I move back to the UK 1 year ago... Oh my, I really wish I hadn't bothered!

[Quoll]

I am not questioning that this is YOUR experience but you cannot generalise to the whole of the UK - MY experience is completely different.

 

Housing - couldn't afford to buy a house anywhere near the size or quality I had in the UK. Currently living in a 3-bed semi (so what?), where would I be living in Perth for the equivalent of £350 a MONTH?

 

Shops - a few high street names have disappeared whilst we were away but even my parents home town Middlesbrough is looking pretty healthy to me - far better than I expected from the doom and gloom merchants on here. Edinburgh and Glasgow are as vibrant as ever.

 

Wages - I do the same job in the UK and earn marginally more. And that was after 5 years of working my way back up in Australia - we'd have been financially much better off to stay in the UK (& we knew that when we left but we didn't move to Oz for the money)

 

Commute - entirely depends where you live, I worked in London for 13 years and hated the commute from Kent/Essex. I drive 30 mins now, free parking and work from home pretty much whenever I fancy - which has been every day this week so far It's not a Oz v UK issue in my mind at all.

 

Weather - brilliant summer, winter hasn't stopped me doing anything so far - no more than the heat in Perth anyway. I can't imagine the weather near Leeds has been worse than Scotland and it has rarely been freezing or pissing down with rain & there is plenty to do here when it is. On balance the weather is better in Australia I won't argue with that though Surely that doesn't come as a shock to anyone returning though?

 

People - you get what you give, only yesterday I was thinking how much friendlier people are here as everyone spoke as I took a walk along the canal.

 

Retirement - I am looking forward to retirement here in maybe 12 years - I had over 20 years left on my mortgage in Perth. The lower cost of living means my pension (of virtually the same amount - since most of it is in UK funds) will go much further and with a far more robust welfare safety net I think the probability of a miserable 'waiting to die' retirement is lower for ME in the UK

 

'Rorting' - yes you will pay to park in urban areas - as you do in Perth/Fremantle and I'm sure in other cities. Most places are free evenings and Sundays. There is an incredible amount of free attractions - I was in London to catch up with friends visiting from Australia for a weekend and everything we did was free. Not knocking the free BBQ's but there are only so many times you can have a free BBQ at the beach you can have before brain rot sets in.

 

To be honest if anything I'd say please please DON'T go to Australia, I'm beggin those guys in their nice comfortable suburban houses, don't do it. Expensive and pointless giving up UK to live in Australia, I've done it and wish I hadn't.

But I don't because I realise it is just my perspective, just because Australia didn't give ME a better life, doesn't mean it won't give others. Ditto just because it was a mistake for you coming back to the UK doesn't mean it will be for everyone.

 

Top post there!

Your experience mirrors mine to a considerable degree! Must be just Yorkshire that's driving people hither and yon!

[Guest]

Top post there!

Your experience mirrors mine to a considerable degree! Must be just Yorkshire that's driving people hither and yon!

 

I'll 'ave nowt bad said 'bout Yorkshire missus they might 'av kicked me oot but me birth certificate ses Yorkshire so a Yorkshire lass I am

[Jacaranda]

Good post LR! To those who I think are being overly negative re the UK ...Hmmm I wonder how fair it would be for me to slate the whole of Australia,just because once I lived in a crap burb of Adelaide?I wonder too whether miserable,depressing whinging people attract miserable,depressing whinging people?As they say misery loves company!Now if I were really homesick for Australia,what logic would there be for me to return to the crap burb I once lived in?I know I would definately be thinking "What the hell have I done"!

[Perthbum]

I guess everyone has different experiences where ever they live in UK and where ever they live in Australia, also everyone's wish list will be entirely different for their 'ideal life'. Probably peoples age and whether they do or don't have children to bring up are factors too. It's good to hear people's views and experiences and go into either decision whether to live in Aus or uk with eyes wide open and not think that either side of the world is perfect. In all of this I do strongly believe you should not live with regrets and put it down to an experience that most will never have if it doesn't work out. Everyone has their reasons for giving it a go and for some they will love it and never look back, for some they tried and returned and unbelievably there's some that go, come back and go again! Very brave.

and go back to the UK again, it happens a lot, good post though.

