What had changed when you returned?
 

For those who have spent time away from the UK, living overseas, what did you notice had changed when you went back to Britain?

Re: What had changed when you returned?
 

I had a lot more grey hair and wrinkles. ;)

Re: What had changed when you returned?
 

When I went back for a holiday last year, I realized how much I missed the place! :(

Re: What had changed when you returned?
 

So, does this mean nothing had changed?

Re: What had changed when you returned?
 

When we went back for a holiday in July - Britain looked fabulous - it seemed so green and lush, with so many trees and flowers. Just looked so beautiful. Just to hear the birds 'singing' instead of squarking!
The only thing that had changed was the amount of trees, that have now matured everywhere. We just really enjoyed our time there - and cannot wait to move back.

Re: What had changed when you returned?
 

London is CLEAN and Londoners are polite!

(Ok, so we did only go to central London and the West End, but still..!)

Re: What had changed when you returned?
 

Just spent two months on hols in Uk and nothing has changed really - noticed that family members in their teens to thirties seem to need entertaining all the time - can't just sit and read a book or have a conversation anymore and everything's 'boring'!!!

Could just be the generation gap suppose...fantastic to be home though and can't wait for the day when its permanent.

Re: What had changed when you returned?
 

Heck - you would still have the grey hair and wrinkles if you had stayed in the US (maybe more wrinkles as we have more sunshine here)!!!!!!!
There is a product called "Just for Men" - it's supposed to get rid of the grey. I actually think men look good with grey hair but we women just look older. I suppose that is a sexist comment and some people won't like it!!!!

Re: What had changed when you returned?
 

As I'd been going back to the UK for holidays quite regularly, haven't really noticed many changes. But one thing I've noticed is how popular barbecues are here in the UK now. After living in Australia for a long time the last thing I want is to go to a barbecue!

Adelia

Re: What had changed when you returned?
 

Not much had changed in the two years I'd spent outside the country. However, I had a greater appreciation for the basics that I took for granted whilst living there. :)

Re: What had changed when you returned?
 

It is a fact that women just look older, but we men just get sexier & more distinguished looking. I find women are very attracted to me now, but, to be honest, I don't have the energy for it anymore.

As for England, I'm impressed by the train services now. When they privatised them, I thought it was the beginning of the end.. but in terms of quality & reliability, I'm a great believer in the new dispensation. I guess what I dislike about the trains now, is that you have to book far ahead online now to get a reasonable fare. My son (who lives in the UK) seems to understand the complexities of the pricing but it rather defeats me.

Re: What had changed when you returned?
 

Agree with this. Exactly what we found. Doors opened for us. My goodness central London was spotless. Unfortunately every where else wasn't to this standard. Roads were shocking because of the long snow periods, all cracked and roadworks everywhere.

I was served in shops by more Europeans than 3 years ago.

Re: What had changed when you returned?
 

That and camping!

Re: What had changed when you returned?
 

Apart from the Edinburgh Waverley to London King's Cross line which I have used a fair wee number of times (really lovely trains which all the facilities) my next favourite scheduled service is the Cotswold Line - the one that runs from Hereford to London Paddington. My grandparents live near Ledbury so I have used that station several times, one stop along the line from Hereford. The scenery along the whole journey until you get to Slough (west of London) is really beautiful - first through the Malvern Hills and on to Worcester, then on into the Vale of Evesham to Evesham itself, then skirting the Cotswold Hills to Moreton-in-Marsh then onwards to Oxford (always loads of people getting on the train there, some of them really interesting looking!) and on past Didcot Parkway and into the Thames Valley, running alongside the river Thames through Cholsey and Moulsford and Pangbourne to Reading, another very busy station....home of Kate Winslet :) and the not so pretty but pretty 'orrible Jeremy Kyle. :eek: Then comes Maidenhead and Taplow then the home of "The Office" - Slough (not so nice - all office blocks and trading estates). Suburbia then takes over and you see the first red London buses and London Undergound station signs as you get to Acton and Ealing Broadway - then the approach to London Paddington, invariably a complete rush and bustle of activity but very exciting.

Direct trains from Ledbury to Paddington take about 2 hrs 35 minutes but it never seems to take that long as there is always something nice to look out at through the window - except for those office blocks in Slough and the forbidding looking HM Prison at Long Lartin, just outside Evesham. Catering facilities on the trains are very good, too....often provided by nice young Eastern European girls.

Re: What had changed when you returned?
 

