Relocation: A question of the raindrop/snowflake the broke the camel's back

[conaero]

If it were not for my wife, I would have been long gone. France and Aus were the most realistic but I think that will not happen now.

Some friends of ours did a house swap for a year with a couple in Aus. They were both teachers so basically swapped jobs.

The Aus here hated the weather and the Brits coming back did not get on with the people in Aus (their words not mine) They said they were very brash, I suppose one is used to a life and will always look back to their mother country.

Is the grass greener on the other side?

The winter is almost over and I still think there is no greater place than Britain in the Spring, even if I were abroad, I would still want to be here March to May.

 

[conaero]

The grass always looks greener then when you get there you find out it is only grass........................unless you are talking of Tuscany that is,

Oh, the grass quote has already been done.

Tuscany, hum, bellissimo. Mind you, going back last year, Tuscany did look like is was in decline, the roads were awful and in the 10 years since I last went the decline was noticeable.

San Gimignano and Orvieto (Umbria) are 2 of my most favoured places on the planet.

 

[hodroyd]

Interesting views..!! 15 to 20 years ago I used to travel extensively on business and be away for up to 3 months at a time. Having lived the high life in 5 star hotels in numerous countries, but still living out of a suitcase, I was always really happy to see good old England again, no matter what the weather. If money were no object, there are some lovely places out there. For working, they are all different. There are definitely things that you would miss being away from the UK, that we all take for granted until they are not there. If I did any sort of living in another country and I have thought about it, I would still keep a house here.
Cheers
R

 

[fcz360]

Amalfi Coast - only place I got really scared driving.

the whole of Switzerland scares me, its not the roads it the rozzers!!!

 

[safrane]

Thought of this so many times too...but it is a big step. For me it would be France but like many not being fluent is a huge hindrance.

 

[hodroyd]

I looked at France at one point, as we have friends living out there. My only issue really was that the place shuts down for around 6 months a year, no Bars, or Restaurants open, nowhere to go out to unless you travel for miles. I finally decided that I was too young for France, or at least the area that our friends live in. Our friends have now decided to sell up and maybe move to Spain as they are bored to tears. Beautiful countryside, not much else, unless you go to a city..??

 

[Emtee]

'The coldest winter I ever spent was summer in San Francisco'

C

SF has it's own little micro-climate. One of the greatest joys for the locals is to watch the tourists arrive in the Summer with shorts and Tee's as they freeze their @rses off. Spring and Autumn are the best times. It's a glorious city, but very expensive. Pop across the bay and it's much better value, and if you get a bay view you have the luxury of the SF skyline out your front window.

It's one of a very small number of places I've seriously considered retiring to.

 

[Parisien]

I suspect for many members or the forum, they'd like to be kept interested/busy doing something......work is ideal to relieve boredom, but unless fluent, or living in a major urban centre, boredom would soon set in!

We'd consider a few options before making any move, plus, it might only be for X months a year and come back to the insanity we know and can deal with best!

P

 

[alfatwo]

I love our little gaff down in Menton,the colour of the Maser looks competly different down there compered to wet and damp Warwickshire

Dave

 

[Parisien]

Lovely part of the world....just far enough away from the crowds and hub-bub of the S coast........yeah, all those epeic artists must have known something about light and how it affects colours!

P

 

[Max Swell]

When I go away with work no matter where ....last month was LA....I am always happy to get off the plane and smell the fresh air of England...sorry UK... The USof A is for some but not me and I have been to most of it, last year I flew from Chicago in a Lear jet for an hour and a half due East and flew over nothing for 800 miles! The cities are big and dirty the out of town places really backward IMHO. The west coast is the place to head for.... I got married in Carmel which is absolutely stunning....but expensive and alot of the industry outside of the major conurbations is tourism related. So it depends what your business is I suppose.

As they say you have to suck it and see....only you can decide ....but at least 8 weeks in a place is required to know if you could live there and not start ranting on USmaserati.com how rubbish their country is........

 

[Parisien]

Hmmmmmmm.....are you putting that country review up on Tripadvisor Max??!!


P

 

[Parisien]

If as you say, you've been around most of it, what exactly irked you from place to place....or types of Yanks to the next set....please enlarge!

P

 

[Mr.Cambio]

This is very true, which is why I was thinking of a tester 6 months over there. I'm a contractor, so it would be a case of seeing how that kind of thing works over there, before I even go for a 6 month trial.

We share the same job...come to Greece. A Maser and a partner for you !!

 

[Max Swell]

We have a business over there which means I used to spend a lot of time in each location from St. Louis to Chicago to Portland to Las Vegas to tampa etc you get the drift....so it wasn't so much the yanks that made me move but business requirement. However the yanks that take an interest in politics are educated and generally in charge of things.....the rest take no interest generally and most don't leave their home state. I digress I love America to visit on holiday or business but could not live there....I couldn't get used to drive through banks and faceless shopping malls. Although we appear to have more malls and less high streets. I am trying to keep our high st alive by avoiding the malls but fear its only a matter of time.

I have now talked myself into leaving for France as they would not let their social fabric be decimated like we have....substitute France for most of Europe actually. Who are the idiots?

 

[Mr.Cambio]

When you think of moving, remember it will be not for tourism. It's different to move for a trip, which is for pleasure vs move to start from ground zero.

Remember also, that everywhere you will go you will be labeled as 'stranger'. This will make things tough in the beginning.

 

[Parisien]

The S Times listed ten top locations with decent, "independent" type shops/businesses in the UK last Sunday......some lovely places, great variety and well worth keeping. I believe one of them "ousted" the Costa coffee place from thrie high street.

thats one of the great attractions of France and Italy.......very individual shops, great diversity and ingenuity


P

 

[conaero]

Interesting views..!! 15 to 20 years ago I used to travel extensively on business and be away for up to 3 months at a time. Having lived the high life in 5 star hotels in numerous countries, but still living out of a suitcase, I was always really happy to see good old England again, no matter what the weather. If money were no object, there are some lovely places out there. For working, they are all different. There are definitely things that you would miss being away from the UK, that we all take for granted until they are not there. If I did any sort of living in another country and I have thought about it, I would still keep a house here.
Cheers
R

Gawd Rob, you just transported me back to a hotel room in Marlow circa 4am there mate!

 

[Parisien]

Gawd Rob, you just transported me back to a hotel room in Marlow circa 4am there mate!

Steady on Matt...remember the local plod read this forum............we don't want Rob up on a charge!!!!


P

 

[Max Swell]

The S Times listed ten top locations with decent, "independent" type shops/businesses in the UK last Sunday......some lovely places, great variety and well worth keeping. I believe one of them "ousted" the Costa coffee place from thrie high street.

thats one of the great attractions of France and Italy.......very individual shops, great diversity and ingenuity


P

Exactamundo mon brave!