Bristol Chris Posted May 10, 2016 Author Share Posted May 10, 2016 Some interesting comments there. Before I retired I loved traveling into the CBD by train and working in those plush high rise offices during the resources technology development years. I worked for many organisations as a technical writer and enjoyed working with many great people. The CBD is actually quite dynamic from early morning, but by about 4pm people begin to leave like rats leaving a sinking ship, heading back to the 'burbs that are mind-numbing to live in! Our youngest son didn't like the place at all and said it was so new you could still smell the paint drying! Perth is certainly not for everyone and our son now lives in America and loves it after 20 yeqrs.I think the main problem with Perth is it's isolation from the rest of the country and indeed the world (our world that is). However, it is on the doorstep of Asia where many people like to travel. But, it's a long way from all that is familiar to the British and Europeans. Some try to recreate the 'old country' but it doesn't work, simply because it is not Britain or Europe! I have learned to appreciate the place for what it is and no longer look for comparisons with where I came from. I've done the beaches to death, am not into surfing or footy and can't afford a boat or pool. The sun is too much as I get older. It's not that I don't like the place, but Perth must be one of the most boring places on the face of the earth and I find it hard work to overcome that. Also, relationships tend to be shallow and 'friends' often come and go from your life. (Might be my own fault of course, but I have heard many others say the same thing). It's always an individual thing of course, for me it's a good place to work (during the boom times) but not so good in retirement, even though medical facilities are second to none, which is important as one grows older. In one's twilight years, familiar places where one grew up and perhaps spent a good part of our lives, and old friends with whom one has history and relationships that go deep, all become the more important. Not everybody will see it my way and that's OK. We are all different and the things that drive us to go places and do things vary greatly. Thanks mate, that's a good read. Is there not a lot to do like around Perth and wider? Markets, beach holidays, walking, forests, gigs etc..? I thought there was some things going on but perhaps not! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VERYSTORMY Posted May 11, 2016 Share Posted May 11, 2016 The main reason we left was lack of work. 19 months of just getting occasional work contracting which wasn't even close to covering the bills and not having a single interview for a permanent job in that time despite hundreds of applications. Then when deciding to start applying to jobs in the UK having 3 interviews and 1 offer within 2 weeks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VERYSTORMY Posted May 11, 2016 Share Posted May 11, 2016 Thanks mate, that's a good read. Is there not a lot to do like around Perth and wider? Markets, beach holidays, walking, forests, gigs etc..? I thought there was some things going on but perhaps not! Yes, there are market and beaches and things. But, you still cant escape Perth. It isn't like the UK or even most other countries as the next nearest city is over 2500 km away. People say Asia is on the door step, but its still not that close - flight from Perth to Bangkok is 7 hours still. I see it a bit like a house. Imagine you have the best house you could imagine with all the games and tv shows you could ever want. But, would you still love it if you were confined to the house 24/7? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wa7 Posted May 11, 2016 Share Posted May 11, 2016 Cheers for the comments folks. I was just reading the back to the uk thread or whatever it's called and it seemed there were quite a few people hating Perth. I just wondered why. My better arf, children and I are looking to move out next year, just sorting visa's now. Bit of a head spin working through the paperwork. wanted to get a good picture of people's stories, good and bad I guess. About others not liking Ozzie land - after reading as many posts on the 'back to the uk' section there seems to be quite a few who for their own reasons seem to really despite Oz and love UK. You know what, that's ok with me, every country in the world is not for everyone. It's the ones that try to be clever pretending they're level on both countries but it's easy to see through their comments, to me personally comes across quite passive aggressive. I wish these peeps would just say if they prefer one country over another - it's ok to do that, even if you're not from ther. Saw through a few comments that made me have a quiet chucke to myself, do the people writing realise it's pretty see through? NEway. I digress. New to Australian forums and spending quite a lot of time reading up everything I can. What I've gathered up so far is look, life won't wave a wand and make you happy if you're not happy yourself. Moving to another country won't do that for you. I've worked all my life here, poor childhood, no father, so I'm used to hard work from an early age. I guess if I go into this with really open eyes and be prepared to work hard it might be ok for me and the fam. it will all come down to you and what you are expecting. Perth is good if you are a bit of a home body type, not a great social scene for me personally, bit "Groundhog Day" for me now but a nice relaxing/ steady pace of life may be what you looking for. Good luck with it all anyway Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thl4kel Posted May 13, 2016 Share Posted May 13, 2016 What do you do for a living Verystormy? