Things you miss about Britain

[Parley]

9 minutes ago, Bobj said:

Stupidly cold here, Mackay tropical coastal Queensland, wet, windy and 18c...

Cheers, Bobj.

2 degrees in Melbourne this morning. No cloud cover so really cold and frosty grass.

A top of 14 today brrr.

[Toots]

2 hours ago, Rallyman said:

Are you in uk then ? 
I personally don’t miss the cold in uk 

It was minus 1C overnight here and 2 when I was out and about this morning.  Not a cloud in the sky and frosty.  Lovely.  

[Toots]

4 hours ago, Tulip1 said:

I’d struggle without my airing cupboard. I have a hanging rod at the top from one side to the other that I hang washing on and a few slated shelves for smaller bits like underwear. Things dry overnight in my airing cupboard.  It’s an amazing place.

I have a big airing cupboard in the laundry - built around the hot water tank.    I store towels and bed linen there.

[ali]

There might be some foods I miss but to be honest it's probably nostalgia - I loved hollands meat puddings but they're probably not as good as I remember

[Blue Flu]

13 hours ago, Marisawright said:

As a pig in mud. My hubby (who’s Australian) persuaded me to try retiring back in the UK because he loves holidaying in Europe but it didn’t work out and I am so glad to be back!

If a case of retiring and Europe was a prime focus in returning to UK, would not moving to a country of choice within the EU (UK was still a member back then) have been more appropriate? A late middle aged couple in my street two plus years ago moved to Spain, without knowledge of language and though kept their house and rent out have not returned , even with difficult times with the virus.

[Quoll]

Lots!

My son and grandson.  Walking around in history - love castles and cathedrals and their stories.  The weather. Variety in pretty much everything in such a small space - the countryside, the supermarkets, entertainment options.  Trains. Seasons. Food especially meat from our village butcher, not to mention his sausages. Wool shops and wool shows. The friendliness of the people and their sense of humour. The NHS. Decent affordable second hand cars.

[HappyHeart]

14 hours ago, Bulya said:

Supermarkets here have ‘alcohol on the shelves’, strange post. And British chocolate really isn’t, it’s vegelate or surrogate chocolate.  That’s why it was banned in Europe for so many years, but now can be sold as Family Milk Chocolate (decided lack of cocoa solids).  And there’s no shortage of old fashioned pubs, in NSW at least…  

In WA there’s no booze in the supermarket. It’s a separate bottle shop. 
British chocolate tastes better. Lower melting point. My personal preference. 
No hundreds of years old pubs in my neck of the woods. 
PS: it’s not a competition. 

[HappyHeart]

7 minutes ago, Quoll said:

Lots!

My son and grandson.  Walking around in history - love castles and cathedrals and their stories.  The weather. Variety in pretty much everything in such a small space - the countryside, the supermarkets, entertainment options.  Trains. Seasons. Food especially meat from our village butcher, not to mention his sausages. Wool shops and wool shows. The friendliness of the people and their sense of humour. The NHS. Decent affordable second hand cars.

only talking about my old car last night. A P reg Ford Fiesta that cost me £800. Sounds like such a small amount of money. It was an awesome car! I was so sad to sell it! 

Edited May 30, 2021 by HappyHeart

[Toots]

@Quoll mentioned missing trains.  There are no passenger trains here in Tasmania.    I miss train travel so much.  How lovely it would be to hop on a train here to explore other parts of Tassie instead of always having to drive.

Apart from that, except for good friends, there really isn't anything else I miss.

[Toots]

3 hours ago, Bulya said:

Radiators are extremely inefficient heating.  

In what way?

[Blue Flu]

I guess it depends on the time of life we are talking about. When younger what I missed after a year back in Australia, was for want of another word the tribalism clearly on display in UK. Well England anyway. It wasn't as I suppose individual and easier to find 'your tribe' be that in music, sport , hobbies and so on. Just an observation on my part anyway from the eyes of an early twenties something. 

These days it would be more choice. Easier access. More to do. As for individual items besides some pubs with an atmosphere , especially on a summers day, not too much. 

