"newbie"

[not a hillbilly]

New to this site but not to Tassie.  Moved to Launceston from Brissy 15yrs ago to help sister with ailing mother & now stuck here.

Always got on better with Poms & Europeans rather than Aussies & have found too many hillbillies in this town.

Want to go back to UK for one last holiday before I die but can't travel alone any more & there doesn't seem to be any tours that go where I want to see.  Done the church & castle thing years ago.  Want to see my ancestor's farm (c. 1730) as well as what's new since 1980.  Love museums - railway, aircraft & general scenery.

Even tho I've been in Oz since 1966 I miss England, each time I go back for a holiday I know I'm "Home".

[Marisawright]

I'm so sorry to hear you're stuck where you don't want to be.   It's sad that we see so many people in your situation.   It seems to be a common thing, that people who don't settle in Australia will soldier on, telling themselves "I can always go home when I retire", only to discover it's not practical when they get to that age. 

If you like railways, maybe a rail tour?  https://experienceuk.com.au/tour-category/rail-tours/

 

 

 

[Toots]

1 hour ago, not a hillbilly said:

New to this site but not to Tassie.  Moved to Launceston from Brissy 15yrs ago to help sister with ailing mother & now stuck here.

Always got on better with Poms & Europeans rather than Aussies & have found too many hillbillies in this town.

Want to go back to UK for one last holiday before I die but can't travel alone any more & there doesn't seem to be any tours that go where I want to see.  Done the church & castle thing years ago.  Want to see my ancestor's farm (c. 1730) as well as what's new since 1980.  Love museums - railway, aircraft & general scenery.

Even tho I've been in Oz since 1966 I miss England, each time I go back for a holiday I know I'm "Home".

I'm along the road from you in Devonport.  Know what you mean about the hillbillies.  I just tend to steer clear.  We've been here almost 10 years but I feel quite at home.  We live in the quiet part of town where the hillbillies don't bother us.  

As Marisa has already said, there are many people like yourself who feel stuck and unhappy.  Are there any social clubs you could join?  You might find that there will be a fair percentage of people there from the UK and Europe.

[not a hillbilly]

Hi Marisa,

Can never go home to live again, tried in 2000 - too expensive & difficult re-settling.  Just getting a bank account was almost impossible, LLoyds TSB was the only one that helped me (probably by bending the rules a bit).

thanks, did the Ffestiniog in 1977 & want to do the Isle of Man & Crich as I'm more a Trammie than a steam guy.  Will avoid BR - last trip there we went down the wrong line, sat for 45 mins then backed up for 20 mins !  May have been works but .....  Found it faster to walk the 5 miles home in the rain from the station than wait for the next service which like the previous two might be cancelled   I always seem to get rain when I use the train in UK.

 

Have done the Don River & West Coast Wilderness railways here.

 

In the words of W.C. Fields ...  Hi ya Toots.

There are one or two clubs that I found straight away but most members were quite unsophisticated compared to the UK so I usually use the internet for socializing.  Keep myself as busy as I can & a new museum that's starting might keep me interested for a while as the other one I've been volunteering at for 3 yrs is dying.

Have to work tomorrow, catch you guys up later.

[InnerVoice]

9 hours ago, not a hillbilly said:

New to this site but not to Tassie.  Moved to Launceston from Brissy 15yrs ago to help sister with ailing mother & now stuck here.

Always got on better with Poms & Europeans rather than Aussies & have found too many hillbillies in this town.

Want to go back to UK for one last holiday before I die but can't travel alone any more & there doesn't seem to be any tours that go where I want to see.  Done the church & castle thing years ago.  Want to see my ancestor's farm (c. 1730) as well as what's new since 1980.  Love museums - railway, aircraft & general scenery.

Even tho I've been in Oz since 1966 I miss England, each time I go back for a holiday I know I'm "Home".

I visited Tasmania back in February and thought Launceston was a lovely place, and one I might consider in retirement - but you've just put me off it now!

[Marisawright]

5 hours ago, not a hillbilly said:

Hi Marisa,

Can never go home to live again, tried in 2000 - too expensive & difficult re-settling.  Just getting a bank account was almost impossible, LLoyds TSB was the only one that helped me (probably by bending the rules a bit).

