Simbo Posted December 7, 2005 Share Posted December 7, 2005 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rinrada Posted December 7, 2005 Share Posted December 7, 2005 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..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
solo siam Posted December 7, 2005 Share Posted December 7, 2005 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simbo Posted December 7, 2005 Author Share Posted December 7, 2005 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OZONE Posted December 7, 2005 Share Posted December 7, 2005 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Belfastboy Posted December 7, 2005 Share Posted December 7, 2005 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.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MilkPlus Posted December 7, 2005 Share Posted December 7, 2005 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? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sonthaya Posted December 7, 2005 Share Posted December 7, 2005 Have a nice trip home, why should UK be any different from the rest of Western Europe, in Denmark we have the same problems. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrbojangles Posted December 7, 2005 Share Posted December 7, 2005 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 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GuestHouse Posted December 7, 2005 Share Posted December 7, 2005 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GuestHouse Posted December 7, 2005 Share Posted December 7, 2005 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Belfastboy Posted December 7, 2005 Share Posted December 7, 2005 another excellent reason to have a property(ies) here (UK) and live in thailand... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrbojangles Posted December 7, 2005 Share Posted December 7, 2005 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 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mighty Mouse Posted December 7, 2005 Share Posted December 7, 2005 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sua yai Posted December 8, 2005 Share Posted December 8, 2005 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
terdsak_12 Posted December 8, 2005 Share Posted December 8, 2005 I'm off home in 2 weeks, First time in 13 years!!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slimdog Posted December 8, 2005 Share Posted December 8, 2005 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... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simbo Posted December 8, 2005 Author Share Posted December 8, 2005 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simbo Posted December 8, 2005 Author Share Posted December 8, 2005 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leisurely Posted December 8, 2005 Share Posted December 8, 2005 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heng Posted December 8, 2005 Share Posted December 8, 2005 (edited) 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 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ijustwannateach Posted December 8, 2005 Share Posted December 8, 2005 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! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ijustwannateach Posted December 8, 2005 Share Posted December 8, 2005 (edited) double post, deleted. Edited December 8, 2005 by Ijustwannateach Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heng Posted December 8, 2005 Share Posted December 8, 2005 (edited) 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 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
astral Posted December 8, 2005 Share Posted December 8, 2005 (edited) 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 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ijustwannateach Posted December 9, 2005 Share Posted December 9, 2005 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" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slimdog Posted December 9, 2005 Share Posted December 9, 2005 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 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Belfastboy Posted December 9, 2005 Share Posted December 9, 2005 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.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rinrada Posted December 9, 2005 Share Posted December 9, 2005 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..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oopapasan Posted December 21, 2005 Share Posted December 21, 2005 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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