk on the prairies have

Also Hamburger Cabbage soup - first time a lady asked me for some I laughed at her - think she thought I was crazzzzzzzy