The UK isn't what it's made out to be

[danlightbulb]

An objective way to look at this question would be to look at the Human Development Index. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_Development_Index

UK is 13th, so which countries are ahead of us lets examine them:

• Joint 11th Finland (too cold and dark) and Singapore (too crowded)
• 10th Denmark (too cold)
• Joint 8th Australia (a lot of positives) and Netherlands (too cold like UK)
• 6th Germany and 7th Sweden (both too cold like the UK)
• Joint 4th Hong Kong (too crowded) and Iceland (too cold).
• Joint 2nd Ireland (too cold) and Switzerland (too cold).
• 1st Norway (too cold).

So unfortunately a lot of those counties that are technically better than us are still not great for nice warm comfortable outdoor hobbies.

Australia is really the only one that jumps out where you can have year round decent weather and civilised society at the same time. Plus its got loads of spare land. They could really do much more with it than they do.

Just below us on the list you have Belgium (same climate as UK so no good) and New Zealand (a bit too sparce). Then Canada. Ive been to Canada and its got the mountains and lakes but not the temperature so no good.

Coming down the list further you get to the USA, some areas would be pretty decent for both civilised society and warmth, like Florida. But there are a lot of slum areas and poverty in parts of the US, plus drugs and guns problems.


I think Australia wins this doesn't it lets be honest. Its got civilised society, safety and democracy, and a nice warm year round climate, loads of wilderness to have adventures in. Ideal.

 

[200sols]

Australia has huge spiders, terrible climate as well.

 

[Uther]

Australia has huge spiders, terrible climate as well.

One of the few places where all of the wildlife is trying to kill you and people regularly die because they run out of water on a trip.

 

[Jean-F]

Oh what a surprise, Jean-F complaining about the weather over here

Let’s not be economical with the truth, I’ve certainly voiced dissatisfaction with U.K. weather in the past, but all I’ve said in this thread is, “I love a bit of hot sun”, although I did say that my friend said that he’d rather be not so well off in the sun, than skint in freezing cold Plaistow

 

[nitram100]

I just ended my 5 year relationship with my Spanish gf, so glad to see the back of Spain. I got so damn sick of the place over the years, never get time to yourself the country is just full of extroverts. I missed the English countryside every time I went to Spain even though I am a person who loves warm sunny weather and beaches.

Regardless, I got my Aus residency and I'm off one way in a few weeks.

 

[Efour]

An objective way to look at this question would be to look at the Human Development Index. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_Development_Index

UK is 13th, so which countries are ahead of us lets examine them:

• Joint 11th Finland (too cold and dark) and Singapore (too crowded)
• 10th Denmark (too cold)
• Joint 8th Australia (a lot of positives) and Netherlands (too cold like UK)
• 6th Germany and 7th Sweden (both too cold like the UK)
• Joint 4th Hong Kong (too crowded) and Iceland (too cold).
• Joint 2nd Ireland (too cold) and Switzerland (too cold).
• 1st Norway (too cold).

So unfortunately a lot of those counties that are technically better than us are still not great for nice warm comfortable outdoor hobbies.

Australia is really the only one that jumps out where you can have year round decent weather and civilised society at the same time. Plus its got loads of spare land. They could really do much more with it than they do.

Just below us on the list you have Belgium (same climate as UK so no good) and New Zealand (a bit too sparce). Then Canada. Ive been to Canada and its got the mountains and lakes but not the temperature so no good.

Coming down the list further you get to the USA, some areas would be pretty decent for both civilised society and warmth, like Florida. But there are a lot of slum areas and poverty in parts of the US, plus drugs and guns problems.


I think Australia wins this doesn't it lets be honest. Its got civilised society, safety and democracy, and a nice warm year round climate, loads of wilderness to have adventures in. Ideal.

Do you have terrible circulation/Are a reptile?
What are peoples obsession with the sun.

 

[danlightbulb]

Do you have terrible circulation/Are a reptile?
What are peoples obsession with the sun.

I like outdoor hobbies mainly mountain biking and just getting into scuba. So yeah, I'd prefer year round warmth and nice blue waters.

 

[Efour]

is just getting into scuba, then quitting the hobby or something else?

 

[AndyT]

Do you have terrible circulation/Are a reptile?
What are peoples obsession with the sun.

