4 days in Uk - report!

[Guest katsmajic]

I had one of those "calls" and returned to the UK on Saturday.

 

We arrived here in Adelaide in April, so not been here for that long really, but boy did i ever have a shock when i returned.

 

The flights were as good as to be expected, Qantas & staff were great, the BA bit of the flight was awful, however....

 

Arrived on Sunday at Heathrow, there were random foreign staff members/cleaners in the corridor areas etc but none said hello, passport control was a couple of indian/oriental origin people, on to customs clearance - 1 random oriental guy...no smiley faces! Through the doors out to the blast of freezing wind/gales blowing through T4, i asked a man in a high vis jkt for directions to the pickup point, he didnt speak english so couldnt help me...i then got a text from my dad that he was held up in the snow and to get a coffee etc...

so off i trot to change some money up, get served by an indian guy, on to starbucks, stand behind 2 carpark attendants in the queue - both chatting away in eastern eurpoean, get served by an asian lad - receive my coffee from a polish girl...sat down hugging my coffee - it was -1 brrr and wind chill on top of that as the external automatic doors had been propped open.

still at this point no one had said hello!

 

mmmm welcome to the yUk i thought!

 

So i finally get to Cheltenham and after a couple of hours i set off to town with my mum on the bus to get a load of photos copied - we spent 2hrs in town, got the bus back and that evening commented to my mum that i had overheard 3 english conversations all day! If my mum lived in London/Birmingham etc it might not have been such a surprise...no english on the buses/in shops etc.

The manager in Jessops was vile...it was 3.30 and i wanted to get my pics of my nephew copied for my bro & SIL, he said i wouldnt have time to scan them (12pics) but as i needed them for the next day i insisted on at least trying - he told me if i wasnt done by 4 it was tough he was turning the machines off! it took me 7mins..arsehole!

 

I was taken aback at how closed in i felt, almost claustraphobic, and how grey things looked, OK i know its November but everything just looked grey, buildings etc, even people...

 

 

Monday - had to do sad stuff like florists/newspaper announcement etc, so in town again, again surprised at the number of foreigners and the greyness of it all...and starting to feel a little ill with it all.

 

I was 'sad' and went back into town to get some marmite...put more pics in, popped into Primark, cheap but fun clothes for my teen - yay shes sorted for Xmas...

Town was surprisingly busy, people bustling everywhere, i got run over by an old witch in her mobility scooter - now ive spent 3mths on one of them myself so know you can manouvre them quite easily, and not even a sorry, people pushed in, no queue systems, i was pushed out of the doorway of a lift!!! by teen chavs n their prams. Town was a horrid experience.

My lil bro got back from Russia and took me n my SIL out for dinner - we were the only ones in the restaurant.

 

Tuesday was beautiful blue skies and although freezing cold was a beautiful day for the funeral.

 

Wednesday, i drove to the best chippie in Chelt - had my fish cooked freshly, got back to my mums and the paper was soggy with grease, loaded up our plates etc and ended up having to scrape the congealed fat off the work surfaces. The fish/cod was lush, but the batter was full of fat and although i didnt eat it all i felt ill and clogged with it.

Driving was an experience, people complain at the ignorant drivers here in Adelaide, well theyve got nowt on drivers in Chelt, i was actually fearful for myself and my bros car! Ignorant/rude/fast/aggressive drivers, roads that are way to small for the traffic, poor cyclists getting cut up all the time, people jumping red lights, beeping horns at people crossing at zebra crossings...i was stunned!

 

My bro dropped me at T4 that evening, he couldnt face coming in and literally just dropped me off, i dragged my case to the lifts, asked an attendant where i could find a trolley - he said to go look round downstairs!

 

Now safely back in OZ i can safely say i am never returning to the UK! I wouldnt have stayed there any longer if i was paid to.

 

(not my family, as they have reason to be depressed, but people on the streets)

People are/look so depressed/ing, everything looks grey, streets are dirty, covered in leaves - they fell off the trees weeks/months ago but are still clogging the streets...staff are rude/dont care, hardly any 'customer service' staff were english and were giving off an even bigger dont give a toss attitude.

The papers are so depressing, nothing funny or nice in them - just doom/gloom.

Its so small and closed in, the sun couldnt get to you if it tried.

 

The only person who put themselves out to be nice/polite was the waiter/barman in the restaurant and he was Welsh.

 

One consolation is my nephew was buried in the sunshine in the most beautiful part of Chelt, at the bottom of the hills and will always be in the sun if it shines.

[ozzieclare2be]

oh Kat big hugs to you hun. I must admit im dreading a phone call like that, especially with Dad the way he is. I guess it was bloody hard making that trip on your own .

