Greetings from sunny England!

[Anne B]

I haven't been on the internet much during our trip back to the mother country (NW Essex), but for the last week or so it has been gloriously sunny and warm. Everyone has complained that the weather up until now has been awful. Have been clothes shopping today and got some real bargains, off for a curry tonight! (life is good). Might pop into the beer garden first for a decent pint of beer.

 

Main impressions are that things are cheap, especially at the supermarket, lots of people are driving round in brand new BMWs, Mercs and Range Rovers and there isn't much sign in this part of the country at least of hard times. A few pubs and shops are boarded up though. London was extremely busy and full of tourists, traffic was almost at a standstill so not as pleasant as I remembered it. Not looking forward to returning to cold weather next week, the light evenings are glorious and the countryside is so green and lush.

[Guest Guest75]

Similar impression to us when we were over last month.

 

I do think that everything is on credit though, I reckon people have much higher borrowing than here??

 

It's lovely to go back and be a tourist but once you scratch the surface it can be a different matter.

Saying that there are a lot of whinging Poms in their own country never mind here!!!

 

 

Enjoy!!!!!!!!!!

[newlife]

North West Essex is my old stomping ground, was born and grew up in Harlow. Must admit apart from seeing family I have no inclination at the moment to go back for a visit ( or the money lol), but maybe one day when we win the lottery we'll take the kids back to show them where they come from

[jim and adel]

I do think that everything is on credit though, I reckon people have much higher borrowing than here??

 

Naw, Australia has higher household debt than the UK (or pretty much anywhere else in the developed world). Whether it's against GDP (105% - the first time it's ever been higher than GDP) or as a percentage of income (150%, whereas it was 100% in 2005 and 50% in the nineties), Aus comes out tops.

[Guest Guest75]

Naw, Australia has higher household debt than the UK (or pretty much anywhere else in the developed world). Whether it's against GDP (105% - the first time it's ever been higher than GDP) or as a percentage of income (150%, whereas it was 100% in 2005 and 50% in the nineties), Aus comes out tops.

 

It does surprise me Jim, not arguing the fact. It was just my impression. What with Log Book Loans it does seem easier to get credit.

 

Wow - that much debt!!!. When we arrived in 2000 it felt as if this country was booming and in surplus!!!!

[jim and adel]

It does surprise me Jim, not arguing the fact. It was just my impression. What with Log Book Loans it does seem easier to get credit.

 

Wow - that much debt!!!. When we arrived in 2000 it felt as if this country was booming and in surplus!!!!

 

Yes, it surprised me when I first heard - but as usually happens once you find out something you then notice all the references to it and the warnings about it. I can hardly read about the economy now without seeing something about Australians' addiction to credit and debt ... I think there's only Ireland that has higher household debt (believing the 'Celtic Tiger' was here for good and all that).

 

So far it's been manageable because property prices here haven't crashed; if they ever do, then all those shiny SUVs that dominate the roads will be going back where they came from (on the plus side, perhaps second-hand cars might become get a bit cheaper!)

[AussieRob]

I have to be honest, given the current exchange rate I earn much more than many of my peers in the Uk, but when I was with them they were talking about whether to get a BMW or Range Rover, I have an Hyundai I30.... And driving around most parts of the midland I can't remember seeing so many top range cars compared to here.

 

I also remember when I first got here how cheap pub food was, but going back and seeing so many pubs busy with 2 meals for 10 pounds, they have it good over there for certain things.

 

But we have it good too, I certainly can't complain.

[Guest BurgessFamily]

Wow - that much debt!!!. When we arrived in 2000 it felt as if this country was booming and in surplus!!!!

 

That was before Wayne Swan.

[The Monaghans]

We got mixed signals I think. We were there in May/June and we were amazed that most houses seemed to have two cars on the drive but everyone was saying how tough things were! We found the supermarkets cheap but can't say we found clothes were that much if a bargain.