snowbunny

1) it ain't August yet!
2) yes, people tend to overuse the air conditioning, but in Houston that's a good thing in that it also de-humidifies the air and reduces the chance of mould contaminating the building.

Just wanted to accentuate what it will be like landing in Houston in August.

Mandana

I think I might just pop home for a quick (month long) visit!

scrubbedexpat097

September and October wont be much better

Mandana

Ok ok! I'll go home now and come back on Jan 5th! That'll cure my homesickness lol

Terminal

Welcome!

You'll love this forum. Loads of really friendly peeps here.
We're in the same boat. We'll be moving out to Houston August/September!

kashman

Ok i'm awaiting the arrival of my book. Meanwhile, we are getting down to the nitty gritty and organising what we take and what we don't.

I've placed items on gumtree for sale and am also planning on perhaps going to our local sunday car boot sale. I have over 100 dvds I want sell off and many CD's. I could hang on to them but hey, too much hastle.

My wife watched an episode of one of these 'when the big one strikes' sky programs which has freaked her out. I've told her that sugarland should be safe from flooding and hurricanes......am I right to about this?

I was in Houston a few years back for a few months so I know some spots but I didn't get to explore too much. One thing I did not like was being tied to the car. I wanted to walk everywhere but found it impossible as I would end up walking on the road (people also look at you funny when they see you working the streets).

Thanks guys you have been great. I'll keep you updated on my progress.

Cheers.
K.

snowbunny

Mmm, Sugar Land, home of Tom DeLay.

I hope you don't mind being surrounded by right-wing rabid Christians and bored teenaged suburbia. I'm trying to set some expectations here.... you will be safer, but there's a cost to pay.

Sugar Land won't get the direct strike, no, meaning no storm surge from the sea. However, it is definitely close enough in to be affected by flooding from the rains and tornadoes that are often spawned by hurricanes. You won't get the highest winds there either, but will get some wind. You'll learn quickly about how to prepare for a hurricane; Gulf Coast residents have a drill down. One tip: keep some bottled water and plywood in your garage. Those are the first things to sell out when there's a hurricane within 500 miles. The plywood goes over your windows to keep them from shattering, so plan accordingly.

Lord Knows

I've been told that the flights into and out of Houston in August have to be watered down at all times while grounded to prevent the wings from melting.......

kashman

Melting....

Okay,

Another thing, where can I get a good authentic curry from? is Sugar Land good for eating out?

Oh and one last thing,

I've heard that there are car jackings in Houston. Do I need to carry a cough cough .... a truncheon?

another bloody yank

Unless "truncheon" is an English word for ".357 snubbie" you're probably better off unarmed.

snowbunny

You must be kidding.

There is a max temperature for jet takeoff -- about 120 F though this varies by the specific jet -- above that the jet can't generate enough lift because the air is too thin (pV=nrT). Of the US major airports I've only ever seen Phoenix hit that.

Hmmm authentic curry.... order the Madras curry powder from the UK. I find US curry houses to be different to UK curry houses.... I've never seen a Madras on the menu. I very much doubt you'll find a good curry house in Sugar Land but ya never know.

scrubbedexpat097

If you watch the local Houston news I don't think you are any safer in Sugarland than in the middle of Houston. Fort Bend County has built up so much in the last 2 decades that I just see it as another part of Houston.

There really isn't anywhere in the Houston area, or for that matter the whole of the Gulf Coast region, that isn't prone to flooding. The whole area is built on Bayous!

snowbunny

True.... but SL is a whopping 30 feet (on average) higher than Houston. That's altitude, not intoxication level.

Still, not being directly on the coast.... I grew up 1.5 miles from the sea wall in Corpus Christi and that was too close!

kashman

Something I totally forgot,

What about my credit rating and bank accounts? do I get my Equifax report transfered to Equifax US? What about my bank account, do I transfer to the US branch (not sure if there is one).

K.

snowbunny

There have been numerous threads on this.... you can search for them. The usual advice is to have an American Express card; a bank account with a US affiliate (preferrably) and a means for moving money around (xe.com). Your credit rating cannot be transferred but you can build it up again rather quickly by taking out a small loan and paying it back over time on time.