Certainly the chocolate is on another level.  I occasionally miss a simple greasy spoon cafe for a Full English with mugs of hot steaming tea and a copy of The Observer . The differing sound of English voices and accents. The walkability of cities like London combined with a great, though expensive public transport system, the ability to live at least in London, without a car. The wonderful opportunities to ramble long distances , rather like the English seaside , the friendliness of the people in places like Newcastle and their ability to chat readily with a stranger. Obviously the train with the ability to be in Paris in a few hours. National Express coaches for operating a wonderful net work across the British Isles/Europe at very reasonable prices. 

Obviously The NHS. Still up there and holding its own (just) even with countless government austerity measures. English sense of homour. It just can't be beaten once understood. Obviously there are a few things that don't miss. But that isn't the question posed.

Edited May 30, 2021 by Blue Flu

[Bulya]

41 minutes ago, HappyHeart said:

In WA there’s no booze in the supermarket. It’s a separate bottle shop. 
British chocolate tastes better. Lower melting point. My personal preference. 
No hundreds of years old pubs in my neck of the woods. 
PS: it’s not a competition. 

British chocolate that isn’t chocolate.  Coloured textured vegetable oil.  

Edited May 30, 2021 by Bulya
Grammar

[Bulya]

31 minutes ago, Toots said:

In what way?

Poor way to heat.  Radiators are point source, usually places under a window on an external wall etc etc.  Energy companies in the U.K have been trying for decades to get owners to move to efficient types of heating with limited success.  

Edited May 30, 2021 by Bulya

[Marisawright]

43 minutes ago, Blue Flu said:

If a case of retiring and Europe was a prime focus in returning to UK, would not moving to a country of choice within the EU (UK was still a member back then) have been more appropriate?

Ah, let's not go there!   Living in Italy was my first suggestion when we thought of going overseas, because that is his favourite country.  However, my husband was very worried about getting stuck in an expat enclave--whether pretentious arty-farty types in somewhere like Florence, or English bogans (chavs?) in Spain.  He didn't see any way of escaping an expat lifestyle and living like a local, because he has never been good at languages (I've always suspected he is slightly deaf or has some other kind of hearing impediment, which he wont admit). 

I guess it comes down to "finding your tribe" which you allude to in your other post.  He didn't think we'd stand much chance of finding our tribe in a European city due to the language barrier. 

And I should mention, it would've had to be a city.    One thing I learned from our stay in the UK is that we are happiest in a large, bustling metropolis.  That's something that is slowly starting to change as we approach 70, though.

Edited May 30, 2021 by Marisawright

[Marisawright]

51 minutes ago, Quoll said:

. The friendliness of the people 

It's funny how often this comes up, and I can't let it pass.  Brits are NOT friendlier than Aussies, and Aussies are NOT friendlier than Brits.  It depends on what part of the country you are in.   I found Hampshire people very unfriendly (unless they were Polish).

 

Edited May 30, 2021 by Marisawright

[Marisawright]

45 minutes ago, Blue Flu said:

I occasionally miss a simple greasy spoon cafe for a Full English with mugs of hot steaming tea and a copy of The Observer . The differing sound of English voices and accents. The walkability of cities like London combined with a great, though expensive public transport system, the ability to live at least in London, without a car. The wonderful opportunities to ramble long distances , rather like the English seaside , the friendliness of the people in places like Newcastle and their ability to chat readily with a stranger.

This resonates with me because it's what we've found in Melbourne.  Not a greasy spoon (thank God!) but an Italian café, lingering over an English breakfast with delicious coffee and the newspaper.  Having a wide choice of ways to take a leisurely walk home through leafy streets full of Georgian and Victorian architecture, their gardens bursting with olives and lemons and pomegranates thanks to the Italian and Greek migrants of the fifties. We've been here for five years and felt no need for a car - where we live, we have the choice of two tram lines and three bus services within minutes, and two train lines within fifteen minutes' walk.  Although we have bought a car this year because of the lockdowns.  I've also found Melburnians to be very friendly, something I worried about before I arrived (after the frosty reception I got in Hampshire, I was beginning to think I was the problem not everyone else, and feared I'd make no friends in Melbourne either!).