[Peach]

I am not questioning that this is YOUR experience but you cannot generalise to the whole of the UK - MY experience is completely different.

 

Housing - couldn't afford to buy a house anywhere near the size or quality I had in the UK. Currently living in a 3-bed semi (so what?), where would I be living in Perth for the equivalent of £350 a MONTH?

 

Shops - a few high street names have disappeared whilst we were away but even my parents home town Middlesbrough is looking pretty healthy to me - far better than I expected from the doom and gloom merchants on here. Edinburgh and Glasgow are as vibrant as ever.

 

Wages - I do the same job in the UK and earn marginally more. And that was after 5 years of working my way back up in Australia - we'd have been financially much better off to stay in the UK (& we knew that when we left but we didn't move to Oz for the money)

 

Commute - entirely depends where you live, I worked in London for 13 years and hated the commute from Kent/Essex. I drive 30 mins now, free parking and work from home pretty much whenever I fancy - which has been every day this week so far It's not a Oz v UK issue in my mind at all.

 

Weather - brilliant summer, winter hasn't stopped me doing anything so far - no more than the heat in Perth anyway. I can't imagine the weather near Leeds has been worse than Scotland and it has rarely been freezing or pissing down with rain & there is plenty to do here when it is. On balance the weather is better in Australia I won't argue with that though Surely that doesn't come as a shock to anyone returning though?

 

People - you get what you give, only yesterday I was thinking how much friendlier people are here as everyone spoke as I took a walk along the canal.

 

Retirement - I am looking forward to retirement here in maybe 12 years - I had over 20 years left on my mortgage in Perth. The lower cost of living means my pension (of virtually the same amount - since most of it is in UK funds) will go much further and with a far more robust welfare safety net I think the probability of a miserable 'waiting to die' retirement is lower for ME in the UK

 

'Rorting' - yes you will pay to park in urban areas - as you do in Perth/Fremantle and I'm sure in other cities. Most places are free evenings and Sundays. There is an incredible amount of free attractions - I was in London to catch up with friends visiting from Australia for a weekend and everything we did was free. Not knocking the free BBQ's but there are only so many times you can have a free BBQ at the beach you can have before brain rot sets in.

 

To be honest if anything I'd say please please DON'T go to Australia, I'm beggin those guys in their nice comfortable suburban houses, don't do it. Expensive and pointless giving up UK to live in Australia, I've done it and wish I hadn't.

But I don't because I realise it is just my perspective, just because Australia didn't give ME a better life, doesn't mean it won't give others. Ditto just because it was a mistake for you coming back to the UK doesn't mean it will be for everyone.

 

So why take the time to mock someone who's experience is different to yours?

[Petals]

I think the op feels the way lots of us feel. When I returned to live in UK after I was married, I hated it, got used to it and yes I could have lived there if I had to. However it was not my first choice. Fortunately my oh never wanted to stay there either so we moved back to Aus to live and never regretted it.

 

In our minds we have pictures of what life should be like and everyone's pictures are different. When we do not like it we do not like it and no amount of others telling us how we are wrong and they are having this wonderful life is going to make any difference and it shouldn't. We have to find our own place in the world and who cares if others do not like it.

[Splash77]

My experience was this... We emmigrated in March 2008 it was really hard to begin with, because I truly didn't really want to go .... Well I did and I didn't, but more didn't if I'm truthful, I was frightened of leaving my mum & dad and family ... Anyway I made the move I was really quite down about being there for quite a long time .... But time passed, found a good job and I was ok.., but still always had England in my head everything I did I was always thinking about England, when I went to sleep it was the last thing on my mind and the first thing when I woke in the morning. Anyway time passed and I started to really think I could move back to UK and buy a beautiful house in the Cotswolds,, then suddenly my sister was seriously iLL so I though knackers to this I'm off home ... Anyway long story short I've ended up back where I started ... Skint, rented house, crap job, and living day to day missing bills and just scraping bye! What he hell!!! That is my story it's far too long to go into but that's the outline... I even nearly never took my citizenship because I was that pee'd off with everything... But I did and I'm so glad I did because I have lived in both countries and really seen each one has to offer and the uk is not for me anymore..., you only have to look around to see the state this country is in a HUGE mess.... I'm just one of the lucky ones who has the choice to go back to oz thank god ....

