EVER!!!! Seriously. I was a little, my first chrimbo away. I developed those rosey glasses you hear about.

While feeling this way I searched for my old 'hood' on youtube and guess what? It is atually the hell hole I always knew it to be. Kids on Quad bikes, skinheaded little toerags on a one way ticket to jail in trackies and trainers, hand brake turns in the rain, auld lang syne by p*ssed up pensioners in pubs where you wouldnt let your dog drink a bowl of water and 'head butting' competitions for laughs. How droll. So, I will never be homesick again and if I ever am, flame me and ban me, slag me and spam me, iggy me or ruin me but dont ever reply to me again for I will be..............undeserving!!!

Happy new year to all who had the nuts to do what everyone we know only dreams about.

Peace out BE

So you're not from Putney then??

The shires dahling, the shires!! Terrible place.

I doubt I'd miss Salford either.

Or Stockport.

In college I lived on a leafy side street in Whalley Range south of Alexandra Park. Lovely views. The first Voodoo murder in the UK happened there. I had to walk through Moss Side twice a day too. Packs of wild dogs roaming the streets.

This amazing quote is from this Manchester website http://www.manchester2002-uk.com/dis...moss-side.html

"In recent years Moss Side has had a chequered and unfortunate history due largely to the proliferation of gun and drug-related crimes in the district, so that armed police now regularly patrol its streets."

Doesn't make you feel homesick does it?

No it doesn't make you homesick, but the same or worse could be said for the rough parts of any major US city.

Agreed - bit of a stupid thread this really, isn't it ??

I'm curious as to why you feel better when looking only at the crap side of the UK. Looking down on where you're from isn't going to improve you or your life in the long run. The place you're from has some wonderful points to it as well as the shitey bits. You left. Sometimes you're going to miss that place, who you were then, the people that mattered to you, the things you used to do and sometimes you're not. Make peace with it and stop looking down on it.

Great post Sarah I have fond memories of many shit holes back home that other people may call them.

Nowt wrong with Stockport or Salford. BUT it has changed and is more and more dangerous in every aspect of life. I'm looking forward to seeing the difference and I've no doubt there will be big ones, however the memories are the most important.the phrase' Eeh it wasn't like that in my day'. The biggest problem is, its changing too fast, either that or I'm getting older quicker !.

Every time I go back to England I stay with my parents in Stockport and visit relatives in Salford.

Stockport is not just about the town centres, there are some great areas and beautiful country parks and I always look forward to my trips back. On our last visit we went for lunch at the Romper in Marple and the view from the 'beer garden' over looking the Peak District was absolutely breathtaking. Plus all the people in the pub that afternoon were genuinely friendly and chatty.

It's not often that I defend Stockport but it's my home town and I think I am missing it at the moment. My parents fly back home today and deep down I am slightly jealous (and very upset) that they are leaving NJ and heading back to Stockport.


PS. Salford isn't all bad either.

Home is where the heart is etc etc.....but viewing the Peak District from a Beer Garden in Marple is like knowing that you have similar views 12 miles from Stoke-on-Trent city centre, It does not make S-o-T City Centre any more attractive and my own kids live there..

Stockport Town Centre is the pits, but I was just pointing out that almost everywhere has it's good and bad places - Marple is part of SMBC.

In response to Silly Sod - Homesickness can strike when you least expect it and when it does it can be extreme. My worst experience was after living here for a year, I was very depressed for about 3 months. After nearly 5years I still get homesick occasionally but it usually only lasts a week or so.

Jesus guys, I didn't expect a full on merits and pitfalls discussion of the great conurbation that is Manchester.




I was just havin' a laff.

But you say Stockport T.C is the 'pits' ..no fair really is it, I mean you have memories, they could be some bad and some good. But its got a lot to offer and obviously the town influenced you to be an upright citizen which you have now become.