Australia verses the UK.

[Loy Toy]

There has been a bit of Aussie bashing and over the course of my time here on Teak Door including attempts by our illustrious owner to stick the knife in at every opportunity.

Plenty of other Teak Door members of British origin also get on the "aussie bashing" bandwagon but as I have never really lived (long term) in the UK I often wonder what their claims and barbs are about.

Is it just jealousy or is the UK in fact a better place to live and raise your families in and when compared to the Land of Oz.

Therefore I wrote down a list of facts that I believe prooves that our golden country is far better than that muckhole Atalntic couple of islands and as follows>

1. Climate: Enough said about that one
2. Natural Resources: We have minerals and natural resources that the whole world envies.
3. Food: I have had relatives that stand in awe in front of butcher and fruit/ vegetable shops looking at our produce and marvelling at how cheap the prices are.
4. Community harmony: Although we have our problems with racial matters largely our communities live harmoniously and when compared to what I have been told about what goes down back in the UK.
5. Beaches and public parks: Aussies have been deemed as probably the most successful sporting nation on this earth and when looking at head of population ratios. Where I lived you could walk straight out your front door and within 500 metres walk into a public park, onto a sporting field or public bathes. Our beaches are unbelievable and have sand not rocks and peebles.
6. Great Education facilities: Smaller classes (students per room) than most western countries and the teaching facilities are mostly world class.
7. Cost of living: Based upon my last trip to Oz and when compared to my last nigtmare trip to the UK Australia's cost of living is a fraction and when compared to living in the UK.
8. Housing: Well you have to go there and to experince yourself about how cheap the houses are and how well they are built and according to the climate we live in.
9. Social benefits: Well NZ doesn't even provide the type of social welfare we offer and that's why you have more Kiwis in Australia then they have in New Zealand.
10. Strategic global positioning: Right at the hub and with regard to long term co-operation with the fastest growing economic region on this earth. Plus only 8 hours flight away from LOS for me!

Just ten personal opinions I truly believe in and I welcome any others to challenge me on any of those points raised by me.

Add your own opinions if you like!

[jandajoy]

1. Climate: Enough said about that one

Hmmm, it used to hit 50c. in the shade at my last place. Plus the pleasure of being cut off for 3-4 months a year during the wet. Still, at least it wasn't cold.

[jandajoy]

4. Community harmony: Although we have our problems with racial matters largely our communities live harmoniously and when compared to what I have been told about what goes down back in the UK.

Agreed, but I think that's changing for the worse. Cities are getting more aggressive and lets not even start talking about Aboriginal communities where violence is rife.

[jandajoy]

7. Cost of living: Based upon my last trip to Oz and when compared to my last nigtmare trip to the UK Australia's cost of living is a fraction and when compared to living in the UK.

True, still cheaper but I was shocked at the cost of things on my last visit. But yes, still a lot better than the UK.

[Panda]

Oz is still a pretty good place to live. But too many whinging Poms here spoil it a bit.

[jandajoy]

6. Great Education facilities: Smaller classes (students per room) than most western countries and the teaching facilities are mostly world class.

Agreed. Plus fantastic sports facilities in schools, creating 4 because of 1.

[Thai Pom]

Our beaches are unbelievable and have sand not rocks and peebles.

Australia wins hands down!!

[Loy Toy]

True, still cheaper but I was shocked at the cost of things on my last visit. But yes, still a lot better than the UK.

I have even found food produce and other locally Oz made products to be very competitive and even when compared to Thailand prices.

Took my nephew out the other day (in Pattaya) and to buy some clothes and he said that some of the things were cheaper in Australia.

I spent 25 quid to go from Heathrow to a small hotel on the M6 in one of those Black Cabs. No more than a 15 minute trip!

Buy a cup of tea and some scones in London and you almost gotta go for a loan.

[Mr Pot]

Yes the UK is shite and I've vowed never to return but would prefer to move to oz, one problem however.......Australian people

[Loy Toy]

one problem however.......Australian people

Don't be overawed by them mate!

