Over 40's Moving Back and Catching Up
Jun 19th 2013, 7:03 am
#7726
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Location: Phibun Mangsahan Ubon Province Thailand.
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Re: Over 40's Moving Back and Catching Up
I didn't write much because I got interrupted
I am fascinated by everything here especially the different kinds of cars that we don't get in the US.
Everyone is very helpful here.
I've had my favorite pastries so I have to cut back to get my sugar down. I had my second fish and chips today. Very good. 5.30 pounds seems standard price for them. I also had my almond tart, custard, blackcurrent and Neapolitan.
I've mentioned about minorities in the UK and where am now the are almost none existent. The Irish Ferries crew are all from the former Soviet block countries and they tell me they live on board the ferry and get to go home frequently.
I have been to Tesco frequently to get my phone connected and I spoke to a customer and she said she was from Korea.
All the people I see daily are about our age.
We are in a nice rural cottage and it has twobathrooms
It has lots of hot water.
Tomorrow we are to a factory outlet store and then on to Chester.
I love it here!
Cheers
Sorry about the mistakes but they come from using my iPad
I am fascinated by everything here especially the different kinds of cars that we don't get in the US.
Everyone is very helpful here.
I've had my favorite pastries so I have to cut back to get my sugar down. I had my second fish and chips today. Very good. 5.30 pounds seems standard price for them. I also had my almond tart, custard, blackcurrent and Neapolitan.
I've mentioned about minorities in the UK and where am now the are almost none existent. The Irish Ferries crew are all from the former Soviet block countries and they tell me they live on board the ferry and get to go home frequently.
I have been to Tesco frequently to get my phone connected and I spoke to a customer and she said she was from Korea.
All the people I see daily are about our age.
We are in a nice rural cottage and it has twobathrooms
It has lots of hot water.Tomorrow we are to a factory outlet store and then on to Chester.
I love it here!
Cheers
Sorry about the mistakes but they come from using my iPad
Jun 19th 2013, 7:20 am
#7727
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Re: Over 40's Moving Back and Catching Up
Cheers....You sound as if you are having a wonderful time. But when you mentioned Chester my heart missed a beat. My beautiful hometown. So many memories I hope you enjoy walking through the Rows and through the Precinct. Down by the river and Marks and Spencers......Did you pass through Hoole. Did you go to the Cathedral or the indoor Market. 
We have tearoom picked out before we left home. It is in chester.
8.17 am.
My daughter got her suitcase delivered yesterday. She should have got it when she arrived on Friday night. A warning here!
Jun 19th 2013, 7:25 am
#7728
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Re: Over 40's Moving Back and Catching Up
Cheers....You sound as if you are having a wonderful time. But when you mentioned Chester my heart missed a beat. My beautiful hometown. So many memories I hope you enjoy walking through the Rows and through the Precinct. Down by the river and Marks and Spencers......Did you pass through Hoole. Did you go to the Cathedral or the indoor Market.
Jun 19th 2013, 7:27 am
#7729
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Re: Over 40's Moving Back and Catching Up
You seem to be having a good time cheers, Im so glad that you like it here 
Chester is one of my favorite places, I must make my way up there one day again, last time I was there was 1960 so its probably changed just a little
cheers I know you told us but I forgot ------ when was the last time you were in the UK?
Chester is one of my favorite places, I must make my way up there one day again, last time I was there was 1960 so its probably changed just a little
cheers I know you told us but I forgot ------ when was the last time you were in the UK?
Jun 19th 2013, 7:29 am
#7730
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Jun 19th 2013, 7:41 am
#7731
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Re: Over 40's Moving Back and Catching Up
It sounds like you are having FUN, wait till you get to Chester, I've only been once, last year, its a fascinating place, I'm sure plenty of forum members will be envious...
I'm glad you are enjoying yourself, I told you the cars where cool didn't I, are you renting a car, if so spill the beans...
