How Weird Does It Feel?

buddy · July 23, 2010

Plenty of nice places to live in the UK. I wouldn't call it a dump.

Agree there are some lovely places in the UK, The Yorkshire Dales, The lake District, Noth Wales, Devon, Cornwall, The Highlands etc, however you cant eat scenery.

The UK is now a land for the Rich, a two up two down town house can cost over 250,000 pounds, so you wouldnt have much of a life as you would be constantly working to pay for the bricks and mortar of your dog kennel.

To live in one of these nice places you have to be very rich or inherited.

WarpSpeed · July 23, 2010

I guess most here just don't have the privilege of living in a place that has everything like I had, I'm very much looking forward to my return in the not too distant future.... I've been realizing and continue to realize that I had taken it for granted having been there my entire life and not really knowing any better... I'll be very happy and thankful upon my return when that fateful day becomes reality.. No doubt some adjustment to be made some struggles to be had and some things not so perfect but certainly a far greater over all way of life for me and my family with great promise for a happy healthy and fulfilling future none of which exists here not having complete control of any of that like I did back home..

What is often overlooked when living here and complaining about cost of everything back home is the theory of relativity. Many things are just as expensive here as back home and in some cases even more so and no possibility of even owning outright important things such as land and houses or being able to even operate your own boat for example and here there is far less income potential to compensate.

Edited July 23, 2010 by WarpSpeed

Naam · July 23, 2010

How Weird Does It Feel? setting foot back in your homeland

it felt bloody cold last december.

jackinbkk · July 23, 2010

I came back to England from Thailand after about 2 years out there. I loved it and never wanted to come back. However needing a sound job brought me back.

I've been very lucky in finding a great one back here.

I have to say England does have it's benefits. Certainly the NHS, western food and things like safety.

I like that people are aware there are rules of the road here but I know the old bill enforce things too far. Why they cant show some common sense and leniency I don't know.

Thailand not enough enforcement, England too much enforcement.

If England had the weather and the fishing I'd be much happier. Also the young attractive women would be a plus. The 320 days of rain in England per year and near constatnt overcast skies

really annoy me. Then again the Thai's dont like the Sun much. They avoid it and I can totally understand. Again England too little, Thailand too much. This is one reason why I think everyone is so miserable here. White miserable (and now often obese) pasty faces.

The people here in the office all talk about wanting to get away to the sun and the beach. No wonder so many farang look mad walking around topless in the blazing Thai sun, red as a beetroot.

England is certainly very materialistic. Everyone here goes on about brand names/designer goods etc. I suppose some people are the same in Thailand but it's not me.

It is nice not to see a calculator and baht signs flashing in front of a Thai's eyes every time I want to buy something . It's overpriced here but it's written down overpriced and charged over price to everyone, not just foregners. Could you iimagine such as system where prices varied according to skin colour in England lol.

I would happily return to Thailand and never want to come back to England again, but we can't always have what we want unfortunately.

Life is comfortable in England, just bloody miserable :jap:

buddy · July 23, 2010

I came back to England from Thailand after about 2 years out there. I loved it and never wanted to come back. However needing a sound job brought me back.

I've been very lucky in finding a great one back here.

I have to say England does have it's benefits. Certainly the NHS, western food and things like safety.

I like that people are aware there are rules of the road here but I know the old bill enforce things too far. Why they cant show some common sense and leniency I don't know.

Thailand not enough enforcement, England too much enforcement.

If England had the weather and the fishing I'd be much happier. Also the young attractive women would be a plus. The 320 days of rain in England per year and near constatnt overcast skies

really annoy me. Then again the Thai's dont like the Sun much. They avoid it and I can totally understand. Again England too little, Thailand too much. This is one reason why I think everyone is so miserable here. White miserable (and now often obese) pasty faces.

The people here in the office all talk about wanting to get away to the sun and the beach. No wonder so many farang look mad walking around topless in the blazing Thai sun, red as a beetroot.