We accept anyone and if they don't take the piss.

Yes the UK is shite and I've vowed never to return

Exactly what most other Brits have told me also but why all this Aussie bashing and when their own house is an absolute shithole.

[jandajoy]

I spent 25 quid to go from Heathrow to a small hotel on the M6 in one of those Black Cabs. No more than a 15 minute trip! Buy a cup of tea and some scones in London and you almost gotta go for a loan.

With you 100% on this one LT. It's shocking.
I've been asked for 3 quid for a coffee. 12 quid for a sandwich. the place has gone to pieces. 7 quid for a pack of smokes!

My old man does a weekly shop at his local Tescos.

He likes to chat up the women.

Spends hours there. Loves looking for bargains.

But, each week it's 100 quid plus. a single bloke and he's not buying caviar.

I was astonished the last time I went back to the UK. A night out = take your credit card.

[JoGeAr]

Don't be too hard on on our Pommie friends. The RAN is looking at buying quite a few new submarines and apparently the Brits are amongst the lowest bidders so far. Even with the refits (*) required they should still be under budget.















































(*) Refits - need to install showers.

[jandajoy]

The RAN is looking at buying quite a few new submarines and apparently the Brits are amongst the lowest bidders so far. Even with the refits (*) required they should still be under budget.

Don't understand................

[Loy Toy]

The RAN is looking at buying quite a few new submarines and apparently the Brits are amongst the lowest bidders so far. Even with the refits (*) required they should still be under budget.

Probably built by Poles anyway!

So that makes em cheap as well as nasty now!

[dirtydog]

Took my nephew out the other day (in Pattaya) and to buy some clothes and he said that some of the things were cheaper in Australia.

I went to Chicago last year, I bought most of my clothes there as they were cheaper than buying in Thailand

[jandajoy]

The Collins fiasco was bad enough. Where's this info come from Jo Gear?

[jandajoy]

I went to Chicago last year, I bought most of my clothes there as they were cheaper than buying in Thailand

Chicago is a well known center for frocks, gowns and saucy underwear. doesn't surprise me at all. I've been told they do very nice chiffon stuff, whatever that is. Can you confirm?

[jandajoy]

they were cheaper than buying in Thailand

Less than 100 bht for a shirt ?

[JoGeAr]

The Collins fiasco was bad enough. Where's this info come from Jo Gear?

Just a joke about having to install showers. No truth to the rest, just thought it was topical !!

[jandajoy]

fair enough.

[Loy Toy]

I went to Chicago last year, I bought most of my clothes there as they were cheaper than buying in Thailand

The ironic fact about this DD is that probably most of those clothes were made in Thailand (and or China) and it just goes to show either how high the markups are here and or how uncompetitive Thailand is at the moment.

[Gallowspole]

I'm a Brit but unashamedly loved my times in Oz. The decision to leave the UK permanently was an easy one and I was torn between Thailand or Oz. I chose Thailand because I was worried about the language barrier in Oz , but here's a few of my observations.

The climate was great, although being a freckly ginger meant that I was constantly being told to slip slop slap. The UK weather just depressed me and surfing in warm clean water just wearing boardies as opposed to dodging the turds, tampons, and condoms in a 5/4mm steamer wetsuit is no contest. Saying that, some of the beaches in Northumberland are fantastic as is the surrounding countryside. Inner cities in the UK are pretty grim, but as are quite a few places in Sydney. All the green belt land that wasn't supposed to be sold in the UK has gradually been sold off to developers and towns and villages have just merged into each other.

Food wise, however, the UK wins for my palate. Aussie pies and fish and chips were just shite and you couldn't get a good doner kebab or Chicken Tikka Massala to save your life.

Aussie beer, apart from Cooper's, is quite bland and the fact that it is served cold is its only saving grace. The size of the glass is quite embarrassing for Aussies men. Real men drink pints and women drink halves but in Oz men drink from thimbles and spend half the time re-ordering from the sheila behind the bar. I reckon cos that's the only time the average Aussie males get to talk to a woman. I liked that fact that women weren't allowed in certain bars - their coarsness could often lower the tone of the establishments.