I understand about the expensive, but you're wrong about the bank account.  It is complicated opening a bank account, but it is by no means impossible. All you need is to have a residential address in the UK, and provide proof of that fact.  Of course, if you have just arrived from overseas, you don't have a residential address so you just have to wait until you've signed a lease or bought a property.  That can take weeks of course, but one can understand why they do it, because they are trying to prevent non-residents money-laundering. 

Same with renting a place:  you have to pay six months rent upfront, which seems harsh. But if you think about it, you can undersatnd why they do it. If your income is coming from overseas, they've got no recourse if you default on your rent, so they need to be paid upfront.  

Anyhow, sounds like your decision is made so not relevant now.

[BendigoBoy]

Just to follow on regarding the account front of things, you could also set up a Wise account if you needed a UK sort code / account number

[not a hillbilly]

On 01/12/2023 at 19:12, InnerVoice said:

I visited Tasmania back in February and thought Launceston was a lovely place, and one I might consider in retirement - but you've just put me off it now!

Yes, initially that's what I thought 15 years ago.  It does look nice but things have gone downhill a lot in the last 7 years - housing prices up a lot, quite a few shops closed.  After much searching, I've found a good plumber, car mechanic & a reasonable house painter but unable to find a competent handyman or electrician.  Aurora (electricity provider) actually handed out plug-packs for you to test your own house for electrical safety as building codes before the 1990's were often ignored.  Unless built in the last 10 years, all homes need bringing up to Australian mainland standards.  Local council known for having more bureaucrats than any other & general sloppiness in government (you wouldn't believe the things I've found out in the past year !).  This town is not at all progressive.

I would recommend either Hobart (best selection of shops & activities) or north coast towns.

 

If you're into booze & food Tassie is good.

[can1983]

On 03/12/2023 at 08:30, not a hillbilly said:

Yes, initially that's what I thought 15 years ago.  It does look nice but things have gone downhill a lot in the last 7 years - housing prices up a lot, quite a few shops closed.  After much searching, I've found a good plumber, car mechanic & a reasonable house painter but unable to find a competent handyman or electrician.  Aurora (electricity provider) actually handed out plug-packs for you to test your own house for electrical safety as building codes before the 1990's were often ignored.  Unless built in the last 10 years, all homes need bringing up to Australian mainland standards.  Local council known for having more bureaucrats than any other & general sloppiness in government (you wouldn't believe the things I've found out in the past year !).  This town is not at all progressive.

I would recommend either Hobart (best selection of shops & activities) or north coast towns.

 

If you're into booze & food Tassie is good.

Can you please stop bagging out my home, if it doesn't suit you move 

Tassie is wonderful for so many things and I am proud to have my children grow up here.

Aurora home plug in kit - never heard of it

Next thing you know you'll tell me Tasmanians have two heads and IQ's below 50

[BendigoBoy]

10 minutes ago, can1983 said:

Next thing you know you'll tell me Tasmanians have two heads and IQ's below 50

Nonsense.  

Utter nonsense.

Below 80, I'd go there... But 50 is insulting.

[Toots]

45 minutes ago, can1983 said:

Can you please stop bagging out my home, if it doesn't suit you move 

Tassie is wonderful for so many things and I am proud to have my children grow up here.

Aurora home plug in kit - never heard of it

Next thing you know you'll tell me Tasmanians have two heads and IQ's below 50

Perhaps not a hillbilly could get together with the PIO member in Perth who is constantly seeking intellectual and sophisticated buddies to have meaningful conversations with? Said Perth member seems to have disappeared for the time being. 

 

[Blue Manna]

On 04/12/2023 at 04:50, can1983 said:

Can you please stop bagging out my home, if it doesn't suit you move 

Tassie is wonderful for so many things and I am proud to have my children grow up here.

Aurora home plug in kit - never heard of it

Next thing you know you'll tell me Tasmanians have two heads and IQ's below 50

"Bagging"? Don't think I've heard that before. Is it a Tassie term?

[Toots]

17 minutes ago, Blue Manna said:

"Bagging"? Don't think I've heard that before. Is it a Tassie term?

