Where to live

[sprocket]

So considering options for the future on places to live.
We have lived in the Midlands and south coast of England, lived in the Republic of Ireland (which unlike people make out, isnt as good as what we expected) and lived in Northern Ireland, which to be honest has been the best of them all (apart from the weather).

So looking forward and give us something to aim at, where can we think about living that matches some (or all) of the below;

- Warm, but not to hot
- Rains, but not all the time
- No animals or insects that are going to come into the house and eat us, or attack me during my daily life
- Places to visit and see and keep us busy at the weekends
- The ability to get a job (towns, business etc, not in the middle of no where)
- Speaks English
- Good health service
- No weather system that will remove my home from the ground
- A place safe to walk and be outside without thinking someone will shot, stab, mug, beat or eat us.


Currently I am fed up with rain, the cold, cold rain, and waiting stupid times to see any health service.

Does a place exist for the common folk, or just if I win the lottery?

[Loftus]

Narnia?

[2waterford]

Sorry no advice. As someone who lives in ROI, I am just wondering what you didn't like and I am also intrigued as to why others might think living here is good.

[EssexSue]

Originally Posted by 2waterford

Sorry no advice. As someone who lives in ROI, I am just wondering what you didn't like and I am also intrigued as to why others might think living here is good.

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Wouldn't want to live there but in my opinion it's the most beautiful place I've ever been.

[bigbaggy]

I lived for a couple of years due to work on the west coast of Ireland. it was the best placed I lived. very laid back and not so much crime as living in the uk.
I will when I retire possibly move back there.

[sprocket]

These 2 go together. One reason i found it hard was due to how laid back it could be. You want anything doing, well be prepared to wait and chase and wait. Along with this was the lack of ability for anyone to say no.
So this caused massive issues building a house and being in it by the agreed date (and end of our rental house). 3 weeks prior to move date and we were still being told, yes it will be ready, while standing in a house with no internal walls, no electrics and no plumbing.
I think my stress levels during this time just ruined the future there.

Still love to visit the ROI but then Im in that laid back, no rush mode as well which helps.

To add to Bigbaggy. Crime rate in ROI cities is higher than you realise and we were surprised. There are a lot of gang and crime issues in the cities, just like any UK city.

And then there is the stretching of the laws. Our neighbour drove alone on L plates. When we pointed out that shouldnt they be with a qualified driver, they just said 'Its a grey area here'. This was extremely common.

I think the biggest problem was that I lived there just after the introduction of the Euro. It was unbelievable how badly they were being ripped off by the introduction of the Euro and how prices increased. I think everyone was doing monthly trips to NI for bulk buying.

Originally Posted by 2waterford

Sorry no advice. As someone who lives in ROI, I am just wondering what you didn't like and I am also intrigued as to why others might think living here is good.

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Originally Posted by bigbaggy

I lived for a couple of years due to work on the west coast of Ireland. it was the best placed I lived. very laid back and not so much crime as living in the uk.
I will when I retire possibly move back there.

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[scottishmum]

North East England, it’s strangely one of the “sunniest” places in the uk.
I said sunny though not “warmest”

I live right on the coast , I mean 3 min walk to the beach and it rains much much less than a lot of the UK , something to do with the pentland hills I think.

Fabulous shops here we have the largest indoor mall in Europe , the metro centre here.
I love it, I moved 28 years ago from central Scotland and the first think I noticed was we got less than half the rainy days we got up there.
People are the friendliest too.

[ziggyzag]

Swansea, close to the M4 to get places, beautiful area around Gower beautiful beaches,
but you will have to put up with a bit of rain

Locals call it the Graveyard, cos once you move here you don't leave

[scooby99]

Originally Posted by sprocket

And then there is the stretching of the laws. Our neighbour drove alone on L plates. When we pointed out that shouldnt they be with a qualified driver, they just said 'Its a grey area here'. This was extremely common.

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If this was back in the early noughties, it was a grey area.

It was acceptable to drive alone on a provisional licence & be covered by insurance back then.
I know lots who drove alone to their driving test, failed, drove themselves home again & continued to drive on their provisional every day covered by insurance.
It was one of those laws that sounds bonkers but that was the law in the ROI back then.

Times & laws have since changed.

We also lived for a while in a rural area on the West Coast of Ireland; far too quiet for us with limited amenities & choice; we really missed all the amenities & convenience of a city/large town on our doorstep.

[FlorayG]

Originally Posted by ziggyzag

Swansea, close to the M4 to get places, beautiful area around Gower beautiful beaches,
but you will have to put up with a bit of rain

Locals call it the Graveyard, cos once you move here you don't leave

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That's 'the graveyard of ambition' not just 'the graveyard'
Outside the railway station they made a mosaic sign in the ground that says 'ambition is critical' but nobody reads it they just walk over it.

Actually Swansea area is lovely and the best part about it is that everybody knows somebody you know it's like living in a village with a million inhabitants.

I did get out but I don't dare go back to visit because I will want to go live there again if I do