 

So it looks like youve made the right decision to come to Adelaide then? I would love to go back in a way to see how i felt about it now, i guess its like a reverse culture shock. Big hugs xx clare:wubclub:

[ozzieclare2be]

oh Kat big hugs to you hun. I must admit im dreading a phone call like that, especially with Dad the way he is. I guess it was bloody hard making that trip on your own .

 

So it looks like youve made the right decision to come to Adelaide then? I would love to go back in a way to see how i felt about it now, i guess its like a reverse culture shock. Big hugs xx clare:wubclub:

 

 

edited due to spelling

[Guest KP Nuts]

Hi Kate, I'm sorry to read the reason for your return to the UK, but not surprised of your findings, but always thought Chelt, was posh.

 

Take care

[Guest Roo1]

More bigs hugs to you from me, Kat. I got all emotional reading your post, especially the last bit.......so sorry to hear about you nephew.

 

Judi xxxxx

[Guest katsmajic]

Thank you guys,

Those coming over remember the sun may shine more here but sh1t still happens, (lots of it to us it seems)

and although i was and felt a million miles away and useless, being there didnt help that feeling as in these sorts of circumstances nothing can be helped or changed -

 

Distance makes no difference whatsoever!

 

The Uk is as close or as far as you want - i left on sat lunch time and landed there sunday am. It took longer for my brother to get back from Russia! (trying to get flights etc)

[Guest Nick11]

I'm so sorry darling for your loss.

Reading your post makes me appreciate what I've got and take for granted.

Big hugs

Nick

x

[Guest Cunnah97]

I had one of those "calls" and returned to the UK on Saturday.

 

We arrived here in Adelaide in April, so not been here for that long really, but boy did i ever have a shock when i returned.

 

The flights were as good as to be expected, Qantas & staff were great, the BA bit of the flight was awful, however....

 

Arrived on Sunday at Heathrow, there were random foreign staff members/cleaners in the corridor areas etc but none said hello, passport control was a couple of indian/oriental origin people, on to customs clearance - 1 random oriental guy...no smiley faces! Through the doors out to the blast of freezing wind/gales blowing through T4, i asked a man in a high vis jkt for directions to the pickup point, he didnt speak english so couldnt help me...i then got a text from my dad that he was held up in the snow and to get a coffee etc...

so off i trot to change some money up, get served by an indian guy, on to starbucks, stand behind 2 carpark attendants in the queue - both chatting away in eastern eurpoean, get served by an asian lad - receive my coffee from a polish girl...sat down hugging my coffee - it was -1 brrr and wind chill on top of that as the external automatic doors had been propped open.

still at this point no one had said hello!

 

mmmm welcome to the yUk i thought!

 

So i finally get to Cheltenham and after a couple of hours i set off to town with my mum on the bus to get a load of photos copied - we spent 2hrs in town, got the bus back and that evening commented to my mum that i had overheard 3 english conversations all day! If my mum lived in London/Birmingham etc it might not have been such a surprise...no english on the buses/in shops etc.

The manager in Jessops was vile...it was 3.30 and i wanted to get my pics of my nephew copied for my bro & SIL, he said i wouldnt have time to scan them (12pics) but as i needed them for the next day i insisted on at least trying - he told me if i wasnt done by 4 it was tough he was turning the machines off! it took me 7mins..arsehole!

 

I was taken aback at how closed in i felt, almost claustraphobic, and how grey things looked, OK i know its November but everything just looked grey, buildings etc, even people...

 

 

Monday - had to do sad stuff like florists/newspaper announcement etc, so in town again, again surprised at the number of foreigners and the greyness of it all...and starting to feel a little ill with it all.

 

I was 'sad' and went back into town to get some marmite...put more pics in, popped into Primark, cheap but fun clothes for my teen - yay shes sorted for Xmas...

Town was surprisingly busy, people bustling everywhere, i got run over by an old witch in her mobility scooter - now ive spent 3mths on one of them myself so know you can manouvre them quite easily, and not even a sorry, people pushed in, no queue systems, i was pushed out of the doorway of a lift!!! by teen chavs n their prams. Town was a horrid experience.

My lil bro got back from Russia and took me n my SIL out for dinner - we were the only ones in the restaurant.

 

Tuesday was beautiful blue skies and although freezing cold was a beautiful day for the funeral.

 

Wednesday, i drove to the best chippie in Chelt - had my fish cooked freshly, got back to my mums and the paper was soggy with grease, loaded up our plates etc and ended up having to scrape the congealed fat off the work surfaces. The fish/cod was lush, but the batter was full of fat and although i didnt eat it all i felt ill and clogged with it.

