|
Your observations when visiting UK from Canada !
It would interesting to know, what are the things you notice most when you return for a visit back to the UK?...Do any instances or events/ reminders confirm that you made the right decision to emigrate to Canada... Please share.
|
Re: Your observations when visiting UK from Canada !
UK= Lush green landscape. Sense of permanence and history.
Road that have curves in them and a decent smooth surface. Culture. Excellent supply of curry houses, decent bacon and sausages and fresh fish. The ability to walk out of a pharmacy with a bag full of prescribed medicine without having to get a loan but also(rather less good UK attributes): shoddy customer service, Lacks the convenience of north america (esp drive thru starbucks) relatively poor supply of A&W rootbeer and absolutely NO old dutch ketchup chips. Traffic congestion |
Re: Your observations when visiting UK from Canada !
Originally Posted by snowshoveller
(Post 9691273)
UK= Lush green landscape. Sense of permanence and history.
Road that have curves in them and a decent smooth surface. Culture. Excellent supply of curry houses, decent bacon and sausages and fresh fish. The ability to walk out of a pharmacy with a bag full of prescribed medicine without having to get a loan but also(rather less good UK attributes): shoddy customer service, Lacks the convenience of north america (esp drive thru starbucks) relatively poor supply of A&W rootbeer and absolutely NO old dutch ketchup chips. Traffic congestion Pleasant commercial buildings, or at least not unpleasant to look it, not acres of ugly one storey warehouses. Electric and phone lines buried underground instead of strung from poles like in a third world country. Well maintained roads. Cheap(er) food, wide choice, and better quality. Back bacon! Cheese that is affordable! Kippers. Smoked haddock. Fruit cake. Tunnocks teacakes. Candy shrimps. Potted shrimps. Ginger wine. Cheap alcohol. Absence of gargantuan, fume spewing, pickup trucks. Population with wide range of cultural references and vocabulary of more than 100 words. Fewer homeless people, and fewer of them drunk or dangerously mentally ill. Low crime rate. No shops selling Bowie knives, opening late at night, so you can finish that fight after the pubs close. An efficient, relatively intelligent, relatively uncorrupted police force. Shop assistants who leave you alone to make your own choices. Weekly shop that takes 1 hr, not 3, if you include the drive and walk round ginormous stores, and is relatively enjoyable experience, compared with exhausting dispiriting slog. Libraries relatively crap compared with Canada. No granola. |
Re: Your observations when visiting UK from Canada !
Pro's for UK:
Family-being able to pop over for a cuppa. Being able to buy food you enjoy and miss and more importantly having choice- in Canada all supermarkets or most of 'em are owned by one company = no choice. Decent inexpensive pub food. Being ahead and up to date in technology. Observations/Cons for UK: Parking is a nightmare and seeing people squabbling over parking outside there own house Government thinks cars are a dirty word and taxes accordingly in gas prices Crime appears high not safe to walk by yourself at night People seem really stressed out and working all hours to satisfy employer as they are worried about losing their jobs. Being jammed in like sardines housing wise. Pros for Canada: Space around you Being able to drive to USA for shopping-close by Healthcare is a little better than UK I believe based on my experience. Cons for Canada: No family here, gets lonely. Taking 3-4 hours out of a Saturday to do grocery shopping cos of distances! Prices of hydro,car insurance,heating Feeling like you are living in the 60's and out of it! Winter- I hate it! |
Re: Your observations when visiting UK from Canada !
The very first thing I noticed when I touched down at LGW after 4yrs away was the miserable airport staff. Everyone I spoke to from immigration to the lady behind the rent a car place was miserable.
The traffic was the same as it was 4yrs ago, the journey from Gatwick to Camberley was stop start and there are lots more speed cameras (average speed thingys) that have been installed since 2007. People in my old town were as miserable as ever, with inflation at 5.2% and unemployment at nearly 8% I can't say I blame them. If it were not for my family I would have never gone back, bloody waste of money if you ask me, I would have rather met them in Spain and skipped the UK all together. All the things I initially missed about the UK I have forgotten about now, I come back here every now and again to see who is still about and download a few good British TV shows but that's about it. Unfortunately the next time I will be going back will be for funerals...depressing thought I know. |
Re: Your observations when visiting UK from Canada !
Originally Posted by snowshoveller
(Post 9691273)
relatively poor supply of A&W rootbeer
|
Re: Your observations when visiting UK from Canada !
Originally Posted by Editha
(Post 9691292)
Being able to go for a country walk.
