Originally Posted by aes1

King Kong, I am going back soon and am focusing on Dorset, even though I have never lived there and really have no first hand experience of it. I am wondering why you say it gets your vote..... I would be looking at the coast. Any info much appreciated. I am not planning on buying, just renting a flat for now.

Originally Posted by king kong

I like wales and have good friends there too just up from merthyr in a place called focrw . Great people and have had it tough too but retain their sense of humour and once they get to know you they certainly arent any way insulting to outsiders as long as you show you spend a fair amount of time around the village , they arent stupid there isnt the work there these days and some people have to spend time over the bridge in england working .
The last time i was in North wales they were equally as welcoming ,obviously more militant but to be honest they seemed more cheesed off with the fact the polish have been treated better in some respects in regards to their language use .
I was talking to an old guy and he said '' we been fighting the bloody english a thousand years but its not them we fear now ,its the polish they get language rights the minute they land here ''.
Read into that what you like and im not trying to start a racial debate but after what the welsh have been thru i can understand his point .
Wales very much reminds me in many ways what the whole of britain was like 30-40 years ago , people very friendly once they get to welcome you into the community ,sure its a battle sometimes but its worth it .

Originally Posted by NotTooShabby

I was working back in Blighty a few years ago and have a lot of respect for the Polish guys I was working with. It's not easy to up sticks and move to a foreign country, especially when you don't speak the language. Something us expats know all too well. They were there 'cause they wanted to work and make a better life for themselves and their families and they sent most of their wages back home. I know Britain was kind of overwhelmed by the numbers that came but that was the fault of the British Government, not the Polish immigrants.

Originally Posted by king kong

Agreed .many british including myself did it in germany ,its not a direct attack on the polish and indeed i know a few poles and they are very hard workers indeed . I am just repeating what an indeginous member of the british isles said to me .
No doubt a fair amount of money was sent out of the uk back to poland and if a general conversation i had with a builder in uk was anything to go by then ''them living on spuds '' and sending all the money home must have been a negative effect on the economy ,sure they may well have been paying tax but millions going out everyweek to overseas isnt good .

Originally Posted by NotTooShabby

I didn't read as one and I apologise if my reply sounded as if i did.

Originally Posted by king kong

No apology needed ,it was most likely me being a twat.

Originally Posted by king kong

i lived there before coming to australia , its a marvellous part of the country ,great scenery ,great walks , its got everything thats typical english with good towns like bournemouth ,poole ,dorchester ,weymouth amongst tons of quaint villages .I believe it would take a life time to discover the county of dorset with every drive out taking you to a place you have never been before .
In many respects i regret leaving dorset , i felt like i was on holiday every day as it isnt my place of birth or where i grew up .But that is where i will end up eventually ,if not straight away it wont be long .
P.S if you want pointers on where to live etc ,then ask me i know the area very very well .

Originally Posted by aes1

Thanks King Kong, I will. I have to sell this house first, so in the meantime I am scouting around on line ,but have no clue other than to actually start in Bournemouth - thinking it is easier to get to from London Gatwick/Heathrow. That means physically stay there when I get off the plane. Any areas to avoid? Some other poster suggested Boscome was not so good? I like the look of Poole, but seem to think it is much more expensive. I need somewhere quiet, a village but not isolated, that still has public transport access as I won't be driving. Also close to the coast as I live 10 minutes away now and will miss the ocean!! Not asking for much am I?? I was wondering about trying to get a housesit for a few weeks in Dorset, to explore further. Anyone tried that? There is a good site called housecarers.com. Haven't done it myself but do know someone who has in this country and likes it.

Originally Posted by king kong

No apology needed ,it was most likely me being a twat.

Originally Posted by NotTooShabby

I was working back in Blighty a few years ago and have a lot of respect for the Polish guys I was working with. It's not easy to up sticks and move to a foreign country, especially when you don't speak the language. Something us expats know all too well. They were there 'cause they wanted to work and make a better life for themselves and their families and they sent most of their wages back home. I know Britain was kind of overwhelmed by the numbers that came but that was the fault of the British Government, not the Polish immigrants.

Originally Posted by aes1

I was wondering about trying to get a housesit for a few weeks in Dorset, to explore further. Anyone tried that? There is a good site called housecarers.com. Haven't done it myself but do know someone who has in this country and likes it.

Originally Posted by SouthernGal_67

I hadn't heard of this before but sounds like a fantastic idea! I've signed up, done a profile etc and will let you know how I get on

Originally Posted by king kong

Areas around bournemouth /poole to avoid would be , charminster ,boscombe ,turlin moor ,kinson ,parts of hamworthy , im not keen on creekmoor or canford heath .
i prefer poole to bournmouth ,poole has a certain feel and and to be honest id live anywhere in poole except ,turlin moor ,canford heath and creekmoor . All the others i have listed come under bournemouth .
I know a town thats not isolated and has all u want and thats wareham which is around towards swanage from poole .i like the town personally .
I most likely will end up in parkstone ,which has a feel about it too you either like it or dont .I cant quiet put my finger on it but i guess theres a few scallywags there and gypsie familys like the nelsons and the stanleys but i just like it and always fitted in nicely , maybe the fact my grand ma was a gypsie may have helped .

Originally Posted by NotTooShabby

I remember the sketch (not the 9 o'clock news?). Come home to a real fire.........Buy a cottage in Wales.

Originally Posted by Jules Europe

What makes them interesting though, is that they seemed to come about due to Brits buying second homes in Wales and pushing up local house prices there,