England is certainly very materialistic. Everyone here goes on about brand names/designer goods etc. I suppose some people are the same in Thailand but it's not me.

It is nice not to see a calculator and baht signs flashing in front of a Thai's eyes every time I want to buy something . It's overpriced here but it's written down overpriced and charged over price to everyone, not just foregners. Could you iimagine such as system where prices varied according to skin colour in England lol.

I would happily return to Thailand and never want to come back to England again, but we can't always have what we want unfortunately.

Life is comfortable in England, just bloody miserable :jap:

I cant see any mileage in staying in any Country where you are miserable, if you have the finances get out.

You only have one life so why spend it in a miserable existance, enjoy life now while you can..... because in the future your going to be dead for Billions of years!

taninthai · July 23, 2010

i would say england is just about bearable in the summer time winter time forget it england scams the tourist just about as much as thailand why do you think they bought the oyster card system in for london underground any one who lives there has 1 as a tourist you do not know they exist you seen the prices for a train ticket without an oyster card ,when up town i will only ever go in tesco to buy something every other shop ups the price anything from 10p t0 50p have to go back myself next may for 6 months work after being here 3 years not looking forward to it....

jackinbkk · July 23, 2010

before I came to Thailand I was in London.

Now that's very different to the rest of England. Being jammed into an underground train twice a day, day in day out is depressing.

You can't really keep a car when you are there.

I brought a car down once and after not long got fined 200 quid. Clamped + towed. Is it possible to be fined 10,000 baht for something like that in Thailand.

The con artists later tried to fine me for the same ticket again claiming I was parked on a different street and hadnt paid a ticket.

In the photo i could see a post box. Low and behold the one from the original fine/street. The new claim had no postbox on the street so beware.

I should have filled charges against them!

Anyway now i'm back outside of London where it's not 1 million people per metre.

Luckily i'm young so I have future plans for Thailand again...

However maybe Laos or similar will develop to become a contender for my money tree pounds?

p.s. Good thing about being back in England. You can be understood. Unfortunately that means you know people here really are idiots or just useless. same same.

taninthai · July 23, 2010

before I came to Thailand I was in London.

Now that's very different to the rest of England. Being jammed into an underground train twice a day, day in day out is depressing.

You can't really keep a car when you are there.

I brought a car down once and after not long got fined 200 quid. Clamped + towed. Is it possible to be fined 10,000 baht for something like that in Thailand.

The con artists later tried to fine me for the same ticket again claiming I was parked on a different street and hadnt paid a ticket.

In the photo i could see a post box. Low and behold the one from the original fine/street. The new claim had no postbox on the street so beware.

I should have filled charges against them!

Anyway now i'm back outside of London where it's not 1 million people per metre.

Luckily i'm young so I have future plans for Thailand again...

However maybe Laos or similar will develop to become a contender for my money tree pounds?

p.s. Good thing about being back in England. You can be understood. Unfortunately that means you know people here really are idiots or just useless. same same.

hahahahah the trains if they transported animals like that in england the companies would be fined but its okay for us mere humans getting them trains eveydaty is what actually got me into motorbikes cant be doing the trains ,and my bike is the only thing i really miss from england why oh why cant i bring my bike thailand.................

tigerfish · July 23, 2010

one thing that used to really get my goat, was companies that would enforce their own rules when it came down to bank holidays, certain parts of the summer, when certain sporting events were being played and other times of the year when people were given a holiday break.

what im going on about is the fact that people would be warned that disciplinary measures would be taken if people were not to turn up for work.

if the u.k. wasnt so obsessed with work all the time and gave the people the time to actually enjoy their lives, i feel that problems like this wouldnt exist.

yet on the flip side nothing can be done or is done about shops or businesses opening all the hours god sends and working people into the ground when it suits the employers.

while the fat cats just sit back and watch the money roll in.

