Excellent link, thanks! This doesn't surprise me at all, sadly. The power of the right-wing media in Britain is awesome, and this is what is informing people on everything. They are now building up to persuading the Brits to leave the EU in 2017, which would be a very dangerous and stupid thing to do at this point.

Unfortunately I've had the opposite experience. My health has worsened dramatically because of the damp climate, medications have increased, my fitness has dropped because of illnesses, and I've put on weight. Even doctors have suggested that staying in Adelaide might have been better for me. The fittest people I see are foreign students here for English language courses.

After half a century in Australia I didn't feel part of the place nor gained the accent, but I don't feel part of England either. I think this country has lost is way, it is run down and no one seems to know how to fix it. Scandals are being uncovered daily, and not by the Daily Wail.

At least the weather is pleasant at the present time . . .

I'm sorry that its been that way for you. It must be horrible to feel no affinity with either country.
This is the risk I will have to take. For me, Australia has become unbearable; I have no option but to get out. It remains to be seen how I fare in the UK.

My question I think fits into this thread, why do different people seem to have such vastly different experiences in the same country? Like many others on here we have found people here to be friendly, helpful and happy. Why or how is it that some others have found the polar opposite?
There are of course negatives to living here just as there are negatives to living anywhere but the positives far outweigh the negatives.
What can be the reasons for this disparity?

I think it's mainly due to personal circumstances (where you live, how comfortably off you are, interests & lifestyle) and personality (how easy-going, optimistic, tolerant etc). If I had to live in a major UK town I would absolutely hate it - here (in France) we have 3 neighbours and it suits us perfectly, but everyone is different and has different expectations.

Im not so much talking about expectations although I agree with what you are saying, almost all the dealings we have had with people either at a personal level (neighbours etc) or at a customer service level have been positive and many people in the latter category have gone above and beyond to help or sort out any issues we may have. I just find it confusing that others have found the opposite.

Aw, that's no good! Sorry to hear that it hasn't worked out so well for you. Hope the warmer weather is a help at least!

Just to clarify Chris955 - you are saying that you are confused that others do not lead a life that is the same as yours and have different experiences?

No, that clearly isnt what I said. If a significant number of people for instance find people friendly helpful and happy or drivers to be 'better' how can others find the opposite?

Because everyone and everywhere is different. Some will be moving back to peaceful areas where people generally are happier, some will be moving to commuter belts or towns because they have to work. Higher crime or unemployment, lower crime and unemployment, nice surroundings, standard of living, amount of retirees etc. Some will be moving back from better or worse areas so will see it as worse or better.

I lived in a village where I knew everyone in the street, where people weren't rushing and I could walk anywhere after dark. I lived in a different village with an 'us and them' mentality (an old family feud), where outsiders were forever outsiders. A friend lived on the edge of a small town where she had to get the police in for her neighbour's abuse, where there was an element of boy racers and other undesirables. All of these things can affect your view on the UK as a whole. Plus, not everyone in customer service is the same person, some are lovely, some are jobsworths. If you're lucky, you only meet the nice ones.
We bought our house here (France but still relevant) from the neighbour from hell, we could just as easily been moving next door to the neighbour from hell. So, there's a certain amount of luck as well in finding that you're living in the right place.
As for driving, whether it's Hyde Park Corner or the Paris peripherique, I'd expect to come across more stressed, rushed, 'bad' drivers than in our neck of the woods or a small village in England.
It's impossible to say the UK is a happy, shiny place or a hell-hole, as some parts are and some parts aren't.

For "significant number" read Chris955 and sallysimmons, who as I say both are self-employed and live in nice houses away from the rat race and have no need to commute or shop on a Saturday. We'd all enjoy that, but it's got nothing to do with Britain. That life would be enjoyable in any country. I enjoy Chris's and Sally's posts, but my point is they are not representative of the ordinary person because the average man does not own his own business.

Actually far more than the 2 of us have commented on how friendly and helpful people are, you only have to look in the Back Home section to read many similar experiences. It has nothing to do with living in a nice house in a nice area and we definitely shop on a Saturday if we want to. We could equally say that your negative comments have nothing to do with the UK.
As I have said a few times I travel all over the country and generally speaking we dont experience bad customer service.
Im not sure why you dwell on our house and the area we live in, I am commenting on customer service mostly.

We had good customer service in the UK as well, my comment was based on the negative stuff, that's all.

Crikey! What an interesting day it's been on BE!

I usually like your measured posts Z10, but this? There are far more than just two folks who have said the same here.

I dare say that there is more than 'just the one person' in the UK who is an inconsiderate pillock, but that is surely the same anywhere.

I wish it wasn't such a competition, but it always is, particularly twixt Australia and Britain.
I think I've already encountered the type of welcome I might get in the UK, but I've already experienced that here in Aus for being a bloody Pom (and it wasn't put affectionately either!).

TG I'm going back for places, not people-they always tend to be such a disappointment!

There is a natural tendency for people to defend their chosen location. Rarely this is done with total objectivity of the mind, but more often it is done with the involuntary prejudice of the heart. I am as guilty of this as anyone else, but I am now lucky for the reason that I have lived in Australia long enough to see its faults and flaws as well as I know Britain's, and this helps me to be more objective.

In my heart, I want to return to the UK, to be with family, and in fact it is my intention, but I;m not going to lie to myself about its negative points in the process any more than I gloss over Australia's many problems.