Oh yes, I love camping. I especially like the part where the staff leaves a little chocolate on the pillow for when you turn in. Oh, and the white robes are nice too. Who wouldn't go camping, hey?

Re: What had changed when you returned?
 

This.

We've been away for 8 years, I thought things would've changed a lot more than they did. I'm noticing the little things more, the things I missed. For instance, waking up this morning to a chilly, bright morning and the hint of Autumn in the air, that special luminous quality of light, and the bright red hawthorn berries.

I'm so glad to know I get four seasons a year once more.

Re: What had changed when you returned?
 

I am so envious of you right now!! What I'd do to wake up to a crisp morning and hear the birds chirping outside my window...:)

I'm still waiting for my house to sell before I can go back, however, I'm glad I moved away for a while, or I'd never have had this new found appreciation of our motherland...

Re: What had changed when you returned?
 

The weather over much of July and August has really presented the best of the UK this year. My neighbour just told me they are predicting a particularly harsh winter this year (apparently certain autumn berries are showing early this year, go figure), but that's pretty much the norm round these parts.

Re: What had changed when you returned?
 

My neighbour just told me they are predicting a particularly harsh winter this year (apparently certain autumn berries are showing early this year, go figure), but that's pretty much the norm round these parts.[/QUOTE]

I don't mind the winter, get's me in the mood for Xmas which is quite hard in Sunny Florida - somehow, eating your turkey and trimmings whilst it's 80degrees outside, just doesn't feel right!!!

I find it's easier to warm up - (put on some extra layers, take a nice walk etc.), than to cool down...:)

Re: What had changed when you returned?
 

If it's just cold and dry, agreed, but round here we're talking constant rain and howling winds. I think I find those conditions particularly wearing because several times a day I have to dry off the dog, who seems to be covered in half the mud in Scotland - and walks straight to the hallway to shake it all over the walls! :rolleyes:

Re: What had changed when you returned?
 

Yes, camping has become very trendy back here now. Around where we are (Sussex) the campsites are full of bell tents tipees and yurts (mongolian communal tents), with lots of young families enjoying the renaissance in everything open air. The campsites where you can have open fires are particularly populars and the vibe is very community-focussed. Anyone who have been to somewhere like Heaven Farm or Wowo would struggle to recognise the Sid and Babs Carry-on camping sterotype.

Re: What had changed when you returned?
 

We were away for 4 1/2 years.

I think public transport has got better - especially into and around London. Having seen public transport take a largely second place in Perth to the omnipresent car it is nice to find real investment in infrastructure projects like the Overground (now complete) and Cross rail (in progress).

Much more organic food in the supermarkets and a greater range of more or less everything (I counted seven varieties of potato at Sainsburys the other day). imo Coles and Woolies don't do enough to justify their total monopoly in WA.

More (too many) TV channels resulting in this poster switching to iPlayer and 4oD - and telling the TV Licensing where to go (yes, you can now legally opt out of paying if you don't watch "live" tv)

Much better recycling and green inititiatives - you get nectar points if you use your own bags in Sainsburies now.

Fewer smelly old bangers on the road. God bless the scrappage scheme.

Sadly, a proliferation of rubbish charity shops in the dead parts of local high streets. Not sure if it is ebay/gumtree/car boots that has killed of the supply of interesting bric-a-brak, but they sure are depressing now. They make Good Sammies look like Harrods.

People seem to smile more. No, seriously.

Re: What had changed when you returned?
 

Just MBike's last post was very good, even though I am looking to get back out of the UK I do agree with you.

Re: What had changed when you returned?
 

My second Wife and I had that problem - so we set to, and built a small verandah, over the back door, and then shut both our dogs out there, till they had shaken themselves, and dried off a little. EASY! dontheturner.

Re: What had changed when you returned?
 

What's your going rate on building a verandah? - I may have a job for you!

Re: What had changed when you returned?
 

Nature's bounty in the UK this late summer/early autumn in the form of all kinds soft fruit and berries and fruit generally in the form of apples, pears and especially plums (a massive glut this year of all kinds of plums) is one of the most fruitful for many years. The bushes and trees and shrubs are weighed down with them all. Taking a walk along the country lanes the blackberries are especially good this year. Some people say that the cold winter and a very dry spring and early summer are the reason for it all.

I run a weather station as a hobby here and I have to say that, so far, there is nothing to indicate that another harsh winter is imminent in the UK and the rest of Western Europe, but as this is the UK - anything can happen weatherwise. Right now the first of September has been absolutely gorgeous - wall to wall sunshine and up to 22C. August was crap much of the time though.