 

I NOW KNOW....

[pablo]

I completely agree. The day I left Australia was the worst day of my life. I still remember arriving at Luton Airport and sighing, going oh ****, what have I done.

 

You'll here a lot of people tell you that UK is great and that it feels like home, but I certainly didn't feel that way. If you have a good job in Australia and you put the work in, it can be second to none. I had it all and unfortunately gave it up. (4 bed detached in Oz converted to cramped terrace in UK). I've felt sick about it for a long time and actually had to get counselling to get over it (it was that bad).

 

Worst thing was leaving all the good friends behind in Oz. Felt like I was shunning them as if to say, I'm better than Australia. I missed them all so much. Living in Melbourne you could drive 20 mins and be round at your mates house, compared to cross-country in UK (e.g. Yorkshire -> Oxford taking 2 + hours for a visit - arhhhhhh).

 

And the poverty in UK was a real shock going back. I lived near Leeds and driving through there was horrific. I'm no snob but I just couldn't comprehend how people could live in those tiny semi-detached houses. Just soulless (yes I hear people on here saying Aussie houses are soulless, but they need to wake up. English people have the worst housing conditions in Europe. FACT).

 

So yes, I'm upset, devastated, etc etc at how stupid people can be. Go to Australia, Build a life (house, cars, jobs), get bored after 5 years and come back to UK. Then think to themselves, Hmmmm, yes Australia does have a lot going for it after all.

 

Shock value 1 - Houses in UK (Tiny, tiny, tiny, no space, crumbling)

 

The UK has houses of various sizes,same as aus,most in the uk are built of solid brick and aren't crumbling

 

Shock value 2 - Shops (50% closing down)

 

Honest,50%?

 

Shock value 3 - Wages (very low compared to Oz)

 

From what i know,this i would agree with,in a lot of industries anyway

 

Shock value 4 - Commute (friend commutes to London, lucky to get home for 10 pm, great life) (I WILL NEVER MOAN ABOUT 1 hour COMMUTE in OZ EVER AGAIN)

 

You dont say where you're friend commutes from,or whether your friend leaves work at 4/5 pm like most do?,if they "do" leave work at 5 pm,not getting home till 10 pm,do they live in Scotland?

 

Shock value 5 - Weather (so what do you do at the weekends when its either freezing or pissing down with rain) (YES YES YES YOU CAN GO TO EUROPE - ITS ONLY 1 HOUR TO PARIS BLAH BLAH BLAH IF YOU CAN AFFORD IT - WHO CARES - YOU CAN BE ON THE BEACH HERE IN 30 MINS)

 

It isnt "always" freezing or pissing down tho is it

 

Shock value 6 - People (god the people are miserable, they don't know any better bless 'em)

 

Is it other people or you?,because you sound as miserable as sin tbh

Shock value 7 - Retirement (my god I don't want to grow old in UK, living in a grubby flat somewhere waiting to die.) (IT HAPPENS)

 

Everyone retires to a "grubby flat" in the uk then? we all wait to die,even in aus they die

Shock value 8 - Rorting (Park anywhere - cost money, see anything, cost money, drive anywhere, cost money (Petrol anxiety), breath (cost money). (IN AUSTRALIA YOU CAN GO TO PARKS HAVE FREEEEE BBQ (PAID FOR BY COUNCIL. ENJOY FREE PARKING. FREE ATTRACTIONS). NEED I SAY MORE.