I used to ramble but that was because of my first husband's enthusiasm.  I have a horror of mud and creepy-crawlies so I am much happier rambling cityscapes and civilised parks!  The one thing I do miss is long walks by the sea.

Edited May 30, 2021 by Marisawright

[rtritudr]

15 hours ago, tom1993 said:

British TV and radio, I can’t stand aussie radio. The other day the hosts were laughing for 10 minutes straight at the thought of riding on a horse naked, I had to switch it off and drive home in silence. 
 

I miss not paying $55 a kilo for ginger which I like to use in smoothies and cooking with. I miss my old job and colleagues. 

These days you can stream British radio quite easily via the internet.  Just install Simple Radio on your phone and you can stream it while you drive too.

[Bulya]

26 minutes ago, rtritudr said:

These days you can stream British radio quite easily via the internet.  Just install Simple Radio on your phone and you can stream it while you drive too.

Or TuneIn Radio free

[Wanderer Returns]

17 hours ago, HappyHeart said:

 After 12 plus years I still miss:

My old friends (so much)

British style curry (and the curry meal deals in Asda and Morrisons)

Massive superstore supermarkets with everything including alcohol on the shelves. 

A decent selection of crisps 

Old fashioned pubs and real ale

Sunday lunch at the in laws or my Dad's. 

Carvery at the Toby 

Proper chocolate

Coastal towns and villages in Wales

Historic Catherdrals 

Villages in the countryside. 

That's pretty much me too, except for family (who've all gone) and crisps. I like those spicy chilli crisps they do here in Aldi more than any of the crisps I used to buy in the UK. Pubs, supermarkets and the countryside would definitely be at the top of my list.

[Bulya]

Southern Region steam locomotives.  Everything else is better here if one bothers to look…

[MacGyver]

I previously thought I missed a lot of things about Scotland, until I spent 8 months back there and found the nostalgia didn’t match the reality. I craved things like Scottish style Chinese takeaway, but found it just made me feel sick and paled in comparison to clean, authentic Asian takeaway options in Australia. I also thought I missed various sweets and treats, but found it all a bit excessive and realised I rarely touch the stuff anyway. In the end I missed more about Australia while in Scotland, than I missed about Scotland while in Australia.

I do still miss the architecture dotted around Scotland. When in Glasgow and Edinburgh I always find myself walking around looking up, as almost every building is so rich in history. London is on another level when it comes to architecture too, fantastic place to wander around. But in all honesty, after living there for a while you take it for granted and stop noticing and I found the lifestyle very unhealthy in comparison to Australia. I know that’s subjective and not intended to cause a debate of Australia vs Uk 

[Rallyman]

6 hours ago, Parley said:

You would be unlucky. But I did have one which died after about 20 years and water was pouring out of. That was a long time ago now. The new stainless steel tanks are great.

I think though having outside you can have a much bigger tank.

No chance in uk it would freeze up 

[Rallyman]

4 hours ago, Toots said:

It was minus 1C overnight here and 2 when I was out and about this morning.  Not a cloud in the sky and frosty.  Lovely.  

It gets cool at night here in the Hunter with the odd frost but always warms up to around 17/18 in winter , I certainly don’t miss working in 1-2 degrees all day or sleet and rain. 

[HappyHeart]

1 hour ago, Rallyman said:

It gets cool at night here in the Hunter with the odd frost but always warms up to around 17/18 in winter , I certainly don’t miss working in 1-2 degrees all day or sleet and rain. 

I honestly don't think I could.cope with the cold in the UK again..It's another level. I certainly don't miss it and the last trip back at Christmas 2014  put pay to any nostalgic yearnings for the chill and snow. It was nice as a novelty. We're extremely cold here at 13d and that's a decent Spring day there. Ive developed Reynauds in Winter over the last few years so heaven knows how bad it'd be over there. 

[Peach]

Scotch Eggs..