Re: What had changed when you returned?
 

I would definitely agree that this year has been more fruitful. Here are a few of the Boletus Edulis (cep/porcini) we came across last week on a walk in West Sussex. Now dried and bagged for warming risotto in the cold months to come.

Re: What had changed when you returned?
 

hello Again, dunrovin!

You may be jesting, but although I am 80+ now, if my health holds up, when I return in March, I may well be interested, in helping you out. I have built over 15, in the past ten years, plus a few, front door storm porches!- problem in Shropshire now, is not my ability, but all the Timber Yards, I knew and loved and dealt with, in the past, have gone. Where are you located, don't say, near Edinburgh!!! regards dontheturner.

Re: What had changed when you returned?
 

We've been away 6 years (in the U.S.) and just returned to the U.K. 3 weeks ago.

One thing we've noticed is that it seems that food portions (in pubs, restaurants) have become MUCH larger.

Re: What had changed when you returned?
 

Sadly the UK seems similar to Australia, Us and Canada, evolving into obesogenic environments (where portions-size, foodstuffs and a sedentary lifestyle conspire to encourage weight gain through everyday life rather than conscious choice).

Thankfully I now have to cycle 20 minutes to the station, climb umpteen steps in the underground and then walk 10 mins to the office every day which seems to have countered the most obvious effects of this

Re: What had changed when you returned?
 

More cycling everywhere, I don't know if more outdoor activity but certainly plenty going on, pleasant service (98% of time) and lovely lovely conversations with strangers. Cheaper food. Just too much litter around generally and overgrown grass verges (Cuts probably kicking in). Otherwise all good really. I am overwhelmed that I am not paying for medical care ( my son is diabetic) or school books for my daughter. Am grateful having been paying through the nose in oz and therefore will volunteer some time to the school to assist with fundraising for improved facilities and try to generate more of a volunteering culture among parents.

Re: What had changed when you returned?
 

[QUOTE=fific;8823089]More cycling everywhere, I don't know if more outdoor activity but certainly plenty going on, pleasant service (98% of time) and lovely lovely conversations with strangers. Cheaper food. Just too much litter around generally and overgrown grass verges (Cuts probably kicking in).

On a similar vein, and in the same area, of change, I wonder how the demise of Woolworths, has affected the centre of all our towns and cities. - smaller towns, must be having a hard time, getting such a large store occupied again.
dontheturner

Re: What had changed when you returned?
 

Not sure what you mean by rubbish. I used to like the bric-a-brak, as you say, but they all seem to try to be upscale and only carry "nice" stuff. I don't think that can be the ebay effect. And where are all the rummage sales. I love the things you can find at them.

We'd been away 30+ years, but back frequently, so I'm not sure what we found was different. People seem to be posher about their houses. All doing up their kitchens and bathrooms in the latest style. Back when, I seem to remember it was more "if it ain't broke, don't fix it," and that seemed to be the case with the people we knew in Canada.

Oh, and the ready meals. I still can't believe how big those sections are in supermarkets.

Bev

Re: What had changed when you returned?
 

Yes, and the lack of a wide range of goods. The one in Dawlish, Devon, is still empty. I heard MacDonald's wanted it and the council nixed that. In Teignmouth it's a carpet store. I can't imagine that's doing well in this economic climate.

The one is Whitby is a constantly discounted outdoor wear store. I wish they'd turned it into the public library. It'd be a great location.

I do think it took a major feature out of small towns, especially the ones without a larger center nearby.

And, of course, villages are in a lot of trouble because of second home people raising the house prices so the new generation of local families can't afford to live there. Plus, in some cases, the wealthy incomers block any attempt to build low income housing.

There's also possibly an even bigger north-south divide. I remember my mother in law in Surrey having absolutely no clue about anything north of the Wash apart from a vague feeling that it was mills, cloth caps and rain. Sadly, I don't think much has changed apart from a huge move of people from the north to the south because that's where the jobs are.

Recently they've moved some department to Salford. Is it part of the BBC. Anyway, the man in charge is going to commute because it simply wouldn't be fair to his children to deprive them of life in London (read "civilization") With that attitude, it's hopeless, isn't it?

Mind you, we're going south, but it's purely climate, and that doesn't seem to get mentioned.

Bev

Re: What had changed when you returned?
 

