A Trip Home

[Simbo]

I have not been back to the UK for 4 years now. I'm contemplating a trip during next year. I meet many people out here on holiday, who tell me I wouldn't know the place now. They say it's over run with East Europeans, the prices have gone through the roof. Those of you who revisit frequently, are these stories an overstatement, or are they factual. I realise things do change, but in only 4 years, it's hard to take in the changes that, supposedly have taken place.

During the 4 years I have been here, what are the biggest changes I would expect to encounter on my trip.

Your thoughts please.

[Rinrada]

Couple of things you get you re-started again...

London Travel Costs

Zone 1-4 Travel card £29.20/week

(Includes most popular areas) see London Transport website for details

I get a zone 2-5 which costs me £22-20 a week.

Fuel is roughly £1 a litre.

Food & Drink in London and the UK

£30 - £50 for a week's worth of food at a large supermarket (e.g. Tesco, Sainsbury, Gateway, Safeway and Sommerfield)

- smaller independents are more expensive.

Everyday purchases

To help you judge the cost of living in the UK here's is a selection of prices:

Loaf of bread £0.70 ..but supermarkets own can be as little as 29 p.

Pint of Milk £0.40 ........4 Pint jug' £1-18

Cigarettes (20) £4.50/£5.....Cheep poisoned fags from illegal E.E.immi...£2-00

Big Mac £1.89 ...........up 2 you ...

Can of Coca Cola £0.55 ...tescos a lot cheaper....in pub can easily be £2..can

Going out

There are an incredible variety of leisure activities, drinking haunts, clubs and eateries in London.

Prices vary but as a guide:

Restaurant 3 course meal £12-£100/person...stale sarnie @ £0-60p

Cinema tickets £4.50 - £10 ....?

Beer/lager £2.00-£3.00/pint (570ml) or £3.00-£5.00 in a club ...SDkys the limit but Monday night in Wetherforks it only about £1-29...a pint..

Special deals withmeals @ 2 for a fiver...

All the barmaids are from Poland and Spain....

Take away pizza £12 (large) ...mai chorp....

Thai Restaurants can be "peng"...kao Pat kai....£5-£10 quid a touch....

Bag of chips £0-80p - £1-60... ...but nick the sauce.....

[solo siam]

its really cold.

I also havent been back in 4 years, however if the Air Con gets turned down to about 24 degrees celcius, I shiver. Thats summer-time in the UK.

[Simbo]

Couple of things you get you re-started again...

London Travel Costs

Zone 1-4 Travel card £29.20/week

(Includes most popular areas) see London Transport website for details

I get a zone 2-5 which costs me £22-20 a week.

Fuel is roughly £1 a litre.

Food & Drink in London and the UK

£30 - £50 for a week's worth of food at a large supermarket (e.g. Tesco, Sainsbury, Gateway, Safeway and Sommerfield)

- smaller independents are more expensive.

Everyday purchases

To help you judge the cost of living in the UK here's is a selection of prices:

Loaf of bread £0.70 ..but supermarkets own can be as little as 29 p.

Pint of Milk £0.40 ........4 Pint jug' £1-18

Cigarettes (20) £4.50/£5.....Cheep poisoned fags from illegal E.E.immi...£2-00

Big Mac £1.89 ...........up 2 you ...

Can of Coca Cola £0.55 ...tescos a lot cheaper....in pub can easily be £2..can

Going out

There are an incredible variety of leisure activities, drinking haunts, clubs and eateries in London.

Prices vary but as a guide:

Restaurant 3 course meal £12-£100/person...stale sarnie @ £0-60p

Cinema tickets £4.50 - £10 ....?

Beer/lager £2.00-£3.00/pint (570ml) or £3.00-£5.00 in a club ...SDkys the limit but Monday night in Wetherforks it only about £1-29...a pint..

Special deals withmeals @ 2 for a fiver...

All the barmaids are from Poland and Spain....

Take away pizza £12 (large) ...mai chorp....

Thai Restaurants can be "peng"...kao Pat kai....£5-£10 quid a touch....

Bag of chips £0-80p - £1-60... ...but nick the sauce.....

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Oh god! maybe I'll take a raincheck on that trip. Mind you, they are London prices. I'm from 200 miles north of there.

[OZONE]

Thats a long time to be away from home . When I'm away from home, I mandate myself to go back home every 2 years at the very least.

Hope you enjoy yourself when you get home. I'm sure your family will be more than thrill.

[Belfastboy]

Fuel is roughly £1 a litre.

right]

Depends where u live in the UK...where i live (Northern Ireland) its no-were near a pound a litre...currently its 78p a litre..

also there are more eastern europeans...but hey they are to be welcomed, just as u would be welcomed as a foreigner in Thailand...

nothing has really changed that much in 4 years mate...don't let people hype it up for something thats not happened...

changes yes, as everywhere...but nothing really drastic....