Driving was an experience, people complain at the ignorant drivers here in Adelaide, well theyve got nowt on drivers in Chelt, i was actually fearful for myself and my bros car! Ignorant/rude/fast/aggressive drivers, roads that are way to small for the traffic, poor cyclists getting cut up all the time, people jumping red lights, beeping horns at people crossing at zebra crossings...i was stunned!

 

My bro dropped me at T4 that evening, he couldnt face coming in and literally just dropped me off, i dragged my case to the lifts, asked an attendant where i could find a trolley - he said to go look round downstairs!

 

Now safely back in OZ i can safely say i am never returning to the UK! I wouldnt have stayed there any longer if i was paid to.

 

(not my family, as they have reason to be depressed, but people on the streets)

People are/look so depressed/ing, everything looks grey, streets are dirty, covered in leaves - they fell off the trees weeks/months ago but are still clogging the streets...staff are rude/dont care, hardly any 'customer service' staff were english and were giving off an even bigger dont give a toss attitude.

The papers are so depressing, nothing funny or nice in them - just doom/gloom.

Its so small and closed in, the sun couldnt get to you if it tried.

 

The only person who put themselves out to be nice/polite was the waiter/barman in the restaurant and he was Welsh.

 

One consolation is my nephew was buried in the sunshine in the most beautiful part of Chelt, at the bottom of the hills and will always be in the sun if it shines.

Hi Kat i'm so sorry to read this message from you....i don't seem to go on PIA that much now so i had NO idea that you had sadly lost your nephew and flown back to the UK suddenly!

 

i don't know the circumstances BUT whatever they are...life is so very cruel sometimes...and it's sadly not until we have a loss or hear of somebody elses loss that we realize how precious life is!

We should all try to live life to the full...as we sadly never know what can happen from one day to the next!

 

Glad your "home" safe and sound and back with your family here in Adelaide!

 

Gill xxxxxx

[Guest katsmajic]

grey!

 

looking out of my mums front window!

[Guest sjs]

oh what a journey you have had - i am glad though that you managed to get something positive out of it

 

all the best

 

sjs

[The Monaghans]

We've never met Kat but I just wanted to say how sorry I am for your terrible loss. You and your family have had more than your share of sorrow, I hope things will turn around for you soon. Welcome back to Adelaide.

[laura girling]

Hi There,

 

I just want to give you a hug, that must be a very traumatic time for all your family, it makes you think how short life can be, I would be mortified.

Thank you for reminding me why not to go home.

take care

 

Laura xxx

[Guest Libby1971]

Kat, you are a lovely lady. I wish I had something to say that would be right for a moment like this but all I can think of is to say we feel for you and we're glad you're back. I am so so sorry to hear of your loss. I cried as I read your last part about your nephew being in the sun.

 

Thank you for reminding me to appreciate who is in my life.

 

Thinking of you and your family x

[Andrew from Vista Financial]

That must of been hard for you to cope with. I hope now that you are back in Adelaide things will get easier.

[Guest gilmoresoz]

Hi Kat

 

Just read your post and we are so sorry for your loss. I think we all at sometime have lost loved ones and it is very hard but time is a healer. You never forget. Its a true saying that you don't know what's round the corner or what cards you have been dealt - every day should be lived to the full like it is your last.

 

After reading your post I think we have all made the right decision - woken up this morning to brilliant sunshine, blue sky and smiling people.

 

All the best our thoughts are with you. Take care.

 

Fiona & Darren

[Guest Guest75]

I'm really sorry to hear about your nephew Kat.

That was a great thing you did - to return.

 

I had a similar experience a few years ago when my Mum passed away.

I could have nearly posted exactly the same sentiments about the yUK.

[Guest graandjac]

:)Now onwards and upwards Kat,Martin,Maggie and Seb never have i known a family to have so much bad luck.....you can get through anything.....invincible you all are......glad your "home" safe and well, love ya x

[HEAPS GOOD !!!]

:)Now onwards and upwards Kat,Martin,Maggie and Seb never have i known a family to have so much bad luck.....you can get through anything.....invincible you all are......glad your "home" safe and well, love ya x

 

Cheers for that guys xx

 

i am getting to the point where we should be hardned up to deal with anything....but we know that there will be circumstances that and knock you sideways.

 

We have made some seriously great friends, who have been of tremendous support thru very crap times.....thanks to all of you.

 

Roll on 2009 and lets have a good un. !!!.

 

Welcome home hun....XXX

[Jessica Berry]

I had one of those "calls" and returned to the UK on Saturday.

 

We arrived here in Adelaide in April, so not been here for that long really, but boy did i ever have a shock when i returned.

 

The flights were as good as to be expected, Qantas & staff were great, the BA bit of the flight was awful, however....