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thl4kel Posted May 13, 2016 Share Posted May 13, 2016 At the end of the day you have Bali, but to me the place is always a worry with regards to terrorism.. Its going to happen there again. The hotels are bloody lovely and the swimming pools are better than most places i've been around the world. Lot of filthy streets outside your hotel though and rats wander about the streets and rabid looking dogs roam the streets not to mention all the dam street traders trying to sell you drugs.. Plus you have to be wary of the Police as they are corrupt.... You have to becareful not to get run over by a moped as well.. But the hotel workers are nice.. Last time I was there in Kuta there was a lot of commotion outside my hotel, two lady boys had stolen a mobile phone of an Indian guy, the locals took the law into their own hands and beat them up and there was hundreds of them going at the lady boys.. Police eventually turned up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thl4kel Posted May 13, 2016 Share Posted May 13, 2016 Yeah a simple life on the whole in Perth.... You need moddro andoid app Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted May 13, 2016 Share Posted May 13, 2016 Thanks Lady R. Thank you for your welcome. Your post is quite insightful, I'm not in the trades field however, but good to know your thoughts. Did you miss Scotland a lot? A friend on faceBook today said the sun is really hot there today! I'm presuming here (sorry if wrong) you will never return? You don't need to answer if personal, apologies. Can I ask, why did you not like BBQ's with kids there, or did I read tha twrongly? Is it not good to be family orientated? Sorry again if I read that wrongly. Although I'm not fearful of heat, I read today that Perth has really hot long summers. I guess something you can only experience once you're there. I would love to learn to surf, n fact the family wants to!! Wonder if I can build shark safe wetsuits ;-) Apologies I must have been getting you mixed up with another new member. I do like BBQ's with the kids there but I don't like my only social life being with kids (shoot me now!!!) or even only with my husband A number of reasons, I do not agree with excessive drinking or smoking in the presence of children, and actually neither did most of my friends which made most socialising a rather tame affair! Conversation is naturally censored with children present and I tended to find most BBQ's/dinner parties etc. fairly shallow and meaningless. I could probably count on one hand the times we were invited out to 'adults only' functions. Maybe it was just the friends we made and how we made them and of course our age - we were early 40's when we moved there, everyone we met seemed like proper 'grown-ups' whilst we most certainly aren't The friends I have in Scotland I met at baby groups though and we certainly know how to behave badly without our kids and partners - got a weekend to Dublin planned for my 50th in August I know a friend in her late 30s had a really hard time making like minded friends in Perth as most people have children by that age and couldn't be prised away from them! That's not my experience in Scotland (or hers in Hull & Leeds). I guess this is the down-side (for me) of Australia being 'family friendly' - I really missed my 'girls nights out'. I think I had two in 5 years & one was PIO organised! I did try and organise a few but it always ended up with being tamed down and children being invited. This was just one of the things I didn't like about MY life in Perth, yours might be completely different! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AJ Posted May 13, 2016 Share Posted May 13, 2016 You would think Perth was a desert island! I certainly dont feel isolated or restricted to going to Bali! Perth has an international airport, you can go anywhere you want to. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dxboz Posted May 13, 2016 Share Posted May 13, 2016 Strangely though Bali has a world class international airport and Perth airport hasn't - even with the upgrades it has had Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VERYSTORMY Posted May 13, 2016 Share Posted May 13, 2016 What do you do for a living Verystormy? I am a geologist / mining manager. Now, back in the UK I am a quarry manager - still digging big holes in the ground, just different customers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thl4kel Posted May 13, 2016 Share Posted May 13, 2016 Perth airport is bloody terrible for an international airport.. The only decent bar they had was before passport control and you could sit in the sun but they closed it.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thl4kel Posted May 13, 2016 Share Posted May 13, 2016 i think the problem for most people is they don't really see the real Perth because they live in the suburbs. If you live in the City or Subiaco or Nedlands or areas closer the city its a different Perth.. I was in the suburbs myself and rarely went out in the city. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pommie Posted May 13, 2016 Share Posted May 13, 2016 There are pro's and con's to many different cities and Perth is no different. If you like big cities, then its likely Perth isn't for you. If you value a beautiful clean city with great beaches and generally a good place to raise children, then you will love Perth. Economically (after the boom), your options tend to be more limited in a smaller city like Perth.... We loved living there... many who are critical of Perth haven't even lived there (or at least not for years). The other cities in Australia all have there Pro's and Con's.... just as does Perth !! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JockinTas Posted May 13, 2016 Share Posted May 13, 2016 Apologies I must have been getting you mixed up with another new member. I do like BBQ's with the kids there but I don't like my only social life being with kids (shoot me now!!!) or even only with my husband A number of reasons, I do not agree with excessive drinking or smoking in the presence of children, and actually neither did most of my friends which made most socialising a rather tame affair! Conversation is naturally censored with children present and I tended to find most BBQ's/dinner parties etc. fairly shallow and meaningless. I could probably count on one hand the times we were invited out to 'adults only' functions. Maybe it was just the friends we made and how we made them and of course our age - we were early 40's when we moved there, everyone we met seemed like proper 'grown-ups' whilst we most certainly aren't The friends I have in Scotland I met at baby groups though and we certainly know how to behave badly without our kids and partners - got a weekend to Dublin planned for my 50th in August I know a friend in her late 30s had a really hard time making like minded friends in Perth as most people have children by that age and couldn't be prised away from them! That's not my experience in Scotland (or hers in Hull & Leeds). I guess this is the down-side (for me) of Australia being 'family friendly' - I really missed my 'girls nights out'. I think I had two in 5 years & one was PIO organised! I did try and organise a few but it always ended up with being tamed down and children being invited. This was just one of the things I didn't like about MY life in Perth, yours might be completely different! @Lady Rainicorn I do agree with you about BBQ's ................. never enjoyed them and still don't and often I'd tell my husband to go and I'd stay at home. It seemed the men and women didn't mix much .......... the men standing around in one area and the women in another or sitting around a table and I couldn't be bothered with that. My OH is used to my 'eccentric' ways and knows I like my own space. I did make some lovely friends though as I met them at baby groups. Still in contact with a couple of them to this day. We had a 'girls night out' once a month, leaving the offspring with our OH. That was in Perth then we had to start all over again when we moved to Sydney. I found life there a lot more hectic and made friends again through my two little hooligans at a toddler group. The best friends I made were through my working with animals before I ended up in an office for over 20 years though I did make a couple of good friends there too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thl4kel Posted May 14, 2016 Share Posted May 14, 2016 Perth is not really a city anyway... Perth is St Georges Terrace and that sums it up.. Its a street in the wild west state of OZ. Boom to bust state. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
northernbird Posted May 15, 2016 Share Posted May 15, 2016 Perth is not really a city anyway... Perth is St Georges Terrace and that sums it up.. Its a street in the wild west state of OZ. Boom to bust state. When were you last in Perth? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aussiederek Posted May 15, 2016 Share Posted May 15, 2016 Perth is not really a city anyway... Perth is St Georges Terrace and that sums it up.. Its a street in the wild west state of OZ. Boom to bust state. I think you're a bit of a mischief mate, looking for a bite LOL. All I will say is that we lived here for a few years during the 1960s and returned again in 1986 (goodness knows why), so we've seen the changes that have taken place over quite a long period. The development and modernisation, changing makeup of society by people from different countries, more global attitudes etc., have all been phenominable. If it's been a few years since you here then I think you would find it a different world now. Perth and WA is not the wild west anymore, but rather sophisticated and positive in outlook. It is a boom and bust state, but that's the nature of the beast and you have to learn to navigate your way through that. The old stick-in-the mud attitudes don't work here. For example, you don't look for a job, you seek out those who need the services you can provide. There's a world of difference and I had to learn that the hard way many years ago! OK so you got your bite, but that's all I have to say. Hope somebody finds these remarks helpful. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
