Moving abroad - What did you miss most or forget?

[* ORM *]

As many of you know I'm finally off to HK on 1st Feb after a seemingly never ending on-off saga. It's a permanent local role with no plans to come back even for retirement though plenty of water to pass under the bridge before that happens. I'll be back 2-3 times a year, possibly more if business dictates on top of that. 2 live games to look forward to though with 345am starts !

The questions are as per title and forgetting the obvious SUFC and family what have you missed? For example they don't sell Polos, Benson and Hedges and decent Western sausages or cheese in HK. Also anything major forgotten ?

When I get the chance I'll also write an article (sure to bore the pants off most of you) about my near 40 years as a fan Highlights include writing the car off on the way to Bury away, not missing a game at which promotion was clinched and starting ShrimperZone FC).

Sadly it looks like I may have to give in and finally join Faceachebook.

 

[* ORM *]

On the plus side I'm going to Shrews away as we have no home fixture on 28th. May see if the old favourite pub by Gay Meadow has survived the new Ground. Anyone know ? I can't remember the name but fantastic food.

 

[canveyshrimper]

When I was in Australia I missed a good pint of English Ale, there's no way that fizzy freezing **** can be described as beer.

 

[Berrichonne shrimper]

I take it as a given that you are taking your family with you now as before i thought you were leaving them in blighty?
Not as far as you are going of course and only a 6 hour drive or a £20 flight away but the things ive missed most really is the comfort of knowelege.
As in when in essex i had people on the firm everywhere,if i needed a bike for the kids then i had a backdoor route to halfords if i needed diesel i had a chap that supplied me for pence,everything i needed i had a source for.But when you move to a new country and you know no one then you are starting from nothing and you are paying top dollar for everything.
The other thing is finding people you can trust as in not getting ripped off,big mile stones for us was finding a good doctors dentists and mechanic,silly things but true for us.
So to be honest we miss nothing at all really and when we do visit we just can not wait to leave.

 

[Napster]

On the plus side I'm going to Shrews away as we have no home fixture on 28th. May see if the old favourite pub by Gay Meadow has survived the new Ground. Anyone know ? I can't remember the name but fantastic food.

Dun Cow. ....

 

[Tangled up in Blue]

I miss seeing Southend United play and Fulham and ..er.....that's about it really.:winking:

 

[Berrichonne shrimper]

Being ex british hong kong you wont have this but i miss taking the pith out of people.

 

[Mad Cyril]

Plod that don't carry shooters as a matter of course.

 

[Berrichonne shrimper]

Plod that don't carry shooters as a matter of course.

Depends were you move to as ive seen very few in 6 years around here and only seen them at football twice.

 

[* ORM *]

Dun Cow. ....

Cheers - Jeez Google will be my friend tonight to see if it survives the lack of Footie trade. A bit like the Spread post new ground apart from the obvious difference of decent food and beer. Though I haven't checked yet I assume new ground is miles away.

For HK I'm initialling moving out on my own. Long story short, kids ages, schooling, careers. Mother in law. All is good. Skype is my friend and for various good reasons over 19 years of strong marriage we've spent plenty of time apart in the past. This is a bit different but 18 months to 2 years vs a 21 year relationship plus rest of our lives. No contest. Too many plusses outweighing the cons not least of which is the markets. It's carnage in the city at the moment though much of that seems to be slipping under public radar with far too much focus on RBS and far too little on many who are currently losing their jobs. Not the City fat-cats. Just those who earn a modest premium versus local for the pain of 2-3 hours commute plus the pressures of city work 'ethic' under conditions that wouldn't be tolerated anywhere else in the developed world.

 

[SamuraiBlue]

Out in Japan, I miss good cheese, cereal, brown bread and baked beans. I can buy all of them if I am willing to pay a fortune. They are classed as luxury goods. For example, I can pick up a can Heinz beans in a store in the big ski resort in Hokkaido (Niseko, popular with Australians), but it works out about 4 pounds a can. I don't miss them that much.