The UK has a huge selection of fantastic ales that don't need to be served ice cold. If you've just come in from the snow and the rain the last thing you want is an ice cream head. UK pubs also have a lot more character, apart from the ones in Earl's Court which appear to have rather odd patrons and staff.

Mateship is something Aussies are quite rightly proud of and I'd say I have more really good Aussie mates than Brits although some of them are a bit slow when it comes to having the friendly piss taken out of them. They often think it's real criticism and then go off on their high horse complaining about whinging poms.

Flouncing is a noticable Aussie trait - often as a result of piss taking or getting beaten in the Ashes, mass exoduses from pubs shouting 'yah can all go and get fucked yah fuckin' pommie cunts' are not uncommon. It's only a game for feks sake - sort it out with your fists like real UK supporters do with rival supporters.

[Marmite the Dog]

1. Climate: Enough said about that one
I didn't realise Australia only had one climate, but the more densely populated places have climates that are much nicer then the UK.

2. Natural Resources: We have minerals and natural resources that the whole world envies.
The UK had loads but now most is depleted. Only really got oil & gas left (and a bit of gold).

3. Food: I have had relatives that stand in awe in front of butcher and fruit/ vegetable shops looking at our produce and marvelling at how cheap the prices are.
UK produce is as good as the best in the world, but it is more expensive (but we get paid more).

4. Community harmony: Although we have our problems with racial matters largely our communities live harmoniously and when compared to what I have been told about what goes down back in the UK.
Most Brits are not the out & out racists that most Aussies are. I would say that the UK has one of the most well integrated populations in the western world.

5. Beaches and public parks: Aussies have been deemed as probably the most successful sporting nation on this earth and when looking at head of population ratios. Where I lived you could walk straight out your front door and within 500 metres walk into a public park, onto a sporting field or public bathes. Our beaches are unbelievable and have sand not rocks and peebles.
Same as the UK, but it's too fucking cold to go to the beach most of the time.

6. Great Education facilities: Smaller classes (students per room) than most western countries and the teaching facilities are mostly world class.
Australia is probably on par with Northern England in terms of education. Poor.

7. Cost of living: Based upon my last trip to Oz and when compared to my last nigtmare trip to the UK Australia's cost of living is a fraction and when compared to living in the UK.
True.

8. Housing: Well you have to go there and to experince yourself about how cheap the houses are and how well they are built and according to the climate we live in.
Most houses in the UK are over-priced and crap. The builders in the UK are way behind most of Northern Europe.
9. Social benefits: Well NZ doesn't even provide the type of social welfare we offer and that's why you have more Kiwis in Australia then they have in New Zealand.
Our social services are geared up to getting people back to work, unless you're not British and them they'll pamper you as much as Aus.

10. Strategic global positioning: Right at the hub and with regard to long term co-operation with the fastest growing economic region on this earth. Plus only 8 hours flight away from LOS for me!
The centre of the civilised world.

.....

[NickA]

Education is debatable. Yes, Australia probably has better government secondary schools, but primary schools in the UK are pretty good and the UK wins hands down on universities and private schools.

[Loy Toy]

Flouncing is a noticable Aussie trait - often as a result of piss taking or getting beaten in the Ashes, mass exoduses from pubs shouting 'yah can all go and get fucked yah fuckin' pommie cunts' are not uncommon. It's only a game for feks sake - sort it out with your fists like real UK supporters do with rival supporters.

Good post mate but this paragraph is the only one I don't agree with.

Aussies would prefer to see a closely fought game or even to lose rather than to win comprehensively everytime.

I know some blokes who still go on about a world cup win about 6 years ago!

Furthermore most aussies would be happy to meet up with the opposing fans in a pub afterwards, pat them on the back and congratulate them on a good win.

Don't know what place in Oz you lived but I have rarely seen bad sportsmanship from an Aussie. In fact that underarm bowling shit still makes most aussies sick with embarrasment.