surfndirt

Hya LKC, Just want to make sure you are aware that the largest credit expansion in recorded history occurred in the ~ 15 years preceding 2008? There are approx 2 distinct generations that benefited from this. First is the baby boomers (not all of em, but a good chunk) and the second is the generation after them. Not specific to you and yours but in general the western world (very evident in Australia) is now full of complete and utter financial wizz kids........ I see this constantly in my line of work and it is one of the drivers for the continued downward spiral of productivity. "I made $500,000 on three houses in 6 years, now live in Vacluse - I am a complete and utter legend in finance, I'll tell you how to run this business". No idea that they have basically just been at the right place at the right time to benefit from an unprecedented loosening of fiscal policy by the central banking cartel, nothing else.

Apologies for the thread hijack - Maruska, you moved from Houston, TX to Sydney then? Would be very very interested to get your views.... You MUST be spinning out at the cost of living, and the lack of good roads / freeways - surely!

Hya Mrs B..... I swear down I was on the phone to me mate in Tynemouth on the weekend (his wedding in September) and I thought, "I wonder what happened to that lass from Newcastle who went back from Brissy".... It's a funny trick then isn't it eh. I would have bet owt that you would be lovin it back in the toon with no thoughts of Ozzie at all. Goes to show the power of migration and the effect of ping pom-ness hey. Believe it or not I did move too, I moved to Newcastle, NSW for the time being. Not sure how many readers are aware but the similarities between the two joints is amazing. For example, guess where all the students live in Newcastle, NSW.... That's right - Jesmond. And where did I stay in a motel when I first got here? Why Morpeth of course - which was just down the highway from Hexham..... I am really looking forward to going back in September for me mates wedding - should be a great time of year and, if I recall - the surf is normally good then too. We have actually organised to have a surf in the morning before his wedding - all the lads that grew up together in Saltburn..... Man I can't wait! Feel free to pm me if you want an intro to some local Geordie surfie types :-)

26, knew zero people and had AUD$300 in the bank - 1x suitcase and a surfboard. Now 35. Mental really....

Hya Helz, As I have talked about a canny few times on here - it's the propaganda that really gets me. For example, if someone moved to LA or Chicago and - once there decided that they actually much prefered life in the NE of England. No one would have any issue at all - including the actual person. But, us poms have been conditioned from birth pretty much (esp the hard core Neighbours generation) to think Australia is a complete and utter paradise. Thus meaning, when (some) people have that realisation that they actually prefer life somewhere else - it causes a fair amount of angst which is really unfortunate. Again, all my mates from the NE have come and gone and none of em want to come back! That includes when talking to them in the middle of winter after surfing in the North Sea......

It's like someone saying they are going to move to Chicago, IL for more family time and a less stressful life....... UK -> Australia propaganda is terrible. Remember, young Philly Spencer is making a program to MAKE MONEY. It is not a charity he is running, people watch that shite in the UK because of the image / re-enforced propaganda perception. He is hardly likely to host a show where people are moving to an overpriced, road rage stricken megatropolis rat race is he..... :-)

Cheers Helz, That's class that like.... I'll never forget the first time I went to the Toon from Boro for a weekend to stay with one of the lads that was at Uni there. Sunday night, packed, quid a drink and people having a great time. Was back 2x years ago and went to one of me favourate boozers, the Vinyard - half way down Grey Street. Same crack, nearly the same cost of drinks and just bloody great. Ended up in a new place near the Theatre that was knockin out craft beers for 3.50 a pint - talking to some old blokes; one of which was an olympic coach back in the day..... Was trying to tell our (Aussie) lass how much I loved the joint, to no avail - interesting how people can be distinctly NOT enthusiatic when it suits them hey...... I used to live that 'lifestyle' dream - surf in the morning at Tynemouth, bag a chips n' gravy and a pie for me lunch from Marshalls, then a coupla scoops in the stuffed dog before gettin on the metro off into the town to chat up lasses. Bloody great. Bugger it, I'm gonna do a year in Newcastle NSW then go home - ship me ute back and have a right buzz.

Quick surfndirt strawpoll to ascertain the level of financial literacy; PPOR (House): Asset or liability? Qantas Shares: Mental to buy into such a basket case or best opportunity ATM Govt / Bank Complex Housing Ponzi Scheme: UK and Australia or surfndirt is an idiot First to answer correctly gets a chocolate mouse.

Tynemouth, best place I have ever lived..... (with the exception of managing 6x weeks in Jan Juc here, until the commute nearly killed me). Crackin boozers, really good beach, good metro into the toon, pretty well laid out too..... Man I miss that place. Was where Super Gran was filmed - enough said.

Yeah - all good. Looks like a trip to the Toon #2 for a while. I think I am gonna live in either; Morpeth, Gateshead or Stockton....................... Just cause I can. Will be funny telling the lads like :-)

Geez, had a watch of a few clips of that Tales from Northumberland - now I really am home sick!!!

Yeah mate - exactly, that's just like all us lot bangin on about the UK; would be the same if you were born down here ay. Must admit though, I bet being in London doesn't help matters one iota though...... That joint nearly sent me round the bend and I was only banished there for two years!