[MilkPlus]

Fuel is roughly £1 a litre.

right]

Depends where u live in the UK...where i live (Northern Ireland) its no-were near a pound a litre...currently its 78p a litre..

also there are more eastern europeans...but hey they are to be welcomed, just as u would be welcomed as a foreigner in Thailand...

nothing has really changed that much in 4 years mate...don't let people hype it up for something thats not happened...

changes yes, as everywhere...but nothing really drastic....

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Wow, thats really expensive. What is that almost $6 a gallon?

[sonthaya]

Have a nice trip home, why should UK be any different from the rest of Western Europe, in Denmark we have the same problems.

[mrbojangles]

Oh god! maybe I'll take a raincheck on that trip. Mind you, they are London prices. I'm from 200 miles north of there.

Whereabouts Simbo. Manchester way?

The biggest hike has been the cost to buy a house. Doesn't affect you.

Cigarettes, always been expensive. if you smoke just bring loads with you.

Beer, about £2 - £2.50 a pint. Bitter and lager I think that's not too much more than LOS (don't forget i said a pint)

Petrol, about 83p per litre. But if your not going to buy a car, again doesn't really affect you.

Electronic items (including mobile phones) are ALL cheaper than LOS.

Hotels, alot more expensive than LOS but if you stay with relatives, again it won't affect you.

Clothes, with all the new outlets, Primark etc, clothes are just getting cheaper and cheaper.

Weather, exactly the same as you left

[GuestHouse]

There has been a progressive increase in wealth.

I returned to the UK last year for the first time in over seven years and I was shocked by how much wealth there is about. House prices have risen relentlessly, people are driving around in new cars, sports convertables of the weekend, the latest gadgets, the llates fashion necessity... The UK is increadibly wealthy and it shows.

[GuestHouse]

There has been a progressive increase in wealth.

I returned to the UK last year for the first time in over seven years and I was shocked by how much wealth there is about. House prices have risen relentlessly, people are driving around in new cars, sports convertables of the weekend, the latest gadgets, the llates fashion necessity... The UK is increadibly wealthy and it shows.

[Belfastboy]

another excellent reason to have a property(ies) here (UK) and live in thailand...

[mrbojangles]

another excellent reason to have a property(ies)  here (UK) and live in thailand...

Absolutely. No way am i letting go of my nest eggs

[Mighty Mouse]

The best place in the UK is Heathrow Airport............on the way out.

The Aussies couldn't get out fast enough, we had to leave behind The Ashes in our rush.

[sua yai]

I went back to the UK for the first time after four years here as well. Like other posters have already stated, I was told by customers to my bar then that "I'd hate it", "I wouldn't recognise the place", "be prepared for some real shocks" etc etc.

Other than the price increases, I didn't see that much had changed at all and far from having a bad time, it was great to see family and friends again. (It did help knowing that I was coming back here after a month though).

Since then, I've been back another three times in as many years and now look forward to a break there. Next year, I might even be able to take my wife - we've been married five months. That should be an experience.

Also like others, I don't feel ready yet to sell off my Crown Jewels - namely a three bedroom house with garden in the centre of London.

[terdsak_12]

I'm off home in 2 weeks, First time in 13 years!!!!!

[slimdog]

There has been a progressive increase in wealth.

I returned to the UK last year for the first time in over seven years and I was shocked by how much wealth there is about. House prices have risen relentlessly, people are driving around in new cars, sports convertables of the weekend, the latest gadgets, the llates fashion necessity... The UK is increadibly wealthy and it shows.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Think you will also find there has been a progressive increase in debt...

[Simbo]

Oh god! maybe I'll take a raincheck on that trip. Mind you, they are London prices. I'm from 200 miles north of there.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Whereabouts Simbo. Manchester way?

The biggest hike has been the cost to buy a house. Doesn't affect you.

Cigarettes, always been expensive. if you smoke just bring loads with you.

Beer, about £2 - £2.50 a pint. Bitter and lager I think that's not too much more than LOS (don't forget i said a pint)

Petrol, about 83p per litre. But if your not going to buy a car, again doesn't really affect you.

Electronic items (including mobile phones) are ALL cheaper than LOS.

Hotels, alot more expensive than LOS but if you stay with relatives, again it won't affect you.

Clothes, with all the new outlets, Primark etc, clothes are just getting cheaper and cheaper.

Weather, exactly the same as you left

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

No, Liverpool originally, but the wirral for 30 years.

[Simbo]

There has been a progressive increase in wealth.

I returned to the UK last year for the first time in over seven years and I was shocked by how much wealth there is about. House prices have risen relentlessly, people are driving around in new cars, sports convertables of the weekend, the latest gadgets, the llates fashion necessity... The UK is increadibly wealthy and it shows.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I'll be creeping around like a pauper then.

[leisurely]

We were there over the summer and the price of a taxi ride is phenomenal. the first one I used was a black cab in London. Went 2 miles and it cost me 4.50 (sorry pound sign doesn't work) second was a mini cab, same distance and it was 5, no meter and 6am. Third was another black cab just outside of London, distance appx 6 miles cost 14pounds odd. Unbelivable. Cigs are mad expensive too, I took 1000 back to last me. I do think you get spoiled in the taxi dept living in Bangers, they are so cheap.