The food, don't get me started... Fish n Chips, Pie n chips, mushy peas, batter bits, sausage, and roast beef, its all good Huhhhh Ive hardly touched the surface, be sure to get some chocolate, Frys Chocolate Creams, Crunchies, Raspberry Ruffles and Thorntons are always on my list, there is a Thontons in Chester Enjoy...
I'm glad you are enjoying yourself, I told you the cars where cool didn't I, are you renting a car, if so spill the beans...
The food, don't get me started... Fish n Chips, Pie n chips, mushy peas, batter bits, sausage, and roast beef, its all good Huhhhh Ive hardly touched the surface, be sure to get some chocolate, Frys Chocolate Creams, Crunchies, Raspberry Ruffles and Thorntons are always on my list, there is a Thontons in Chester Enjoy...
My car is a ford, mid size. Both are Black in color.
We are surprised that Hertz would rent out cars with scratches and dents on them. They probably make money repairing them.
Don,t ask me to explain why we have two cars?? We travel in a convoy.
Jun 19th 2013, 8:07 am
#7732
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Re: Over 40's Moving Back and Catching Up
We are renting two cars. One is for my daughter. She has a big Volvo, diesel. We both have automatic transmissions. She has GPS in hers.
My car is a ford, mid size. Both are Black in color.
We are surprised that Hertz would rent out cars with scratches and dents on them. They probably make money repairing them.
Don,t ask me to explain why we have two cars?? We travel in a convoy.
My car is a ford, mid size. Both are Black in color.
We are surprised that Hertz would rent out cars with scratches and dents on them. They probably make money repairing them.
Don,t ask me to explain why we have two cars?? We travel in a convoy.
Be careful in that indoor market, I enjoyed that place for a while, it took me back in time, I bought some walkers toffees from some ladies, I was chewing the very first one and broke a tooth, Yikes, $850 for a cap...
Jun 19th 2013, 9:08 am
#7733
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Re: Over 40's Moving Back and Catching Up
Wow Two cars, you are really spending the cashola, Im a big fan of Volvo's, it was the best car I ever rented, Id bet the Ford is a Mondeo, a nice car too, Automatic is the way to go, it makes the UK so easy... Enjoy...
Be careful in that indoor market, I enjoyed that place for a while, it took me back in time, I bought some walkers toffees from some ladies, I was chewing the very first one and broke a tooth, Yikes, $850 for a cap...
Be careful in that indoor market, I enjoyed that place for a while, it took me back in time, I bought some walkers toffees from some ladies, I was chewing the very first one and broke a tooth, Yikes, $850 for a cap...
Jun 19th 2013, 9:48 am
#7734
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Re: Over 40's Moving Back and Catching Up
Hi Cheers! Welcome to the UK. Glad that you got here safely, and are enjoying the local area. Happy vacation, happy travelling and happy eating!
If you do make it down to Devon, please let me know - perhaps we can meet up and enjoy a pub meal or tea room.
If you do make it down to Devon, please let me know - perhaps we can meet up and enjoy a pub meal or tea room.
Jun 19th 2013, 10:44 am
#7735
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Re: Over 40's Moving Back and Catching Up
I understand this, but yet I don't find it to be the case.
Let me explain.
I am one of those 'keep-to-myself' Brits. I am shy and scared to impose myself on others. My husband is also quite reserved but less shy than me, so he's been introducing himself to people as we walk around the village. I am always a little bit uncomfortable when he does it (because my inner-Brit is saying 'don't intrude, don't be a pest, don't make a fuss') and yet every single time he's done it, it's ended well.
In America, no one in our town talked to us. No one waved at us. None of our neighbours ever invited us for dinner. But I don't think that's America versus the Uk. I think that's because we didn't know how to behave in order to connect in a strange culture. I say that because so many Americans claim that it's easy to make friends in America, and hard to do it here, and yet I was lonely for over 15 years in America and for 6 in Canada.
Let me explain.
I am one of those 'keep-to-myself' Brits. I am shy and scared to impose myself on others. My husband is also quite reserved but less shy than me, so he's been introducing himself to people as we walk around the village. I am always a little bit uncomfortable when he does it (because my inner-Brit is saying 'don't intrude, don't be a pest, don't make a fuss') and yet every single time he's done it, it's ended well.