 

Plenty of free things in the uk,museums,art gallery's etc etc

 

 

So please please please DONT go back to UK, I'm beggin those guys in their nice comfortable suburban houses, don't do it. Expensive and pointless giving up Australia to live in England, I've done it and wish I hadn't

 

 

 

One of either A,a big wind up,or B one of the most biased one eyed post's ive ever seen on here,why didn't you try and find more worst case scenarios i wonder?!:laugh:

 

You are the other side of the coin to the aus haters we have on here,what a complete and utter load of rhubarb,you should enter "The world extreme most biased person in the world competition",i'll bang £20 on yer,hope you feel better soon btw:smile:

[Johndoe]

9 day fortnight for tradies....:biglaugh: Let's get real and tell it as it is.....12 day fortnight for the vast majority.

 

By choice. I know some who often work 7 days a week but it's by choice, as they want to retire at 50.

 

All those drivers of campervans and caravans who tour Oz..................Grey Nomads......................take a closer look..................not a grey hair in sight and many are in their early 50's

[Aunt Agatha]

Thanks for sharing your thoughts Kellie23, I appreciate that. I think some of the issues you mention might be solved by a different location - hopefully Northumberland for me. Except the flooding, I know some towns and villages have been really badly hit by flooding up there. I have a pretty balanced view on life but I admit I am a bit nervous about the reality of living in the UK again after 10 years away. Just trying to think of it as a new adventure rather than a "return" as that changes the expectations completely.

[Guest]

So why take the time to mock someone who's experience is different to yours?

 

I wasn't mocking, and there are a percentage of people on this forum in Australia and considering moving back to the UK, some whom have been away quite some time. Quite a few of those people may well read a thread about someone who has returned to the UK and is unhappy so I was sharing my very different experience.

 

As for taking the time, I was on a conference call and needed to concentrate enough to not be able to focus on any other work but bored enough to do something else - the benefits on working from home.

[flag of convenience]

I am not questioning that this is YOUR experience but you cannot generalise to the whole of the UK - MY experience is completely different.

 

Housing - couldn't afford to buy a house anywhere near the size or quality I had in the UK. Currently living in a 3-bed semi (so what?), where would I be living in Perth for the equivalent of £350 a MONTH?

 

Shops - a few high street names have disappeared whilst we were away but even my parents home town Middlesbrough is looking pretty healthy to me - far better than I expected from the doom and gloom merchants on here. Edinburgh and Glasgow are as vibrant as ever.

 

Wages - I do the same job in the UK and earn marginally more. And that was after 5 years of working my way back up in Australia - we'd have been financially much better off to stay in the UK (& we knew that when we left but we didn't move to Oz for the money)

 

Commute - entirely depends where you live, I worked in London for 13 years and hated the commute from Kent/Essex. I drive 30 mins now, free parking and work from home pretty much whenever I fancy - which has been every day this week so far It's not a Oz v UK issue in my mind at all.

 

Weather - brilliant summer, winter hasn't stopped me doing anything so far - no more than the heat in Perth anyway. I can't imagine the weather near Leeds has been worse than Scotland and it has rarely been freezing or pissing down with rain & there is plenty to do here when it is. On balance the weather is better in Australia I won't argue with that though Surely that doesn't come as a shock to anyone returning though?

 

People - you get what you give, only yesterday I was thinking how much friendlier people are here as everyone spoke as I took a walk along the canal.

 

Retirement - I am looking forward to retirement here in maybe 12 years - I had over 20 years left on my mortgage in Perth. The lower cost of living means my pension (of virtually the same amount - since most of it is in UK funds) will go much further and with a far more robust welfare safety net I think the probability of a miserable 'waiting to die' retirement is lower for ME in the UK

 

'Rorting' - yes you will pay to park in urban areas - as you do in Perth/Fremantle and I'm sure in other cities. Most places are free evenings and Sundays. There is an incredible amount of free attractions - I was in London to catch up with friends visiting from Australia for a weekend and everything we did was free. Not knocking the free BBQ's but there are only so many times you can have a free BBQ at the beach you can have before brain rot sets in.

 

To be honest if anything I'd say please please DON'T go to Australia, I'm beggin those guys in their nice comfortable suburban houses, don't do it. Expensive and pointless giving up UK to live in Australia, I've done it and wish I hadn't.