Edited July 23, 2010 by tigerfish

buddy · July 23, 2010

Nice to see your wise to the scams. And who's behind most of the counters.

Must be a shock to the Thais when first landing in London for the first time expecting it to be populated with pastey white Falangs and then seeing "Multi-Culturalism" first hand.

taninthai · July 23, 2010

Nice to see your wise to the scams. And who's behind most of the counters.

Must be a shock to the Thais when first landing in London for the first time expecting it to be populated with pastey white Falangs and then seeing "Multi-Culturalism" first hand.

had to laugh when the misses started watching england in the world cup her comment

huh england falang have dark skin

Edited July 23, 2010 by taninthai

GuestHouse · July 23, 2010

It doesn't feel weird at all.

Quite the contrary, arriving back home is exactly that arriving back HOME.

Must be a shock to the Thais when first landing in London for the first time expecting it to be populated with pastey white Falangs and then seeing "Multi-Culturalism" first hand.

I wouldn't expect a Thai to understand, well not on first arrival, but one of my most distinct memories of arriving back in the UK after several years overseas was being greeted by a black British woman at the rail ticket kiosk with words to the effect of 'hello my love, where are you going'.

As British as British can be, non of the Farang, Luk Kreung <deleted> that is dealt out in Thailand on a daily basis.

People who knock the old county would be well to remember that when the sh1t hits the fan, when their washed up financially or their health has gone to sh1t, the old country will always have them back .... and take care of them.

Sorry, if you don't come from the most civilized nation on the planet you might not understand that.

Edited July 23, 2010 by GuestHouse

taninthai · July 23, 2010

It doesn't feel weird at all.

Quite the contrary, arriving back home is exactly that arriving back HOME.

Must be a shock to the Thais when first landing in London for the first time expecting it to be populated with pastey white Falangs and then seeing "Multi-Culturalism" first hand.

I wouldn't expect a Thai to understand, well not on first arrival, but one of my most distinct memories of arriving back in the UK after several years overseas was being greeted by a black British woman at the rail ticket kiosk with words to the effect of 'hello my love, where are you going'.

As British as British can be, non of the Farang, Luk Kreung <deleted> that is dealt out in Thailand on a daily basis.

People who knock the old county would be well to remember that when the sh1t hits the fan, when their washed up financially or their health has gone to sh1t, the old country will always have them back .... and take care of them.

Sorry, if you don't come from the most civilized nation on the planet you might not understand that.

when in england i work self employed recieved letter few months ago saying i need to have 30 years ni contributions to recieve state pension at the moment i only have 12 years and im 37 years old also informed me last year due to only working 4 months i need to send them 270 quid to top up that years contributions and make it count to the 30 year target so yes they will have me back but aint gonna give me no pension.makes my blood boil........

Ulysses G. · July 23, 2010

Sorry, if you don't come from the most civilized nation on the planet you might not understand that.

Holland?

maccaroni man · July 24, 2010

a few yrs ago i made my 1st return to the states in 10yrs, post 911 so i was bracing myself to see something like zurich with personel carries on the run way and armed men walking the terminal tbh i was a bit scared dont know exactly why but from the moment i hit the sfo arrival gate everything went smooth as silk, the transfer from airport to the online hotel i booked, the room itself was better than what i had hoped for, the sfo bus system was a breeze, doing business too easy, got a drivers lic and a aaa card in one morning and once i rented a car and was on the road things even became easier, driving in the states is like a dream compared to se asia, food prices and rents were the same or less than on samui. i was traveling with my 8 yr. old son and we stayed for 4 months clocked about 15k miles and made a large circle of the country, it was fun, easy and i am looking forward to doing it again.

mrbojangles · July 24, 2010

I love going back to the UK. It gives me a reality check of exactly what I'm not missing.

MJP · July 24, 2010

I actually enjoy going "home" from time to time, stay for 5-6 weeks at a time and Mrs Soutpeel enjoys it as well, in fact she wants to move there once I have finished work in Thailand.

