BuckinghamshireBoy

It certainly is very much alive, no doubting that.

I feel that one could say the same for most major cities? New York City, Paris, Sydney, Geneva, wherever are busy places (and uncomfortably so, at least to me). It is a general trend that people are moving to cities...

See? You're already well on the way to assimilating.

With onion gravy, I trust?

On the weather thing... as others have mentioned, it's not that bone-numbingly cold, it's the damp that'll gnaw at you.

UkWinds5353

Thanks for your input and. Gave a very attention garnering post! You said the weather was not the main reason why you are leaving the UK. Do you feel you will miss the culture in the UK? Do you plan to leave Europe all together after a short time in Portugal?

I am going to will myself into being a hearty tough weather minded person. Either that or stay indoors a lot in winter with the wife. But I have to say just reading your post and the way you described the wet UK winters, I almost felt like putting on a coat just getting through your posting

You made a really important point about how the winters in southern Europe are not exactly very warm and after a bit of research that is one of the reasons why we are looking to Florida as our winter get away. We already have a place here and the winters are the best in the States with tempts in the 80s in south Florida, and mid 60s in central Florida. Winters usually last about 6 weeks on average. And some years we don't even experience a winter season. Looks like I'll be switching my running thermal gear for thermal winter long johns. That's will be a totally different look.

UkWinds5353

Those darn tourist just blocking up the flow of traffic. Who among us hasn't said that before. It seem like the summer population in London might be different compared to summer in NYC. The population in Manhattan usually decreases with a good many inhabitants leaving the city for summer vacations homes. And the weekends can be a lot less populated.
London was shoulder to shoulder busy which was fun and lively.

UkWinds5353

The UK imo does not receive enough recognition for how good the food truly is.

Pistolpete2

Having only been in the UK for just over five years after being away for forty as an expat, I never really got the feel for the 'new' British cultural trends, many of which I will gladly give a miss to. We will head to the Caribbean next year to see how things go on a year-by-year basis while renting, maybe taking on a different sort of weather (come Hurricane Season), though hopefully not. After that, I think it likely that we will probably split time between the Caribbean and France/Portugal and a bit of the UK, as it suits us and the renting flexibility allows.

While away from 1976, we always returned to the UK on a regular basis so it wasn't as though the way things had become was a particular shock, aside from the particular attitudes which seem to pervade right now and what influences them.

Our decision to leave was made just a couple of months back around the time when we had to make a decision as to whether we would ask our UK landlord for a new extended lease starting next April. Part of this decision has to address healthcare and its cost so it wasn't particularly easy from that point of view, as I'm in my late sixties.

We had looked at Portugal pretty-much full-time but the cost of tax administration and the toughness of the language put us off. Having not mobilised to gain residency here ahead of Brexit, we would have to apply for a Passive Income Visa in Portugal, if we change our minds.

Since this is a location thread, I do have to say that where we settled, in Dorset, ticked most of the boxes we had as a good location to settle, BUT it is somewhat isolated in terms of the folks that one might find who are like-minded. Ultimately, that meant it - the ticked boxes - was not enough.

Jerseygirl

The grey skies used to get to me too. Also the uncertain summer weather, one day shorts and t-shirt, the next jeans, sweater and jacket.

UkWinds5353

Sounds like you have an adventure coming up very soon. The Caribbean Islands can be quite the comfortable place to spend time while one researches the best place to call home.
I think what is happening in the UK and America for that matter, will iron them selves out in due course. My wife too is very concerned about the changes in the UK regarding politics and petty crime issues. A Johnson and Trump aren't the best remedy for social ills in any modern society which hopes to move the ball forward. But they too shall past. My wife originally had said she would never move back to the UK if "he" became PM. But He who should be nameless and removed, doesn't determine all things UK.

What areas in the UK do you like as much as Dorset but might have more of the "right minded" folk you'd like to find?