But I don't because I realise it is just my perspective, just because Australia didn't give ME a better life, doesn't mean it won't give others. Ditto just because it was a mistake for you coming back to the UK doesn't mean it will be for everyone.

 

I can't find any fault with this post. Says it all.

[Peach]

I wasn't mocking, and there are a percentage of people on this forum in Australia and considering moving back to the UK, some whom have been away quite some time. Quite a few of those people may well read a thread about someone who has returned to the UK and is unhappy so I was sharing my very different experience.

 

You have pulled apart and contradicted pretty much every point a member has made - to my mind that is mocking.

[flag of convenience]

You have pulled apart and contradicted pretty much every point a member has made - to my mind that is mocking.

The other side maintains the rage constantly in the pro OZ camp with retorts. Similar thing apart from poster clearly notes in her perspective. Something the pro lobby all too often don't wish to hear.

[Kellie23]

Thanks for sharing your thoughts Kellie23, I appreciate that. I think some of the issues you mention might be solved by a different location - hopefully Northumberland for me. Except the flooding, I know some towns and villages have been really badly hit by flooding up there. I have a pretty balanced view on life but I admit I am a bit nervous about the reality of living in the UK again after 10 years away. Just trying to think of it as a new adventure rather than a "return" as that changes the expectations completely.

 

good luck with your move and yes it will be an adventure a great way to look at it, I'll be doing the same when we move to oz. nothing has to be forever xxx

[sjn87]

I completely agree. The day I left Australia was the worst day of my life. I still remember arriving at Luton Airport and sighing, going oh ****, what have I done.

 

You'll here a lot of people tell you that UK is great and that it feels like home, but I certainly didn't feel that way. If you have a good job in Australia and you put the work in, it can be second to none. I had it all and unfortunately gave it up. (4 bed detached in Oz converted to cramped terrace in UK). I've felt sick about it for a long time and actually had to get counselling to get over it (it was that bad).

 

Worst thing was leaving all the good friends behind in Oz. Felt like I was shunning them as if to say, I'm better than Australia. I missed them all so much. Living in Melbourne you could drive 20 mins and be round at your mates house, compared to cross-country in UK (e.g. Yorkshire -> Oxford taking 2 + hours for a visit - arhhhhhh).

 

And the poverty in UK was a real shock going back. I lived near Leeds and driving through there was horrific. I'm no snob but I just couldn't comprehend how people could live in those tiny semi-detached houses. Just soulless (yes I hear people on here saying Aussie houses are soulless, but they need to wake up. English people have the worst housing conditions in Europe. FACT).

 

So yes, I'm upset, devastated, etc etc at how stupid people can be. Go to Australia, Build a life (house, cars, jobs), get bored after 5 years and come back to UK. Then think to themselves, Hmmmm, yes Australia does have a lot going for it after all.

 

Shock value 1 - Houses in UK (Tiny, tiny, tiny, no space, crumbling)

 

Shock value 2 - Shops (50% closing down)

 

Shock value 3 - Wages (very low compared to Oz)

 

Shock value 4 - Commute (friend commutes to London, lucky to get home for 10 pm, great life) (I WILL NEVER MOAN ABOUT 1 hour COMMUTE in OZ EVER AGAIN)

 

Shock value 5 - Weather (so what do you do at the weekends when its either freezing or pissing down with rain) (YES YES YES YOU CAN GO TO EUROPE - ITS ONLY 1 HOUR TO PARIS BLAH BLAH BLAH IF YOU CAN AFFORD IT - WHO CARES - YOU CAN BE ON THE BEACH HERE IN 30 MINS)

 

Shock value 6 - People (god the people are miserable, they don't know any better bless 'em)

 

Shock value 7 - Retirement (my god I don't want to grow old in UK, living in a grubby flat somewhere waiting to die.) (IT HAPPENS)

 

Shock value 8 - Rorting (Park anywhere - cost money, see anything, cost money, drive anywhere, cost money (Petrol anxiety), breath (cost money). (IN AUSTRALIA YOU CAN GO TO PARKS HAVE FREEEEE BBQ (PAID FOR BY COUNCIL. ENJOY FREE PARKING. FREE ATTRACTIONS). NEED I SAY MORE.