Also miss not having an oven. Can't just chuck things in there and wait for them to cook. Most food is cooked on the hobs in pans and I have had to change my eating habits completely.

Good luck in Hong Kong! Lot's of cultural similarities with Japan actually.

 

[BigKahunaBurger]

I miss my mates most of all. The foods nicer here. I miss soccer Saturday down the pub. That's about it really.

What I don't miss is the climate and my worst hate was the traffic.

I also miss being an hour or two from other countries and the architecture.

It is definitely an easier way of life here & you earn a lot more here & your house is twice the size (materialistic things don't bring happiness but they are definitely a pleasant bonus)

People make a place.

Modern technology makes things so much more closer. Ie Facebook, Skype, mobiles,

I get all the football too with foxtel & a lot of Melburnians love the premier league so I can talk footy.

I won't be back because I married an Aussie.

The kids will have a better lifestyle & I've been back most years for weddings and such so I always pop in the club shop & buy a shirt.

I'm always terrified of the Blues getting to Wembley or Anfield (like we almost did) & me not being able to go.

Moving abroad was the best thing I ever did.

The first year was also the hardest of my life as I didn't respond to change very well.

Good luck in HK.

 

[southend4ever]

The kids will have a better lifestyle QUOTE]

Why? In what sense? How can the kids possibly have a better lifestyle without Southend United!! :raspberry:

 

[MK Shrimper]

The kids will have a better lifestyle QUOTE]

Why? In what sense?

I'd imagine kids in Australia live a more outdoor life than those over here, stuck in their bedrooms playing COD on the Xbox.

 

[Ulysses]

I missed the shops.

 

[SUFC_Ross]

Sorry to drag this up again, quick question, Have any of you moved abroad and got children from previous relationships?
How did that pan out?
My mrs lived in Spain for 18 years, I've just been made redundant, I have just been offered a job in Spain, We have been given accommodation for 6 months for free to get ourselves sorted(from a friend), My daughter is young enough she would pick up the language almost instantly and she hasn't started school yet.

My only fear and main problem is my Boy, he's 5, lives with his Mother in Shoebury and I currently have contact every other weekend, I haven't spoken to his mother yet but this move would only be feasible if she cooperates and agrees to letting me have him almost all of his school holidays, I mean in theory this works great and I hope I can cope and my son understands the reason for doing it and grows up with a holiday every couple of months.

Any advice or experiences??

 

[londonblue]

All I can say is I don't envy you. Tread carefully when discussing this with your ex. You don't want to cause an argument that might lead to you hardly ever seeing your son.

Good luck.

 

[SUFC_Ross]

All I can say is I don't envy you. Tread carefully when discussing this with your ex. You don't want to cause an argument that might lead to you hardly ever seeing your son.

Good luck.

Exactly, Trying to get her to see things from my point of view has always been a major issue. I'm nervous to say the least, and at the end of the day as much as it may anger my current Mrs, If my ex says no chance that's all plans abandoned for the next 10 years.

 

[* ORM *]

I miss SUFC games, proper sausages, decent lamb and cheese. You can but cheese but about 3x the price. And I have to bring loads of polos with me every time I come back. Not sold here. Neither are Benson and Hedges which, bizarrely, I can buy on the way out at HK duty free. Incoming duty free limit is 19 cigarettes and of course I abide by those rules :smile:

On the flip side it is 30 degrees at 940pm. I pay 15% tax and the fruit, veg and fish choices here are awesome. I can get virtually any Asian dish I want for street prices not takeaway mark ups. Cigarettes 5.50 a pack of 3 on the black market (allegedly ha ha). Any they're the real deal not Chinese fakes

 

[MK Shrimper]

Christ, I wouldn't have the first idea how to approach this. I guess it depends on your relationship with the ex and how she'd feel taking your (her) son away for substantial periods of time. Six weeks is a long time for a mother to be parted from their child if you're talking all of the summer holidays.