 

Arrived on Sunday at Heathrow, there were random foreign staff members/cleaners in the corridor areas etc but none said hello, passport control was a couple of indian/oriental origin people, on to customs clearance - 1 random oriental guy...no smiley faces! Through the doors out to the blast of freezing wind/gales blowing through T4, i asked a man in a high vis jkt for directions to the pickup point, he didnt speak english so couldnt help me...i then got a text from my dad that he was held up in the snow and to get a coffee etc...

so off i trot to change some money up, get served by an indian guy, on to starbucks, stand behind 2 carpark attendants in the queue - both chatting away in eastern eurpoean, get served by an asian lad - receive my coffee from a polish girl...sat down hugging my coffee - it was -1 brrr and wind chill on top of that as the external automatic doors had been propped open.

still at this point no one had said hello!

 

mmmm welcome to the yUk i thought!

 

So i finally get to Cheltenham and after a couple of hours i set off to town with my mum on the bus to get a load of photos copied - we spent 2hrs in town, got the bus back and that evening commented to my mum that i had overheard 3 english conversations all day! If my mum lived in London/Birmingham etc it might not have been such a surprise...no english on the buses/in shops etc.

The manager in Jessops was vile...it was 3.30 and i wanted to get my pics of my nephew copied for my bro & SIL, he said i wouldnt have time to scan them (12pics) but as i needed them for the next day i insisted on at least trying - he told me if i wasnt done by 4 it was tough he was turning the machines off! it took me 7mins..arsehole!

 

I was taken aback at how closed in i felt, almost claustraphobic, and how grey things looked, OK i know its November but everything just looked grey, buildings etc, even people...

 

 

Monday - had to do sad stuff like florists/newspaper announcement etc, so in town again, again surprised at the number of foreigners and the greyness of it all...and starting to feel a little ill with it all.

 

I was 'sad' and went back into town to get some marmite...put more pics in, popped into Primark, cheap but fun clothes for my teen - yay shes sorted for Xmas...

Town was surprisingly busy, people bustling everywhere, i got run over by an old witch in her mobility scooter - now ive spent 3mths on one of them myself so know you can manouvre them quite easily, and not even a sorry, people pushed in, no queue systems, i was pushed out of the doorway of a lift!!! by teen chavs n their prams. Town was a horrid experience.

My lil bro got back from Russia and took me n my SIL out for dinner - we were the only ones in the restaurant.

 

Tuesday was beautiful blue skies and although freezing cold was a beautiful day for the funeral.

 

Wednesday, i drove to the best chippie in Chelt - had my fish cooked freshly, got back to my mums and the paper was soggy with grease, loaded up our plates etc and ended up having to scrape the congealed fat off the work surfaces. The fish/cod was lush, but the batter was full of fat and although i didnt eat it all i felt ill and clogged with it.

Driving was an experience, people complain at the ignorant drivers here in Adelaide, well theyve got nowt on drivers in Chelt, i was actually fearful for myself and my bros car! Ignorant/rude/fast/aggressive drivers, roads that are way to small for the traffic, poor cyclists getting cut up all the time, people jumping red lights, beeping horns at people crossing at zebra crossings...i was stunned!

 

My bro dropped me at T4 that evening, he couldnt face coming in and literally just dropped me off, i dragged my case to the lifts, asked an attendant where i could find a trolley - he said to go look round downstairs!

 

Now safely back in OZ i can safely say i am never returning to the UK! I wouldnt have stayed there any longer if i was paid to.

 

(not my family, as they have reason to be depressed, but people on the streets)

People are/look so depressed/ing, everything looks grey, streets are dirty, covered in leaves - they fell off the trees weeks/months ago but are still clogging the streets...staff are rude/dont care, hardly any 'customer service' staff were english and were giving off an even bigger dont give a toss attitude.

The papers are so depressing, nothing funny or nice in them - just doom/gloom.

Its so small and closed in, the sun couldnt get to you if it tried.

 

The only person who put themselves out to be nice/polite was the waiter/barman in the restaurant and he was Welsh.

 

One consolation is my nephew was buried in the sunshine in the most beautiful part of Chelt, at the bottom of the hills and will always be in the sun if it shines.

 

 

Hi Kat

 

We know exactly how you feel as we are currently back in the UK for my Grandmas funeral after she died suddenly last week.

 

We came back to the UK at the end of Sept for my brothers wedding and after a week back in Nottingham we were ready to go back to Adelaide, the UK is so depressing and we agree entirely with your analysis of Heathrow Airport!!!

 

We never imagined about 7 weeks after we got back to Adelaide we would be going back to Nottingham for my Grandma's funeral.