surfndirt

Mate - I have mentioned this to heaps of people... Unless you are a millionaire there are very few places to live here and surf good waves all the time. That excludes regional living, of course. I have all but given up surfing for the time being and have got right into dirt bikes in all forms..... Probably the best place in the world to hammer about on a dirt bike.

Good call re; Birdsong. When I was back last year I actually caught myself lying in bed one morning for a good amount of time just listening to the birds - was like I had been on Mars and had just returned from an 8 year mission i.e. being back on earth. Very suprising to a dirt biking surfer from Middlesbrough I can tell ya.

Hi Lizzy, Are you in Sydney or London? Reason for my comments is that, at least twice a week there is a report on the national news about a drive-by or shooting in Western Sydney. Your last sentence is a bit odd - reads like a guide book to 'doing it tough'; why would someone want to move to a place and then endure your careful planning? Sure, itf you have $2mil spare to buy a house and a 200,000 a year job or you're 26, single and after a challenge then great. Moving to the Western Burbs of Sydney on very average money is not a step up at all unless you live on a council estate working in a Spar shop in England.

Just a couple of 'on the ground' realities for ya. Western Sydney has more drive by's and general shootings than alot (OK, not Chicago or DC) US cities. The prices of houses look cheap there on the internet for a reason. Best way I can describe it in terms of lifestyle - would be this. How would you imagine the lifestyle in, say; Houston or Atlanta? Would you imagine you are moving to a place where the people are all really friendly and there are no traffic jams / guns / crime / road rage / high costs? No, I am guessing you wouldn't. Well, why then think Aus - specifically Sydney - specifically the west of Sydney will be any different? It isn't. I swear the UK / Aus propaganda machine has an awful lot to answer for...... It really does.

All comes down, IMO to whether you want to live in the very rapidly approaching 'beige' life debt slave country of Australia. Holden Captiva on finance over 5 years at 6% House in Newport for $700,000 over 30 years at 5% Private school for the offspring at $50,000 a year Holiday to the gold coast / Bali once a year Saturday morning hair do for the Mrs and a licra clad trundle down beach rode for him New pair of Asics trainers once every six months. Weekend away at a winery (cos that's what everyone GIVE ME A F*KEN BREAK.. This country is very very quickly turning into a country of beige people, doing beige cloned activities in debt to they're eye balls to pay back a lifestyle that doesn't exist anymore. No wonder some people want to live a different life - good on em I say.

They are blocking ObamaCare as it is a Federal mandated tax which is going to be enforced by the IRS. That's right, the private bank named the US Federal reserve has been given the contract to chase down middle class American's that 'Opt out' of ObamaCare. If you don't sign up to an exchange i.e. you CHOOSE to have no medical insurance at all - then you pay a fine, starting at USD$95 a year and going up to god knows what. This fine is taken out of your IRS return. The ACA is the start of enforced socialised health care i.e. socialism - that's why they are trying to block it. America, (at least the good states) is not a socialist country - leading the charge are the congress reps from Texas, Arizona, WY, Montana and so on. You see it everytime you're there - more and more people of a right of politics bent moving to the above states. And so, more reps being elected from said states fighting the good fight. Only a matter of time until one in particular breaks away.....

Great if you are an investor - tenant covers the tax. Not the case here and in the US....

True - not a kill joy, just telling like it is man.... That's the reality, not the channel 4 view of the place. Recently the bikers in NSW had to fight a $2000 a year rego increase, yes - $2000 a year road tax. I always come on here and tell people about the reality, not the fluffy rose tint's that most have. You are moving to one (if not THE) most controlled, policed, accountant managed places in the world, don't think it's gonna be the wild west, freedom for all, croc Dundee paradise and you will be right. Think - USA with UK police state with Spanish / Italian driving skills and you are most of the way there......

2002 R6 = $700 a year rego (road tax). $1000 a year insurance. Cops baiting people on bikes in old WRX 109kph in a 100 zone = ticket and 2 points Mentally disabled drivers (esp QLD). Horrible place to ride a road bike....

Why buy a house? That's just daft as a brush!!! :-)

That's from a bottle shop dude. That's about 12 quid a six pack from your local offy..... You can't, at all, justify that price. It's a real real issue here if you like a beer. Same thing in the states = $6.50.