Nice one Bunbury, Yeah, I could see me sat in front of the fire with me lab at me feet at a boozer in Alnwick in a canny few years. Tell you what, I'd have some bloody stories all right! Yeah mate, I like that mental image, thanks for that...... If there is anywhere in the world that could be described as gods country - it really really is Northumberland.... Viking gods abound up there :-)

Cheers T-bone, Yeah mate - Texas is a ripper spot for the correct mindset and attitude hey. Wouldn't like to be a raving greenie there though - probably feel like torture! I'll be honest - I am actually going on a bit of a wing and a prayer over there. Out on 28th April with 3x weeks to try and find a job in the IT game. Went last year and set up the structures for an investment property so have that ticking over now in Houston. Have a network of property and investment types in the majors but now really kinda cold calling for jobs / recruiters. Deffo worth a stab though I reckon!

Hya Helz, well - I've got me last telephone interview for the gig in Ncl NSW at 10am today so that will probably go some way to helping make a decision! I must admit, that is a cracker of a spot (NCL NSW) - loved it when I went to have a look round and how mad are all the suburb names! Best one has gotta be Jesmond where, as can be guessed, all the students live! How mad :-) I guess all I know at the moment is that Melbourne (read any of the large Australian state capitals) is no longer my thing at all.... (although never really was).

Aghhh, nice one Helz - it's not just me then eh. Specifically like the Northumbrian bit - grew up in Saltburn by the sea so very aware of that particular heart ache! What are we all like ay, spend 10 + years dreaming of living and surfing in Aus then whinge on a forum when here! Least I admit it hey. Also, you may be the only other person I know of who agree's that winter is better than summer here. I love it in winter, dirt bikes all the time and the surf is miles better and less crowded. I have a big decision to make in the next three months; Move to Texas, move to Newcastle (NSW) or move back to Newcastle-Upon-Tyne. Not a bad situation at all but still a complete head doer! Cheers for the reply.

Specifically posted in the MBTTUK thread for the anticipated audience.... Anyone else get pangs of homesickness when seeing (on the TV etc) or being in, the northern hemisphere? Even being in North America does it for me. The trees, the seasons, the squirels. Was trying to describe it to our lass who is from here (South Australia) and she doesn't get it at all. I'm wondering if there is an element of inherited memory as well as the obvious i.e. growing up in the NH. Our family lineage is back to the Vikings so that's alot of (combined) time spent up there... Just interested in others views. Not interested in hearing from people who have been here (in the Southern Hemisphere) for 1 or 2 years and still over the moon about paying 90p a litre and all that rubbish.....

Hya, There are some places that you may end up with the better qual of life but, I will be honest - if you have a good life, income and house etc in Cumbria it 100% is not gonna be attained by moving to ANY of the state capitals, with the exception of Hobart. Our Mam lives just outside of Wigton - so talking from experience of your area. They are over visiting at the moment and are currently in Tassie and totally loving it. Basically, if you have the chance to move here on the same coin as you are on now or better and the opportunity is not in; Melbourne, Sydney, Perth, Brisbane, Adelaide, Darwin then consider it. If you were looking at any of these then just consider it again. It may look good to see Phil Spencer mincing around Sydney harbour bridge in the sun - on a dark night at 7pm in channel four - the reality of these places is far far different. The other place to look at is the South Island of New Zealand - best place on the planet.

The main drama over there is the cost of stuff. I always remember the first time I went to Cott, walking round and up from the beach I remember thinking - this is the height of human civilisation, it doesn't get any better than this.... I guess that's kinda the problem with the joint, in that it's massively been a victim of it's own success in terms of livability hence the (now) massive costs. For example, normal people cannot afford to live in these areas any more. It's sooo nice that it is now totally un-affordable. The other thing over there was the price of a pint - horrendous.

And you think your average Coles, Woolies or Kmart is different in Australia????

North Yorkshire or Northumbria....... Esp if you don't need to work

The tradies are generally knob heads (esp on the road). The other bunch of ***** are the inner city 'landed gentry' - those that had the genius idea to buy a house to live in, in say 1995 and are now millionaries by doing...... Nowt. They generally have a very bad attitude. Easy to spot and avoid though, just go into the city at rush hour and look for the BMW / Merc / Porsche SUV driving like a dick. Everyone else is pretty cool really, like the other poster said - just like the UK.

Mate, send me a PM and I will get you sorted......

Hya Mate, piffle = probably ;-) Gun crime... Do you not watch the news or sommat?

IMO, you would move here for a specific element of the landscape... For me, the surfing and, more recently, the dirt bike & 4x4 adventure capability is probably the best in the world! It's awesome, and that's why I stay. It's also very very easy to get set up in business in the USA - again, why I stay. Having grafted my way up the Melbourne IT scene with no more than 3x weeks (max) holiday for 8 years, I am also now on a mint and use Aussie as a very nice base from which to build a US asset base. Yearly 3 week stints in Euro / US provides a relief from the police state / price gouging and boguns. It is not, at all bad here...... It's just not, at all, what channel 4 makes it out to be.