Suboptimal levels of sun exposure may in fact generate a greater disease burden than overexposure.

https://academic.oup.com/ije/article/37/3/654/743622

Sun is thought to increase serotonin production. Personably, seasonal variation has a definite impact on my mental health. My OCD creeps in around mid October and peaks around December. It’s not why I live on the med with 300 days of sun, though. I just happen to live here. Although, as we are closer to the equator, the seasonal variation in daylight hours is less than northern uk too.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3779905/

 

[Uther]

I like outdoor hobbies mainly mountain biking and just getting into scuba. So yeah, I'd prefer year round warmth and nice blue waters.

And sharks.

 

[danlightbulb]

And sharks.

Sharks aren't a material risk for scuba divers.

 

[Uther]

Sharks aren't a material risk for scuba divers.

As a single bloke with no ties I'm not sure why you're still here tbh.

 

[Efour]

Well im in a long term relationship with a few ties, mostly for special occasions, and im not sure why hes still here either tbh.

 

[Jean-F]

Do you have terrible circulation/Are a reptile?
What are peoples obsession with the sun.

I like the sun, but don’t have an obsession with it, although if I was offered a 3 week all expenses paid December holiday in Montréal, (-5.5c average), or as an alternative 3 weeks all expenses paid in St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands in December, (25.5c average) it would be a no brainer.

 

[GIBURROWS]

I like the rain and the cold but if the government could go on a permanent holiday that would be great.

Just to clarify I don't mean because they're Tory or any of that choosing sides nonsense, i mean every government in my lifetime is a corrupt useless ******** and for some reason we keep putting up with it.

 

[FoxEye]

Whilst the UK is no doubt a fairly unequal place to live already, the direction of travel will make it a lot worse in years to come.

Especially if people keep the Tories in power with an unassailable majority.

Yeah I know this isn't a political thread, but it's worth thinking about what this country might look like after another 15-20 years of Tory rule.

 

[tlrBeta]

Whilst the UK is no doubt a fairly unequal place to live already, the direction of travel will make it a lot worse in years to come.

Especially if people keep the Tories in power with an unassailable majority.

Yeah I know this isn't a political thread, but it's worth thinking about what this country might look like after another 15-20 years of Tory rule.

Says the person from Cornwall posting on a PC based forum

@danlightbulb

Back on topic, nothing wrong with the cold. Sure Norway does get cold, but you should see their summers!

May I ask, have you actually been to Australia previously?

 

[FoxEye]

Says the person from Cornwall posting on a PC based forum

Not quite sure what you're getting at, but I will say that Cornwall used to be a LibDem stronghold, until they self-destructed.

In recent years it's been a safe Tory region and that shows no signs of changing.

But let me assure you many people in Cornwall are not wealthy and I can't even begin to explain why working-class people in this region do seem to vote Tory. Maybe they put something in the water?

 

[tlrBeta]

Not quite sure what you're getting at, but I will say that Cornwall used to be a LibDem stronghold, until they self-destructed.

In recent years it's been a safe Tory region and that shows no signs of changing.

But let me assure you many people in Cornwall are not wealthy and I can't even begin to explain why working-class people in this region do seem to vote Tory. Maybe they put something in the water?

I was jesting, don't worry

 

[arknor]

When you live outside of the UK for awhile and then come back you realise how poor, run down and dirty massive parts of the country are and that peoples way of life is no where near as high quality as you'd imagine from a "wealthy country"

I feel sorry for any tourists who come up north... yea there's some fantastic buildings in the city centre but outside of it almost everywhere is a crap hole.
I bet they think the rivers and sea if clean too... but they just dump sewage in them like we're in eastern Europe or something.....
our council don't even seem to get money to trim trees etc from hanging in the paths at face height....

litter from takeaways etc everywhere.... we're getting huge rat issues in the city recently it seems but the council doesn't wanna pay to sort it

some trees fell down in the storm where I live and they are still just laying there on the road... it's been a week already..... I'm talking big trees too...

Switzerland (too cold).

for real? yea winter can be -12 etc in Zurich or worse but everyone has winter clothing ... in summer sometimes it would hit 30c-34c.

the UK can get just as cold or close anyway.... but then in summer most parts of the UK probably are lucky to see over 20 and then thats considered a heatwave