Mate, I'd also agree with everyone here and say go for it dude! Think of it as going back to Europe, thats what my mindset will be after Texas. It's just awsome to be in a position to book short trips to any number of countries and jet off for a while. Honestly, the only thing I have a gripe with the UK about is London (hate the joint) and the price of petrol / fuel! Nothing else really. London is just a manky expensive hole filled with scruffy people from all over the developing world. Stay away from there and you're laughing. Some of my picks; - Bournemouth / Poole - Brighton - Cardiff - Swansea - Leeds - Newcastle - Dunedin (think about it.......:-)) Our Mam lives in the lake district which is basically a holiday everytime I go back! One of the big differences between here (Aus) and there (UK) is that in the UK you can have the run of regional cities. The issues you point out are primarily due to there being 5 cities in the whole country - hence people are packed into em. It's like the opposite of the Aussie dream really for many. That's why people are complete w**nkers on the road, snobs, stuck up, unfriendly etc. Cos you're in a big (only) city. Go to Newcastle, York, Brighton and it's still a city with the trappings of such but less of the agro.... Thats my take anyway. Same with the States, so many cities that the agro is spread-around a bit here in Aus the agro is concentrated.

Geez Perthbum, you really are a raving lefty hey.... Hint - look at the state of the UK and reflect on which party were in power for so long. The UK is the most clear cut example of what happens when you leave them in for too long. I'm sure there will be arguments against but I can't see how?

I see you like bikes - get ready for a HUGE shock when you get your bike tax. As other users on here know; my main gripes in the land of milk and honey are beer prices, house prices and motorbike registration prices!!! My R6 = $700 a year. That's just tax. $500 for insurance. Pint = $8 (if you are very lucky) House = $600,000 for owt even reasonable in a run of the mill area. Nice place / house = $100,000,000

Hi Mate, I have lived in the Western burbs of Mellers for 8 years now. G town is a good little town if you want a regional feel. I am from Middlesbrough and the town centre on a night very much reminds me of Boro TBH. Good chance of getting a slap there past about 10pm. Only thing I'd say is that Oz is just like anywhere else - you can't work in the city (Mellers) and expect to live on a farm in the sticks unless you want a massive commute and horrible traffic / stand room only trains. It's absolutley no different to the UK in that respect. I would advise that if you want to live the dream, go regional. Go G Town but look for and get work in G Town, not a random burb in Melbourne. Otherwise there are; - Ballarat (great little spot) - Bendigo - Shepparton - Newcastle (NSW) - Albury (WA) To name a few. The cities here are great if you like something akin to LA (including the drive-by's), if you want to live the Aussie dream you need to live and work regional IMO....

Hya Mate, I race Enduro and ride track days (soon to start club road racing too). Owning a bike here is a bit of a shocker to be honest. My 02 R6 costs me $700 a year to tax - yes you read that right, $700 a year. Costs another $500 to insure fully comp. You have to remember - long gone are the Croc Dundee days of a 'fair go' country, it is now a lawyer owned and managed serfdom just like the UK / USA (Texas, WY, AZ etc accepted). When you are riding you WILL have people who will; a) Think they can beat you off the lights in a 02' v8 commodore b) Try and block you when lane splitting c) Tail gate so close that you can't see the front of the car in the mirrors (1x wrong move and you're dead) d) Basically, do anything they can to ensure you don't come past r Cops WILL pull you over and bust you for doing 108kph in a 100.... That is not a word of a lie. Also, Cops will 'bait' riders in old WRX etc by tailgating you....... You drop it to get away = busted. Horrible place to enjoy riding a bike on the road. Dirt riding = epic Track days = heaps of em and cheap. Just did one at the Island on Monday - most awesome thing I have ever done :-)

My view - Sydney is so expensive it gives me an anxiety attack at the prospect of having to live there with a family in an area that doesn't have weekly drive by shootings. If you want the AUssie dream try; - Hobart - Regional Vic (Ballarat, Bendigo) - South Australia (Adl if you must) - Newcastle, NSW - Geelong, Vic Moving to Sydney to work in the CBD with kids in tow is exactly the same as moving to London to work in the CBD with kids in tow. Only the avg temp is different and the fact that London drivers are a bit more pleasant....

Hya, Possibly another way of looking at it (bear in mind I have been here 8 years and effectively living the dream) - is that you simply don't like the joint! There is absolutely nothing what-so-ever wrong with not liking it here. Far too many people move here because people in the UK are conditioned to think Aus is a complete bloody paradise. I was only talking to a chick the other day in a similar situation who was in a hell of a state because, effectively, she didn't like it! Had never really had anyone say to her that if she didn't like it then it was OK! Again, it's OK not to like it - it really is..... There's no contract that says once you get on the big bird you HAVE to love it - I promise :-) I know heaps (most of my mates) who massively prefer the North East (Newcastle) to here.. All have been, some for a good amount of time, and all have gone home again happy - very happy.