One thing very important for our family is being around diversity. I think it promotes a healthy society. Which means a move to a decent size city is a must decision in certain countries. But it seem like regions of the country in the UK can still offer many of our goals in townships but not far from larger cities. That really opens up our options. Places like Berkshire are attractive for many reasons.

I was super impressed with Brighton despite all the over crowding. My kids truly loved the place and my wife said the place suits me well.
We haven't seen but a sliver of the possibilities of the UK in our recent two month visit and that means there are many other puzzle pieces that could fit us quite well. Several more visits should help in that regard. We're going to try and keep our eyes and options open and embrace.

BEVS

Just to say that I find your posts on this really interesting.
As you know I am currently in NZ but do think to return to Dorset or thereabouts.
Your posts give me something to think about as your situation is current whereas I have not been in the UK at all in ten years now.

GeniB

The real experts on Brexit.. ie those who will be affected the most in business's ,agriculture,tourism etc feel that this is the worst crisis the UK has ever faced since its inception in the 1770's. So nothing to worry about then...

spouse of scouse

I didn't say that there was nothing to worry about. I said that I don't think people need to become survivalists over Brexit.

Pistolpete2

There are, IMHO, too many issues at play, such as the impact of the present poisonous or simply negligent MSM on public opinion, the weakness of the Opposition, vested interests and the general exceptionally poor quality of the political leadership, some of whom are quite clearly unfit for office (I'm talking the UK here).

I really really hate to touch on political issues but it HAS to be part of any relocation decisions ref the UK right now. There is IMHO little room for optimism that there will be ANY outcome to Brexit that does not leave the country very significantly worse off for the foreseeable future. This wasn't about the economy but basically a self-serving power-grab by a Westminster elite of entitled right-wing Tories dressed up as something that served the interests of the public at large - you know, lie long enough and the lies become accepted truth. There was NO PLAN so no way forward for THE NATION was even considered. This seemingly has now broken up into two separate factions. Those who simply see the UK as a vehicle for their 'sovereign individual' personal gain (JR-M, Dyson, Ratcliffe types) and those (basically the Cabinet) that now want to use the near chaos that will be created to use a type of shock doctrine to 're-invent/re-shape/strip-down' the economy into a small state super-trader model a la Singapore and send a clear message to the perceived lazy UK worker that they had better get a grip. Quite who will pay the benefits and tax credits that 50% or more of the population survive off is not clear. We (if we actually believed the garbage spewed out) were conned! All sensible views from economic interests have been simply trashed or discredited. There is a complete disconnect between a section of Parliament and its current right (or left) wing ideology and those who run industry and know what that takes and so even the Chancellor doesn't have a clue what a no-deal Brexit might do to the economy in terms of economic impact. It will be a long time in 'coming back'.

So a renting approach sounds very good at this point though one might want to see how this all unravels over the next few months before making a move, if it is not entirely necessary.

From a child I was always drawn to the West Country where we took our annual vacations, whether from Birmingham or later from Cardiff, so to be able to spend serious time there was a real privilege - the scenic beauty, open green country, the atmosphere from the writings of Thomas Hardy and Daphne du Maurier, the fishing businesses, the cider culture and the odd West Country accent to add a bit of flavour.

Nothing much has changed in that regard but with the extreme rise of in particular London property prices and the oft imposed diversity THERE, many Londoners have down-shifted in later years such that the West Country accent has near disappeared in South Dorset and the attitudes seem to have changed.

Added to this is the fact that 'solid' employment opportunities are rare outside of Bristol, Exeter and financial services and comic book-type arts in Bournemouth. So as there are incomers, there is resentment from the 'indigenous' that buying property is only a dream.

We are all being told to make sure that we have good social interaction in our lives for mental health and that we should also be conscious of air quality as pollution can cause early death.

This makes it hard (for me) to pick between perceived good quality diverse townships closer to London, such as Tunbridge Wells or Canterbury, where the interaction is far more likely to be stimulating but the atmosphere is urban, and the clean air of (most of) the West Country.