I love the charity shops - can't have too many. I agree, in general, they only have nice stuff. I was in Newton Abbot in Devon a month ago, and the small selections of books in the charity shops I looked in was very very good. If I was living in Devon rather than just visiting, I'd have bought bags full .. I also started looking at music cds in charity shops a few years ago. They usually price them at a standard £1.99 or £2.99. If they have something up your street, it's just right for the rental car!!

When we cleared out my mother's house in 2005, we took carloads of stuff to the charity shops. Fortunately there were about ten such shops in her town, because eventually they all told us to cease & desist.. we'd simply donated too much! This was all nice quality stuff, potentially worth money to the right person, but we just needed to empty the house in a week.

Re: What had changed when you returned?
 

Hi Bev,

We always loved the bric-a-brac charity shops too. But what I am talking about here is a particular type of charity shop which does not carry much stock - only a handful of books, very little chinaware and a poor collection of clothes. We went to Burgess Hill recently and there were about 5 or 6 of these shops very close to each other. We couldn't have spent more than 30 seconds in each. There just wasn't that much to rummage through. I have a suspicion they are paying little or no rent but the landlord lets them stay rather than having boarded-up shop fronts blighting the streets.

My comment about ebay, gumtree amazon and car boots was that people in the uk seem to have become more attuned to the worth of things and are more likely to attempt to sell things through these channels than just to give them away/donate them to charity. When I think back to the vergeside rubbish collections in Perth WA and the perfectly good stuff people were just chucking out because they had bought a new model, it's probably a good thing but it makes for very dull charity shops around us here in Sussex.

Re: What had changed when you returned?
 

Hadnt been back in the springtime for a long time and was gobsmacked by the riot of colour with the daffs out heralding the arrival of a village on the route. Cambridge used to be home of the daffs down the Backs but now pretty much everywhere I went there were amazing displays of daffs. I was also blown away by the proliferation of cowslips - one of my favourite nostalgic flowers - and it seems that people have planted them on quite a few banks along motor ways and I even saw some at Stanstead airport.

Other things are the major improvement in good food - the portions are probably too large but there is some really good tasting stuff out there and comparatively cheap as well.

Re: What had changed when you returned?
 

Oh god how I missed boot fairs - everyone selling in one place rather than having to drive all round town!!!!

Same everywhere in the world I guess but the banks still ain't lending dispite their sickly "look how lovely we are" ad's on TV. Could easily fund a mortgage on what we're paying rent each month but, alas, no chance.....

Re: What had changed when you returned?
 

[QUOTE=dontheturner;8823158]Litter is a major problem in the UK - so many fast food takeaway joints and their food containers and funny little blue forks plus all the retail outfits selling cans and bottles of either alcohol or soft drinks and fish and chippies with their wrappings and containers....add all of this to sheer carelessness, drunkenness, lack of any kind of civic awareness or responsibility or thoughts of the environment of many of the consumers...result a major headache for Bill Bryson, Hon. President of the Council for the Preservation of Rural England, the local authorities and the responsibly concerned members of the public.

The Coalition Govt are devising plans to force the more feckless unemployed to work as litter pickers and removers of graffiti in exchange for their social welfare benefits (fair deal) as it's pretty much a safe bet that many of them are responsible for some of the litter and graffiti in the first place.

Former Woolworth stores:

Dorchester, Dorset: Less than two weeks after the local store was closed down in January 2009, like every other Woolies in the land, an enterprising business lady bought the premises and opened it up as a huge retail establishment selling stuff very similar to that sold in the former Wooiles stores, plus other ranges of goods.

Leominster, Herefordshire: Now a very flurishing new W H Smith bookstore selling all the usual stuff at your average Smiths.

Not too far away - about 16 miles or so to the south east of Leominster:

Ledbury, Herefordshire: Thirteen months after the old Woolies had remained vacant it is now a very busy store very similar to the former Woolies, and now called "Wellworth It" - with the name emblazoned in huge red letters on the store frontage in similar lettering to the old Woolies sign. It is doing exceptionally well in a relatively prosperous and afluent town and surrounding area, selling a wide range of items similar to the old store, plus some, and run by a local businessman.

Re: What had changed when you returned?
 

[QUOTE=Lothianlad;8830539]Thanks - Lothianlad! My question seemed to fall on deaf ears! So thank you for the run down , Woollies were even selling boiled ham and similar items, in the later 50's, and then at one time in the 90's handling their own range of large TV's - so when I return, to re-furnish my house on the cheap, they would have been useful - but then, I aim to use some of the Charity Shops, too ---Thanks again dontheturner