It's an Australian slang word meaning to criticize, disparage, or dismiss a person or thing.  Surprised you haven't heard of it before.

Edited December 5, 2023 by Toots

[Blue Flu]

On 04/12/2023 at 13:40, Toots said:

Perhaps not a hillbilly could get together with the PIO member in Perth who is constantly seeking intellectual and sophisticated buddies to have meaningful conversations with? Said Perth member seems to have disappeared for the time being. 

 

Or perhaps you could resist in attempting at being smart and address the issues the poster raises? So meaningful conversation is something to be 'poked fun' at is it? No wonder the poster needs to confirm themselves as Not A Hill Billy as their name. Must be harder than expected to come up for air, let alone inspiration  living where they do. 

[Blue Flu]

On 04/12/2023 at 12:50, can1983 said:

Can you please stop bagging out my home, if it doesn't suit you move 

Tassie is wonderful for so many things and I am proud to have my children grow up here.

Aurora home plug in kit - never heard of it

Next thing you know you'll tell me Tasmanians have two heads and IQ's below 50

Why shouldn't the poster say it how she finds it?? That's the problem in part with this forum, opposing narratives are not tolerated, or provoke ire. You are entitled to be what ever you may feel about it. Just as the OP. 

IQ's below 50? No idea, but some of the commentary I read on here, I would say the likelihood on not quite made the scale of measurement at this stage. But please, don't give up, when down the only way is up. 

Now as for two heads, I hadn't noticed that. But at a guess think probably not. But I'll retain constructive ambiguity  on that one. 

[BendigoBoy]

For someone who wants no part, you seem to be more than a tad confused on how to go about implementing that. Now, tais toi.

Edited December 5, 2023 by BendigoBoy

[Blue Flu]

On 01/12/2023 at 06:57, not a hillbilly said:

New to this site but not to Tassie.  Moved to Launceston from Brissy 15yrs ago to help sister with ailing mother & now stuck here.

Always got on better with Poms & Europeans rather than Aussies & have found too many hillbillies in this town.

Want to go back to UK for one last holiday before I die but can't travel alone any more & there doesn't seem to be any tours that go where I want to see.  Done the church & castle thing years ago.  Want to see my ancestor's farm (c. 1730) as well as what's new since 1980.  Love museums - railway, aircraft & general scenery.

Even tho I've been in Oz since 1966 I miss England, each time I go back for a holiday I know I'm "Home".

Yep. I know what you mean. Hillbilies, though exist in America. In OZ they are called Bogans. Tasmania was crowned having the most Bogan town in OZ. Don't recall the name. But there are a lot of English chav's in Australia I find. Tread with caution believing too much said. (too many not top drawer) 

AS for tours in UK, have you thought about Rail? A Brit Pass is cheaper when retired and allows you the freedom to use the entire network at will. I'd suggest take a look at Norfolk , but obviously have no idea of your particular interests. I do think that UK has certain advantages over Australia in the age. The closeness of things and places, better walking ways, cheaper travel and greater possibilities to get by car free. More elderly people and generally more talkative. 

 

[Blue Flu]

14 minutes ago, BendigoBoy said:

For someone who wants no part, you seem to be more than a tad confused on how to go about implementing that. Now, tais toi.

So unbecoming even for someone from Ben. . Tais toi?. You must use vous when addressing your betters.  but alas etiquette not likely your thing, displayed to date. No confusion here Ben. The light flickers very brightly indeed. 

[BendigoBoy]

9 minutes ago, Blue Flu said:

So unbecoming even for someone from Ben. . Tais toi?. You must use vous when addressing your betters.  but alas etiquette not likely your thing, displayed to date. No confusion here Ben. The light flickers very brightly indeed. 

Listen, pal, you keep fighting evolution. I'll fight the winner. Alright?