IF I were looking to settle in the South (don't really know enough to comment on the North, south of the Borders) on a decent budget and looking at the above factors and diversity, I would choose Winchester, the Chew Magna and Westbury-on-Trym areas around of Bristol, the Widcombe area of Bath, Salisbury, maybe the Topsham side of Exeter (does rain rather a lot there though), Wadhurst/Frant area outside of Tunbridge Wells and would do a good search of Berkshire as you have suggested. I also like Woodbridge in Suffolk.

Aside from possibly Woodbridge, all of these centres are impacted price-wise by access to solid job opportunities in London, Exeter (particularly in academia) and Bristol so there are those who wouldn't choose to live there and pay the premium if they didn't need the work.

I am a water seeker - have lived within a mile of the ocean for 43 years, so Widcombe (the Avon) Topsham (Exe estuary) Woodbridge (the Deben) Chew Magna (Great Chew Lake) get ticked on that. Too Quiet? Maybe Chew Magna area is rather countryfied but one could be closer to Bristol BUT would need to avoid the Bristol Airport glidepath.

Air traffic on approach into both Gatwick and Heathrow passes over Tunbridge Wells but the noise is acceptable at current traffic levels.

UkWinds5353

I think a great many people can relate to your frustration with how things are in your native country(conditions which can exist in other nations as well) and can see the importance of wanting real change to those various situations that are difficult to ignore. Quite often that is a big factor why expats feel a need to experience life in a different region of the world. The wife and I can point our similar problems in the States and for us it's important for change to take place because we know things can be so much better in America, and we're heavily emotionally invested in change happening so our kids will have a better legacy to pass on to their children.

But I think the key is to use that natural internal filter every human being is blessed with to block out the negatives and put more focus on the positives that make life so wonderful to live, and make as much of a difference as you can in that nation which is struggling to evolve. Every person is a soldier(so to speak) in that fight to stimulate positive change and when one change maker leaves the fight, that can make reachable progress a little further off from happening.

But let me say it is totally human to feel the need to remove one's self from a situation that is not changing fast enough to make us want to be invested and live in a place we want to call home. And in your particular case having been out of the UK for so long it's probably totally normal to feel a huge amount of culture shock once returning.

In my particular case I have changed a lot over the years and the places that were once home to me don't fit as well for the things that I hold to be important. Maybe you trying out a different country is the perfect solution. Travel a bit and enjoy yourself along the way and see if over time you miss being away from life in the UK.

As a newbie soon to be living in the UK the things that jump out to me most are mostly positive and have a different cultural tint compared to life in America. That makes it easier to focus on the positives. But I'm not invested emotionally in the UK yet. And yes Donald Trump makes me talk at the television set often. But time and wisdom has taught me these things too shall be solved. And as a father of three boys, time has equipped me to filter with the very best of them. I can take a challenging situation and mold coal into diamonds. I would not be surprised if both Trump and Johnson are defeated by the end of next year.

UkWinds5353

it's a wonder more Brits aren't pessimistic about the UK if they read and listen to the daily news that over states the facts on most things, and often tell outright lies about various topics. I've never heard or seen a industry bent on trying to say every negative thing under the sun about people and the place. I thought the news industry was bad in America but it's much worse in the UK. I would tell anyone to ignore most news outlets in the UK.

robin1234

UkWinds5353

The level of pessimism by the press in my two months in the UK felt breath taking. And especially by the opinion driven type news outlets. So much of it was designed to change or control the viewers mind. I can certainly understand how many Brits could come to believe the sky is falling in their country if every day the running theme being fed to them and everyone else is so negative. And the general opinion is being repeated to a neighbor and co-worker. That is a lot to ignore. Poor Meghan Markle probably didn't understand any of this before she moved to the UK. And now the British press have put a Bull's eye on her back and everything she does. That is scary. That type of negative scrutiny by the press is powerful enough to convince the general public to get onboard with a manufactured campaign to like or dislike a individual. But I think a great many people in the public don't realize their mind is being made up for them, or at the very least influence by the press.