Pleasant commercial buildings, or at least not unpleasant to look it, not acres of ugly one storey warehouses. Electric and phone lines buried underground instead of strung from poles like in a third world country. Well maintained roads. Cheap(er) food, wide choice, and better quality. Back bacon! Cheese that is affordable! Kippers. Smoked haddock. Fruit cake. Tunnocks teacakes. Candy shrimps. Potted shrimps. Ginger wine. Cheap alcohol. Absence of gargantuan, fume spewing, pickup trucks. Population with wide range of cultural references and vocabulary of more than 100 words. Fewer homeless people, and fewer of them drunk or dangerously mentally ill. Low crime rate. No shops selling Bowie knives, opening late at night, so you can finish that fight after the pubs close. An efficient, relatively intelligent, relatively uncorrupted police force. Shop assistants who leave you alone to make your own choices. Weekly shop that takes 1 hr, not 3, if you include the drive and walk round ginormous stores, and is relatively enjoyable experience, compared with exhausting dispiriting slog. Libraries relatively crap compared with Canada. No granola. |
Re: Your observations when visiting UK from Canada !
A much better selection of retail products for cheaper.
TV that is entertaining and funny. No sweet potato fries. Having to elbow your way to the bar. |
Re: Your observations when visiting UK from Canada !
Went back two weeks ago:
Uk Pro's: Fantastic green countryside Lots of interesting buildings and history Great curry + alcohol Uk Cons: People seemed a bit depressed, starting in Gatwick Airport! (What Danny B also commented on) Bad customer service Lots of narrow roads, with parked cars on them |
Re: Your observations when visiting UK from Canada !
Smaller, miserable people, rain, M6 traffic jam, M62 traffic jam, M25 traffic jam, dirty streets, expensive. :frown:
|
Re: Your observations when visiting UK from Canada !
Originally Posted by magnumpi
(Post 9691634)
Smaller, miserable people, rain, M6 traffic jam, M62 traffic jam, M25 traffic jam, dirty streets, expensive. :frown:
The Gardiner was shut going west bound rendering Spadina and all roads of it into a permanent state of grid lock for almost two days solid. I've never seen such aggessive, rude and awful driving. They need to introduce yellow and black no stopping grid's here like in the UK and camera's to shoot those who fail to comply. Not only would it help eradicate grid lock but it would top up the coffers of the city. |
Re: Your observations when visiting UK from Canada !
Originally Posted by JamesM
(Post 9691663)
You obviously spent no time in Toronto this weekend.
The Gardiner was shut going west bound rendering Spadina and all roads of it into a permanent state of grid lock for almost two days solid. I've never seen such aggessive, rude and awful driving. They need to introduce yellow and black no stopping grid's here like in the UK and camera's to shoot those who fail to comply. Not only would it help eradicate grid lock but it would top up the coffers of the city. Telly is better in the UK. Many things are cheaper there too. Pretty much everything else (at the moment at least) is worse in the UK. |
Re: Your observations when visiting UK from Canada !
Originally Posted by London Mike
(Post 9691716)
They have cats eyes in Britain. Holy shit, they need them on the 401.
Telly is better in the UK. Many things are cheaper there too. Pretty much everything else (at the moment at least) is worse in the UK. |
Re: Your observations when visiting UK from Canada !
I've just returned from 2 weeks in the UK. These were my observations:
Miserable people. LOTS of miserable people everywhere I looked. Narrow roads (boy, did I forget how narrow some of the roads are!) Rolling hills and lush green countryside No mountains :( General shopping (ie groceries) is much cheaper Pretty lingerie (which I stocked up on :) ) Great Indian Restaurants Cash Converter shops are taking over everywhere Debenhams (oh how I love that place!) I love where I live now and can happily live without the things I miss. I am surrounded by beautiful scenery here on my doorstep. I just need to learn how to cook a decent curry and I'm good! |
Re: Your observations when visiting UK from Canada !
Originally Posted by JamesM
(Post 9691663)
You obviously spent no time in Toronto this weekend.
The Gardiner was shut going west bound rendering Spadina and all roads of it into a permanent state of grid lock for almost two days solid. I've never seen such aggessive, rude and awful driving. They need to introduce yellow and black no stopping grid's here like in the UK and camera's to shoot those who fail to comply. Not only would it help eradicate grid lock but it would top up the coffers of the city. Now, question is, would you rather be looking out at the CN tower and lake ont while sat in a jam, or, stafford services and spagetti junction? |
| All times are GMT -12. The time now is 4:38 am. |
Powered by vBulletin: ©2000 - 2026, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Copyright © 2026 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Use of this site indicates your consent to the Terms of Use.