Could I live there have to do a 9 to 5 again ?....no way....."retire" there.......you bet

Both replies to date appear to have been about "good old" Blighty.....could I live there again ?....no f*kcing way.....its a miserable dump.

Plenty of nice places to live in the UK. I wouldn't call it a dump.

There are. The UK really is a lovely country, it's culture too (with the exception of particular chav and wannabe toff sub-cultures). Just a shame I never get to live in the nice bits. It's back to a blue bunkabin hut on toxic waste sites in the worst areas . . . every time. More 5am to 9pm as well.

It is always strange exiting the arrivals hall. Always met with that gray sky, a chill (even in the summer) and this shocking air of 'oh no, this is real!' There's rarely any colour. It does feel like stepping into a black and white telly.

GuestHouse · July 24, 2010

when in england i work self employed recieved letter few months ago saying i need to have 30 years ni contributions to recieve state pension at the moment i only have 12 years and im 37 years old also informed me last year due to only working 4 months i need to send them 270 quid to top up that years contributions and make it count to the 30 year target so yes they will have me back but aint gonna give me no pension.makes my blood boil........

The pension you would receive would be based on the amount of contributions you have made - if you have made 30 years contribution you receive full pension, anything less than thirty years and you will receive a ratio'd pensioned between full and minimum pension. If that, together with your other income is insufficient to raise you above the welfare line, you would receive welfare.

So don't feel so hard done by.

taninthai · July 24, 2010

when in england i work self employed recieved letter few months ago saying i need to have 30 years ni contributions to recieve state pension at the moment i only have 12 years and im 37 years old also informed me last year due to only working 4 months i need to send them 270 quid to top up that years contributions and make it count to the 30 year target so yes they will have me back but aint gonna give me no pension.makes my blood boil........

The pension you would receive would be based on the amount of contributions you have made - if you have made 30 years contribution you receive full pension, anything less than thirty years and you will receive a ratio'd pensioned between full and minimum pension. If that, together with your other income is insufficient to raise you above the welfare line, you would receive welfare.

So don't feel so hard done by.

hahahaha

thats good to know i will look forward to it 28 years

Richb2004v2 · July 24, 2010

It doesn't feel weird at all.

Quite the contrary, arriving back home is exactly that arriving back HOME.

Must be a shock to the Thais when first landing in London for the first time expecting it to be populated with pastey white Falangs and then seeing "Multi-Culturalism" first hand.

I wouldn't expect a Thai to understand, well not on first arrival, but one of my most distinct memories of arriving back in the UK after several years overseas was being greeted by a black British woman at the rail ticket kiosk with words to the effect of 'hello my love, where are you going'.

As British as British can be, non of the Farang, Luk Kreung <deleted> that is dealt out in Thailand on a daily basis.

People who knock the old county would be well to remember that when the sh1t hits the fan, when their washed up financially or their health has gone to sh1t, the old country will always have them back .... and take care of them.

Sorry, if you don't come from the most civilized nation on the planet you might not understand that.

When ever I arrive in Heathrow I am always pleased with how friendly and helpful the staff are regardless of their ethnicity. The genuinely helpful people are a breath of fresh air after so much 'mai me' and wrong information.

I can accept people saying they 'prefer' Thailand to the Uk, but to say that Thailand is in any way 'better' is I think ludicrous.

Ulysses G. · July 24, 2010

I can accept people saying they 'prefer' Thailand to the Uk, but to say that Thailand is in any way 'better' is I think ludicrous.

That is fair.