 

 

So please please please DONT go back to UK, I'm beggin those guys in their nice comfortable suburban houses, don't do it. Expensive and pointless giving up Australia to live in England, I've done it and wish I hadn't

 

 

I conpletky agree with everything u have said

 

I was in oz for the year and hated it couldn't wait to get home, luckily I have an amazing Aussi guy who talked me into giving it another try, so I'm currently in miserable England but only while I'm waiting for my partner visa back into oz. I'm glad I did come home to England though as I did need to see it from a different angle. Now iv lived in oz and iv seen the better life, England is just a hole!

[Perthbum]

By choice. I know some who often work 7 days a week but it's by choice, as they want to retire at 50.

 

All those drivers of campervans and caravans who tour Oz..................Grey Nomads......................take a closer look..................not a grey hair in sight and many are in their early 50's

Retire at 50 :biglaugh: How could a new immigrant or even one that's been there 10 years with a family possibly retire at 50 even if they have worked 7 days a week now and again.

[Johndoe]

Retire at 50 :biglaugh: How could a new immigrant or even one that's been there 10 years with a family possibly retire at 50 even if they have worked 7 days a week now and again.

 

Who was talking about new immigrants?

 

In response to a poster quoting tradies (not immigrants) hours, you said: "9 day fortnight for tradies....:biglaugh: Let's get real and tell it as it is.....12 day fortnight for the vast majority."

 

The vast majority of tradies are not new immigrants...............those self employed will work the hours they see fit and those with employers will work the hours stated under their negotiated enterprise agreement + overtime if it suits.

 

Would you care to tell us how you have acquired the working hours of the "vast majority" as you put it?

[tea4too]

Both Aus and UK are first world democracies, with economies that are affected by supply and demand. Where you prefer to live will depend on what floats your boat as an individual, what you have achieved in life, what you want for the future. There is not and cannot be a country that ticks all the boxes all the time for everyone who posts. Referring to either country as boring, wonderful, depressing, exciting, on a downward spiral, one long adventure and so on, is just too simplistic IMO. As is often said, one size does not fit all, and even our own priorities, needs, likes and dislikes will change and shift as we age.

 

 

If you are considering a MBTTUK, I would agree that choosing your area wisely is the way to go. There are parts of the UK that probably fit at least some of the depressing descriptions described in a few of the posts on this thread. And if you left because you found the weather depressing - chances are you will still struggle with it. On the other hand, there are millions of people in the UK happy with the life they have carved our for themselves, their lifestyle, and their sense of belonging. Me included fwiw. Tx

[Aunt Agatha]

Agree with you tea4too except I think looking at it (the move either way) as an adventure is not particularly simplistic. Adventures aren't all good as any explorer/mountaineer/sailor will tell you - some don't even make it back alive! But having a spirit of adventure might just help people get through some of the challenges that absolutely will crop up. It's a "I'll take it as it comes attitude" rather than "I expect it to be like X and if it's like Y I'm going to be gutted" attitude.

[sparrow9999]

i also went back to the UK after living in oz for sometime and then decided to go back to oz again been back a year now and im off again but this time for good its like they say the grass is always greener on the other side

i hope you don't become a ping pong pom like us.

[flag of convenience]

Retire at 50 :biglaugh: How could a new immigrant or even one that's been there 10 years with a family possibly retire at 50 even if they have worked 7 days a week now and again.

 

Certainly no new immigrants. More likely not before 70. Some of the more established folk that may prove true. Often through runaway, over inflated real estate prices though.

[starlight7]

That Midsomer Murders show should be banned- it gives a completely false picture of the UK. Same applies to Doc Martin. It used to be a little bit like that in the 1950s but unless you are very rich, it isn't now.

[Perthbum]

That Midsomer Murders show should be banned- it gives a completely false picture of the UK. Same applies to Doc Martin. It used to be a little bit like that in the 1950s but unless you are very rich, it isn't now.

It is where I live, and I ain't rich.

[Que Sera Sera]

With Fifo its absolutely possible to retire before 50.