[Heng]

There has been a progressive increase in wealth.

I returned to the UK last year for the first time in over seven years and I was shocked by how much wealth there is about. House prices have risen relentlessly, people are driving around in new cars, sports convertables of the weekend, the latest gadgets, the llates fashion necessity... The UK is increadibly wealthy and it shows.

Think you will also find there has been a progressive increase in debt...

Same for back home in Texas (I go back once a year). There was maybe one or two 600's - million+ dollar home neighborhoods when I was a kid, now there are 2-3 dozen (and even then it doesn't buy you much in many cases). It certainly not all debt though. Same for here in the LOS. I think the "they are all in debt" generalization is often brought up by the naysayers who just believe that wealth is impossible for other regular folks, just because it happens to be out of their own reach. (not saying this is the case in for you personally, just IMO in general).

Edited December 8, 2005 by Heng

[Ijustwannateach]

Nah, you're not SAYING that it is the case for him personally, you're just IMPLYING it. Bad Heng, bad! No Heng treats for you today. Go back to your box!

[Ijustwannateach]

double post, deleted.

Edited December 8, 2005 by Ijustwannateach

[Heng]

Nah, you're not SAYING that it is the case for him personally, you're just IMPLYING it.  Bad Heng, bad!  No Heng treats for you today.  Go back to your box!

Actually, I was IMPLYING about you, Steven. Carefully cut a hole in the ice, dropped the bait, and like clockwork... a bite (no doubt while feverishly clicking the submit button on your 14.4k dial up connection on your trusty 386....*DOH! double post!* easy on the clicker finger, Steve).

No box at the moment, but will be stopping by for some box later this afternoon.

Edited December 8, 2005 by Heng

[astral]

I went back in mid August.

Rain started as soon as I arrived!!

Very expensive.............

More multi-cultural than it used to be, even out in the sticks.

I was glad to leave!!

Edited December 8, 2005 by astral

[Ijustwannateach]

Heng- I never pass up a chance to let you show your true self..... a public service that even I in my cardboard box can provide...

"Steven"

[slimdog]

Heng

As I was being a little too general in my last post, thought I would give you the figures with which I based my assumption that debt has risen.

Since the turn of the century in just over 5.5 years (based on figures available at 1st December 2005):

Total UK personal debt has increased by £529bn (87%) from £609bn to £1,138bn

Total secured lending on homes has increased by £453bn (92%) from £494bn to £947bn

Total consumer credit lending has increased by £76bn (66%) from £115bn to £191bn 

Total credit card debt has increased by £24.3bn (76%) from £32bn to £56.3bn

Base Rate has decreased by 1.5% from 5.5% to its current rate of 4.5%

Average house price has increased by £90,383 (94%) from £96,340 to £186,723

Average earnings have increased by £5,077 (28.5%) from £17,803 to £22,880

Average household debt in the UK is approximately £7,749 (excluding mortgages) and £46,085 including mortgages

Data taken from:

http://www.creditaction.org.uk/debtstats.htm

[Belfastboy]

More multi-cultural than it used to be, even out in the sticks.

I was glad to leave!!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

u were glad to leave because it was multi-cultural...back to thailand ???

that figures!!??

u mean with cultures like thais is the UK ...god forbid....

[Rinrada]

More multi-cultural than it used to be, even out in the sticks.

I was glad to leave!!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

u were glad to leave because it was multi-cultural...back to thailand ???

that figures!!??

u mean with cultures like thais is the UK ...god forbid....

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Quite like it ..but maybe thats why i dont live in LOS for more thn 3 weeks at a time.

Almost got to the stage that i/we now know more Thais over "ere that we do in LOS..they are everwhere

Only last night I picked K.W.up at Heathrow(TG 916.lunch time special..almost empty) and she had met 2 T females on the flight back making their way to deepest Essex where they both own...not work in but own their Thai restaurants.

Even "oop here" in darkest Enfield I get at least half a dozen messages a night from Ben-Sue-Quan-Oi-Oo-pim-tim and bim.....not including the ones from home...Bow-Ba-Bu-Som -Sing and Tina..lin....and they are always into something.. buying selling,transferring money with nationwide..cooking for a wedding and there one even who does a courier service for Thais from the airport and takes their (spoilt) kids to the private "peng mak" English Public schools that they all luve over here...

They all work hard..make money,buy houses,property businesses and are successful.....wots up wi that......welcome to LOS Expats in London.....

[oopapasan]

There has been a progressive increase in wealth.

I returned to the UK last year for the first time in over seven years and I was shocked by how much wealth there is about. House prices have risen relentlessly, people are driving around in new cars, sports convertables of the weekend, the latest gadgets, the llates fashion necessity... The UK is increadibly wealthy and it shows.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Sounds like the US. they owe everybody.You don't inherit a house anymore you inherit the home equity loan.