In America, no one in our town talked to us. No one waved at us. None of our neighbours ever invited us for dinner. But I don't think that's America versus the Uk. I think that's because we didn't know how to behave in order to connect in a strange culture. I say that because so many Americans claim that it's easy to make friends in America, and hard to do it here, and yet I was lonely for over 15 years in America and for 6 in Canada.
Working in public relations and dealing with the public has helped tremendously and if I am in a situation where I feel a little shy these days, i simply imagine I have my working PR hat on and it disappears.
Work aside, I am usually a quiet, contemplative sort of person who likes privacy. At the end of the day when work has ended I love going home to my sanctuary/solitude.
My business requires me to deal with people in a very public way and when I am finished with that, I retreat into my home or into nature to contemplate, "create" and relax.It takes time to make close friends. It takes time to peel the layers of that "onion" to get to know someone really well. I don't believe in "instant clicks". It's all fake, in my opinion. It confused me for years but these days I shrug it off and put no importance on instant clicks because they really are not real.
I do think I have the skills (because of PR work) to break through that British exterior gradually and in a nice way.
I don't think I will have any trouble at all making friends over there.I think you are absolutely right about it not being a UK/USA thing but rather the case that we never learned how to connect here the way Americans do - and perhaps we really didn't want to.
Last edited by windsong; Jun 19th 2013 at 10:50 am.
Jun 19th 2013, 2:24 pm
#7736
The Kwisatz Haderach
Joined: Aug 2008
Location: North Wales
Posts: 8,080
Re: Over 40's Moving Back and Catching Up
Cheers....You sound as if you are having a wonderful time. But when you mentioned Chester my heart missed a beat. My beautiful hometown. So many memories I hope you enjoy walking through the Rows and through the Precinct. Down by the river and Marks and Spencers......Did you pass through Hoole. Did you go to the Cathedral or the indoor Market.
Jun 19th 2013, 5:02 pm
#7737
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Re: Over 40's Moving Back and Catching Up
Jun 19th 2013, 9:38 pm
#7739
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Re: Over 40's Moving Back and Catching Up
Good point - 'we didn't want to'. I was talking with two ladies in their 80s today, and both of them said they did not want visitors, don't want anyone coming over for a cup of tea or a talk, and enjoy going out on their own. Yet they are the first ones to the coffee mornings here, are very friendly when you meet them, enjoy palling up with someone to go to lunch or on a bus ride. I appreciate not having a daily visitor, as these places are very small, but it is the mindset I cannot understand. Sometimes the US looks very favourable from my viewpoint, then I remember: no job/no home/no car/no medical.
People have been so friendly here - perhaps it's a north-south difference. We have had invites galore, just from my husband introducing himself.
Jun 20th 2013, 5:41 am
#7740
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Re: Over 40's Moving Back and Catching Up
I honestly don't think I didn't want to ... I just didn't have the language or the ability to. Nor did I have any understanding of the underlying culture, which made connection difficult.
People have been so friendly here - perhaps it's a north-south difference. We have had invites galore, just from my husband introducing himself.
People have been so friendly here - perhaps it's a north-south difference. We have had invites galore, just from my husband introducing himself.
Also the European culture means people tend to entertain in cafes and restaurants rather than in their own homes. My American and Jamaican family and friends find this strange, as we are, by nature, very open and welcoming and entertain in our homes and back yards - think of barbecues at the slightest hint of celebration. At one time in the US I used to belong to a church where, within a few weeks of joining, I was welcomed to meals, barbecues, and field trips, and the ladies used to meet in each others homes for tea. Sometimes we would have breakfast in a restaurant before church services began, though more often it was a trip to a restaurant for lunch after the service.
It may be that the people who retire here are mostly singles, as the partner has died, and they are suspicious of new people, or just plain shy. I know there are a lot of lonely older people around, but if they cannot relate to others, they will continue to be lonely. I won't stay here for long if I don't find some companionship soon - I am not made to be this solitary.