Emigration to a free land, advice please!

[stotRE]

I'll second that. I've had a bit of experience living in other countries within Europe and I've yet to find one with as straight forward methods for getting things sorted as the UK. People sometimes say that other countries are so much more "layed back" than Britain. All this means is that nothing gets done and the place you want to go is always shut! Yet another day wasted. Very annoying.

You don't necessarily have to go for the self sufficient approach immediately. I'm sure that just by going to somewhere where you are able to purchase some cheap land and use it for your own pleasure, you'd already feel better. I think it is useful to have acess to the modern world for things like supermarkets and just to have a beer with a few mates is important.

What are the property prices like in Wales for a remote farm buliding? If you could somehow try to have a practice run it would be good. In the meantime you can still get stuck into researching plans for Canada. I'm sure it's a really nice place that has amazing scenery etc. Like I said before, I'm not telling you your idea is bad, but just trying to explain a couple of problems that may exist. My way of thinking is similar, it's just not easy.

Cheers, Julian.

I think that Bilko is sick of the UK and i don't blame him.
As for Wales you need alot of money to buy property these days as there are no cheap plots left (been there and tried that).

The property development boom has destroyed any chances of finding a bargain within Britain and if you do it will be quickly snatched up.

As for other European countries being 'layed back' and the UK being super efficient i completly disagree.

Many European countries are still very traditional and haven't abandoned their values for the sake of sunday shopping.
Its amazing that you never hear about thousands dying from a hospital superbug in Spain,Greece etc.

The UK is pretending that everything is A OK when really you can see the dykes about to burst

As for being near supermarkets,i think that Bilko's right for wanting to breakaway completely as the luxury of a supermarket can quickly be taken away.

Good luck Bilko,your not the only one making the break

 

[Spacemonkey]

I agree with the comments about laid back Europe. The problems arise when you want to get things done and expect them to get done quick. You can't have the easy life without expecting everyone else to have it too. Time in Catalunya goes a bit slower than here, and once you get inthe groove, it all gels. Don't fight the tide, flow with it.
When I first decided I wanted out of this country, when i was 20 or so, Australia was tops with Canada second and Spain third. Since reading the Canada threads these past few days, I have been getting more and more curious about the old dreams. Maybe a holiday over there is going to be on the cards...

So, to all our Canadian friends on here: what's the weather 'really' like in BC nearish Vancouver? Does anyone know anyone in the funeral trade over there? Where do you look for property with 50-100acres woods with stream/river that either has a house or permission to build in BC? DO you need permission to build in the woods if you own a large enough plot?

And what really annoys you about living in Canada at the mo'? Political whining accepted, PM me if you want!!

 

[bambodoggy]

So, to all our Canadian friends on here: what's the weather 'really' like in BC nearish Vancouver?

My best Mate is Canadian, just spent a nice weekend dragging him up and down the Brecon Beacons lol

He said that it rains a lot in Vancouver.....like for days and days and days on end sometimes.....he says the UK hasn't got a patch on Vancouver as far as rain is concerned.... lol

Having said that, he and his english wife are almost 100% sure they will end up living back there as soon as they can.....but they'll also keep a little place here too.

(did that test for a bit of fun.....seems I'm 3 points short of the passmark....story of my life lol )

Bam.

 

[R-J]

had some time to kill, so i took the test... i'm on 52.

oh well. guess i just gotta brush up on my french and sort a job over there and my dream of living in the yukon may come true! not gonna hold my breath though... lol

good luck to those who do try mind, might join you one day. i've only been back in the UK for 3 months and i'm already wondering if it was the right choice, still, gotta be done.

mind you, if your not hapy where you are, what makes you think you'll be happy somewhere else? make the bets of what youve got eh

 

[running bare]

i did test out of curiosity. got 68 now i just need the capital !!!!!!!!!

tom

 

[mark a.]

As Dorothy says in The Wizard of Oz: "There's no place like home!"