[Blue Flu]

On 01/12/2023 at 11:03, not a hillbilly said:

Hi Marisa,

Can never go home to live again, tried in 2000 - too expensive & difficult re-settling.  Just getting a bank account was almost impossible, LLoyds TSB was the only one that helped me (probably by bending the rules a bit).

thanks, did the Ffestiniog in 1977 & want to do the Isle of Man & Crich as I'm more a Trammie than a steam guy.  Will avoid BR - last trip there we went down the wrong line, sat for 45 mins then backed up for 20 mins !  May have been works but .....  Found it faster to walk the 5 miles home in the rain from the station than wait for the next service which like the previous two might be cancelled   I always seem to get rain when I use the train in UK.

 

Have done the Don River & West Coast Wilderness railways here.

 

In the words of W.C. Fields ...  Hi ya Toots.

There are one or two clubs that I found straight away but most members were quite unsophisticated compared to the UK so I usually use the internet for socializing.  Keep myself as busy as I can & a new museum that's starting might keep me interested for a while as the other one I've been volunteering at for 3 yrs is dying.

Have to work tomorrow, catch you guys up later.

Gosh the use of the word unsophisticated is really going to provoke  the ire of a few of The chavs on this forum. I guess something akin to pulling the sheet some hide under, lights off, curtains drawn, darkened windows, and exposing them to the daylight of their existence. 

Did WC Fields really say that? No wonder their memory lingers on in the public consciousness. What a corker. 

[Blue Flu]

1 minute ago, BendigoBoy said:

Listen, pal, you keep fighting evolution. I'll fight the winner. Alright?

In time perhaps if you carry on the way you do, and obviously no reason to expect otherwise, Bendigo will build a statue of you out of paper Mache in the town square.  There a certain section of the population may pay homage to you, until bored, then dismantle it with ease and transport it to the local tip. 

 

[Blue Flu]

40 minutes ago, BendigoBoy said:

For someone who wants no part, you seem to be more than a tad confused on how to go about implementing that. Now, tais toi.

Well I do like to make people's day. Lucky for you, and the attention you received (that's quite ok) that only by chance did I take a look at Poms in OZ today, to find me still being discussed , with such loving sentiment. I know they say absence and the heart  grow fonder and all that,  Certainly appears so on this platform. Never in a million years........

[InnerVoice]

50 minutes ago, Blue Flu said:

I fully appreciate that 80% must appear mind blowing extraordinary level of intelligence , but actually rather low, but congratulations if achieved that level. I had no idea. . I dare say, unlike me , neither you or some of the clones on here incurred any censure. , brought about by the discussion on the drug meth ravishing our country . Well aware of the tactics to attempt to anger the poster to the degree that they together with clones can get banned. You win Gov. I want no part of a forum that does not support free speech  and call it as it is. But certainly revealing......

I was wondering what had happened to you. I hadn't realized that you'd got yourself banned for a while, but it rather makes sense. I think we can all agree that recreational drugs are endemic in our society and the cause of many social problems. However, people come to this forum for advice and opinions about a variety of issues, so it's far from helpful if there's someone trying to work their pet subject into every thread. You've enjoyed far more 'free speech' in this forum than you ever would have done in real world, where people would have either told you to stop rambling on or just walked away from the conversation. Anyway, good to hear that you're okay and you weren't the victim of a drive-by shooting over there in the drug capital of the world.

[calNgary]

Appologies to the OP but this thread is wandering wayyy of track, so i have moved it to the Aussie chat section.

                Cal x

[Blue Flu]

10 minutes ago, InnerVoice said:

I was wondering what had happened to you. I hadn't realized that you'd got yourself banned for a while, but it rather makes sense. I think we can all agree that recreational drugs are endemic in our society and the cause of many social problems. However, people come to this forum for advice and opinions about a variety of issues, so it's far from helpful if there's someone trying to work their pet subject into every thread. You've enjoyed far more 'free speech' in this forum than you ever would have done in real world, where people would have either told you to stop rambling on or just walked away from the conversation. Anyway, good to hear that you're okay and you weren't the victim of a drive-by shooting over there in the drug capital of the world.

Others got me banned. Only on here for today as spotted by chance a mention of myself (obviously in glowing terms) Not a pet subject, but a very hard reality. I would say our democracy is in danger. But not matter too many with other interests, not equating mine on this forum , so will disappear again. Not rambling I can tell you. But anyway I do not discuss the real issues on a a forum as this. I'm out.