starlight7 Posted May 15, 2016 Share Posted May 15, 2016 I'm one of the ones who doesn't really like Perth. Bland and boring come to mind and I couldn't live in such a place. Not that where we live is that exciting but compared with Perth it is. It looks nice though and is a good place to spend a long weekend. WA in general , though- I love it, so beautiful, especially Esperance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pommie Posted May 15, 2016 Share Posted May 15, 2016 Like so many things in life, there are those who love Perth and those who don't. It is a clean city and quite unspoilt and beautiful, but by its nature it is quieter than larger cities... for some, that is its appeal - for others, not. It is a fantastic place to raise a family and I would imagine its a great place to retire.... It has changed a lot and continues to add bars, cafe's, etc so it may surprise many of you who haven't been there for some time... but what is really great is that it is unspoilt.!! Many other cities the world over created concrete jungles in the 60's and 70's... Perth managed to avoid that and having lovely green belts alongside its river is a rarity... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aussiederek Posted May 15, 2016 Share Posted May 15, 2016 I'm one of the ones who doesn't really like Perth. Bland and boring come to mind and I couldn't live in such a place. Not that where we live is that exciting but compared with Perth it is. It looks nice though and is a good place to spend a long weekend. WA in general , though- I love it, so beautiful, especially Esperance. I'm not a great fan of Perth or Australia generally. I agree starlight7, bland and boring does indeed come to mind! You have to work at creating an interesting life here and that can be hard work. Not everybody needs beach, surf, wineries, mind-numbing Aussie BBQs, footy etc., to provide a fulfilled life. On the other hand, we have arguably the best medical service in the world, which we have been very grateful for in recent years (we are in our mid 70s). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aussiederek Posted May 15, 2016 Share Posted May 15, 2016 Like so many things in life, there are those who love Perth and those who don't. It is a clean city and quite unspoilt and beautiful, but by its nature it is quieter than larger cities... for some, that is its appeal - for others, not. It is a fantastic place to raise a family and I would imagine its a great place to retire.... It has changed a lot and continues to add bars, cafe's, etc so it may surprise many of you who haven't been there for some time... but what is really great is that it is unspoilt.!! Many other cities the world over created concrete jungles in the 60's and 70's... Perth managed to avoid that and having lovely green belts alongside its river is a rarity... You are right there, some love Perth and some don't. I'm not a great fan myself, but the place 'works' in essential areas of life. Nevertheless, generally boring as!!! Friendships tend to be shallow and it has been our experience that friends come and go. Whereas our old friends back in Northern Ireland are still there and keep in touch and we enjoy their company when back on holidays. We've been here for 30 years and Perth has changed a lot, mostly for the better. However, I'm not sure it is that good a place to retire. Centrelink means tests everything and I think UK pensioners are much better off. Being in our mid 70s the thought of growing older here does not lie well with me. Retirement villages and care homes are like cold and formal cemetery waiting rooms .... but that's just me! Health care in my native Northern Ireland is disfunctional but somehow more homely. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Libra Posted May 15, 2016 Share Posted May 15, 2016 Most Brits that move here on a PR visa, stay, so the question is a bit mute really. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aussiederek Posted May 15, 2016 Share Posted May 15, 2016 Most Brits that move here on a PR visa, stay, so the question is a bit mute really. Can you substantiate your statement that most Brits who come here on a PR visa stay? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pommie Posted May 15, 2016 Share Posted May 15, 2016 You are right there, some love Perth and some don't. I'm not a great fan myself, but the place 'works' in essential areas of life. Nevertheless, generally boring as!!! Friendships tend to be shallow and it has been our experience that friends come and go. Whereas our old friends back in Northern Ireland are still there and keep in touch and we enjoy their company when back on holidays.We've been here for 30 years and Perth has changed a lot, mostly for the better. However, I'm not sure it is that good a place to retire. Centrelink means tests everything and I think UK pensioners are much better off. Being in our mid 70s the thought of growing older here does not lie well with me. Retirement villages and care homes are like cold and formal cemetery waiting rooms .... but that's just me! Health care in my native Northern Ireland is disfunctional but somehow more homely. You might find that your views on retirement in Northern Island are somewhat clouded by rose-tinted-glasses....!! We moved back from Perth after 5 years in 2015 and can't wait to get back..!! We allowed a distorted view from holidays to cloud our judgement..!! reality bites when your here full time !! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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