RasiMike · July 25, 2010

About 2 years ago my Thai wife and I decided to move our 2 young sons, from Thailand back to OZ. We did this so we could give them (what we think will be) a better education and allow them more choices for their future. From the outset it felt quite weird, my wife and I found it difficult to settle in as we didn't really want to leave the home and life we'd built nor leave behind our friends / family in Issan. Within a couple of months of arriving we settled into a home and new routine, though not that of the mainstream. All of the friends we've made are either Thai/New Guinean/Japanese families or other combinations of people from different countries and cultures......We appreciate and enjoy the natural surrounding and food standards, the good living conditions and relatively inexpensive / high quality lifestyle that northern Australia has to offer, but my wife and I prefer to experience and share it with non- Australians, 99% of the time....................It seems WE are the weird ones, estranged from, and sharing very little in common with most Australians / westeners nowadays. Fortunately our kids haven't yet learned prejudice or how to identify what is weird, so are able to enjoy the company of other kids, no matter what they look like, where they come from or which accent they speak with.

When we arrived back here the most obvious 'weird' thing we experienced in Australia is the way many people seem to want / need more, without realising that they already have the lot....Despite near perfect living conditions, most believe that somehow they need better and many more believe that somebody else should give it to them, and / or, has to answer for not delivering.

I've begun to recognise it not as weirdness however, but a special blend of ignorance and arrogance that I've decided to call " plain stupidity ". My good wife is trying to educate me on how to ignoring it completely.

buddy · July 25, 2010

I wouldn't expect a Thai to understand, well not on first arrival, but one of my most distinct memories of arriving back in the UK after several years overseas was being greeted by a black British woman at the rail ticket kiosk with words to the effect of 'hello my love, where are you going'.

As British as British can be, non of the Farang, Luk Kreung <deleted> that is dealt out in Thailand on a daily basis.

People who knock the old county would be well to remember that when the sh1t hits the fan, when their washed up financially or their health has gone to sh1t, the old country will always have them back .... and take care of them.

Sorry, if you don't come from the most civilized nation on the planet you might not understand that.

when in england i work self employed recieved letter few months ago saying i need to have 30 years ni contributions to recieve state pension at the moment i only have 12 years and im 37 years old also informed me last year due to only working 4 months i need to send them 270 quid to top up that years contributions and make it count to the 30 year target so yes they will have me back but aint gonna give me no pension.makes my blood boil........

Yes got the same sh*te....they said you have to contribute for 44 years, yes frigging 44 years to qualify for your pension.

I ran my own successful business for 10 years in the UK and believe me I paid some hefty taxes, so in percentage terms I have paid in more than my fair share,

however I am treated worse that a dole dosser who has never worked in his life and never paid a penny, he/she gets all the contributions paid by the state and whilst sitting in his paid for council house at 65 years of age collects the full pension, thank you very much, whilst I who has contributed for 27 years gets my pension slashed!

Guess who is paying for the multi-tudes of dole dossers who have contributed Zero, Nada, Zilch?....yes me and plenty of other hard working folk.

Civilized Nation?

phuketrichard · July 25, 2010

When i first left the states i did not return for over 10 years. Now in the past 5 years i have been going back once every year. It does not feel like homee and 2 weeks is about all i can take. Of course my 16 year old daughter loves it but for me Asia and particuarlly Thailand is home.In the past 31 years i have lived in the states a total of less than 16 months and each time couldn't wait to leave. America is just not the place i grew up in.

9/11 changed evrything and i do not like the changes and have no intention of ever living there again. ON that, I live in Phuket and ove it BUT thats becasue of all that the island offers with the most important one being good schools for my daughter. Once she is off to America for university (2 more years here) I am off to Cambodia.(where i lived for a year when she went and lived with my sister for a year) Even Thailand has undergone more chnages than i wish to accept.

Asia gets in ur blood. Its the life style, the ease, ( once u know how things work)and the long term freindships u develop. PLus and this hold true for many of my friends we never quite felt that our homelands where THE place to be

ExoticMatter · July 25, 2010

Some people keep their feet in a pond and some people keep their feet in a puddle. I like to think I keep my feet in the sea

MJP · July 25, 2010