Dreams are all very well, but realism is essential when doing something as drastic as moving to far-flung lands. There's often so much to drag you back - the beer, cream teas, humour, spelling (not "humor"), orderly queues, decent cars, etc etc. Even the scenery - rolling, patchwork hills, with stone villages nestling in vallies. Will you be able to survive without all that? Certainly, there are downsides to life in Blighty, but then there are downsides to everywhere.

Not that emigration isn't possible. Many of my dad's side of the family moved out to New Zealand many moons ago, and aren't coming back. But then the first person to go went after spending a few years there, and married a Kiwi, so was used to the idea, and had good reasons to go and to stay. Then the other family members that then moved out already had someone there to help their transition.

Even the seemingly huge tide of Brits heading out to Spain do so after spending loads of summer holidays there, so at least have a vague idea as to what it's like there. Then all they need to do is fight the Spanish bureaucracy, handle recalcitrant builders, learn the language and all the rest.

So the moral of the story is to make sure you know what you'll be letting yourself in for. Spend holidays there. Or try and get a few months' transfer with your job, or take a sabbatical. And enjoy it!

Best of luck!

 

[Povarian]

Uh oh...

Did it again just for the hell of it. Got 72 points (76 if I take SWMBO into account). It's changed since the last time I did it in 2001.

Ack four years until I lose points through age... Twitch... Twitch... :why:

 

[stoddy]

There's often so much to drag you back - the beer, cream teas, humour, spelling (not "humor"), orderly queues, decent cars, etc etc.

Cream teas? on the Lawn

Croquet , punting along the canal and tiffing in the afternoon, these are things I would miss also badger baiting and cock fighting

 

[bilko]

I think it's important to prepare mentaly for this. Also important to not put all your eggs in one basket. 2 very good points have been made recently and they are having contact with other human beings if necassary and if i fail to qualify for some reason then buying some land and living the GOODISH life .

I'm not grissly adams and i would probably go crazy if i didn't at least share a good yarn over a pint with someone in 6 months. Also it does a relationship good to be able to interact with other people from time to time. I don't want to be a hermit but at the same time i think i would enjoy a monthly trip to the nearest settlement for supplies or trade. It's good for the soul to have some contact with people.

Visits ( i won't say holidays ) would be a great idea if done on the cheap. Infact i may look up some cheap prices for next year now. I can see myself begrudging spending the money though .

Excellent idea about the coppers jar!. I took the kids to a zoo in folkestone at the weekend. Well it's more than a zoo realy, they breed the animals in as wild enclosures as they they can ready to be released into captivity again. The thing is, along with the boys picking up all the conkers they could find i found an acorn!. I bought it home with me so i can put it in the bottom of the change jar and it will hopefully help my funds and dream to grow. Silly realy but i like symbolic stuff like that and i think it helps.

 

[Jjv110]

I think that Bilko is sick of the UK and i don't blame him.
As for Wales you need alot of money to buy property these days as there are no cheap plots left (been there and tried that).

The property development boom has destroyed any chances of finding a bargain within Britain and if you do it will be quickly snatched up.

As for other European countries being 'layed back' and the UK being super efficient i completly disagree.

Many European countries are still very traditional and haven't abandoned their values for the sake of sunday shopping.
Its amazing that you never hear about thousands dying from a hospital superbug in Spain,Greece etc.

The UK is pretending that everything is A OK when really you can see the dykes about to burst

As for being near supermarkets,i think that Bilko's right for wanting to breakaway completely as the luxury of a supermarket can quickly be taken away.

Good luck Bilko,your not the only one making the break

I don't blame Bilko for wanting to leave England either, nor do I think he is doing the wrong thing, as I said, nor did I say that the UK is super efficient, nor did I say that British hospitals were cleaner than those of Europe. I know the bad things about the British health system, and that European hospitals are better run.
Regarding Sunday shopping, where I am , the town is as full on a Sunday with loads of shops open as it is on a Saturday, and in the evening. Other areas of Europe, that are still traditional, like maybe eastern Europe and southern Italy for example will be full of beurocratic problems. I mentioned that Canada would be the best bet due to the similarity to of the language and basic lifestyle,prices etc.
The luxury of a supermarket can be taken away easily if you don't need to buy things that a supermarket may sell. Small village shops don't offer much choice and are always more expensive. I understand Bilko wants to break away, and, as I have previously emphasised, I fully support him and understand his motives.

I am not trying to discorage him or anyone else who wants to start a new life. I am doing the very same thing. This is why I am able to speak of my experiences, so no, Bilko isn't the only one making the break.
As for Wales, shame it's so expensive, it was just a thought.

Like I said, good luck Bilko, I hope it works out for you.

Julian.

 

[Povarian]

Yes, gotta agree with above sentiments. I understand why people feel the urge to jump ship and go for new adventures. The only thing is to do it with your eyes open and not too rosy tinted.

I loved the Amos book, and certainly got the "what if" feelings whilst reading it. However even they haven't had all roses.

<spoiler alert>

...and for those that have read Dorian Amos' book, I just found out that they no longer live in the cabin that he describes building in the book. They've apparently moved futher into the sticks up the klondike river to escape the new bridge that they'd opposed at Dawson. Civilisation has a nasty habit of following people. Their original cabin is now available for rent as part of the "good life" adventure holiday. I can only wish them the best.

 

[bambodoggy]

...and for those that have read Dorian Amos' book, I just found out that they no longer live in the cabin that he describes building in the book. They've apparently moved futher into the sticks up the klondike river to escape the new bridge that they'd opposed at Dawson. Civilisation has a nasty habit of following people. Their original cabin is now available for rent as part of the "good life" adventure holiday. I can only wish them the best.

Don't suppose you're got a link to where you can book their old cabin have you Mate?

Might make a nice three week holiday

Cheers,

Bam.

 

[Povarian]

Don't suppose you're got a link to where you can book their old cabin have you Mate?

Might make a nice three week holiday

Cheers,

Bam.

Yup. http://www.adventureyukon.co.uk/ . The comment about them moving more remotely is on the news page. And they're fully booked until March 2006.

 

[bambodoggy]

Many thanks Mate... couldn't go till after then anyway...got India next month, then Austria skiing at end of Jan, the Vildmark in June so won't be till after then....might even wait until after I complete my WEISS assessment course in June of 2007.

Cheers for the link

Bam.

 

[Viking]

A good advice is to travel to other countries, stay for few weeks and see what you think of it. If you decide to move to Sweden for example there is only a 2 hour flight back to england if you want to go back and visit family and friends, and with Ryan Air it´s cheap as chips.
I live in sweden, not in a cabin in the middle of nowhere, but I do as most Swedes do I go out in the forests on the weekends are go up north for hiking trips in the fjälls and sometimes go out fishing. I am now plannig to take my hunters exam so I will be able to go out and hunt elk. This time of year the forest is full of men with guns sitting around a campfires and in hunting cabins drinking coffe and of course they shoot some elk. These people all have a normal job but for one week and most seekend up to februari they will go out hunting elk.

What I mean is, if you move to another country you can still have anormal job and go downtown for a beer or go out to a cafe or a nice restaurant and still be able to get out and hunt, fishing or bushcrafting. Some countries in the world the oppurtunuties are larger the others. And if you move and don´t like it, move back but then at least you will not regret that you did not try...

Dont worry about be able not to sepak with swedes, we all learn to speak english in school. If there is anything I can help you with don´t be afrais to ask.

 

[pteron]

Points? Pah, you just need to marry a Canadian

 

[Carcajou Garou]

Marrying a Canadian is no longer an in, still have to qualify but it could ease the way.

 

[Spacemonkey]

Maybe you could set up an introduction agency!!

 

[Carcajou Garou]

I'd offer myself , I am a giving kind (what dear of course not dear, sorry dear!! Abenaki Women are really possesive )
I got to go now :togo:

 

[Beakytzw]

Bilko, You a Lancer m8? I was 9/12L Before I transfered over to the AGC I was Badged from 89 - 94.