P.K. Posted December 18, 2012 Share Posted December 18, 2012 The Scandinavian countries are great places to live - Norway, Sweden and Finland; Yes but their suicide rate is depressing enough to drive you to - let's not go there. It's hardly surprising though. I spent several winter months working in central Sweden at a place called Ljungby. Population about 15k. Two bars - the hotel and the Charlie Chaplin pub - I kiddeth you not. Let's just say the folks in Ljungby weren't big on going out and having a good time with their mates. It's okay to visit - for a very short while. But if you think the IoM is insular, believe me you ain't seen nothing until you get to North Wales! I once spent 3 years in Anglesey - no, I spent 3 days there, but it seemed like 3 years! Prior to CrapTowns and it's worthy winner Hull the scruffiest place in the UK was deemed to be Holyhead. ....most of the UK is abyssmal and depressing. I knew it was in a depression but I hadn't realised it had gone over a cliff! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ACLDM Posted December 18, 2012 Share Posted December 18, 2012 Well, I'm Manx to my marrow and my family goes back generations and very few of them ever moved away ........ but I'd like to live somewhere like the Peak District - quiet and remote (and similar in many ways to here), but only a train ride away from Sheffield or Manchester with the theatres, shops, city life etc. I find the Island very claustrophic and the older I get the more I panic that I'll live here all my life and never have the chance to experience life elsewhere. But my other half is happy here and will never move, plus all my children and grandchiildren are here and seem very settled. Making the move would be very difficult in many ways Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Addie Posted December 18, 2012 Share Posted December 18, 2012 Go for it, ACLDM. Even if only for a few years. I'd opt for the Peak District or certainly the Lakes. I loved living there. Or way down southe where the Eurotunnel is handy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GD4ELI Posted December 18, 2012 Share Posted December 18, 2012 Well, I'm Manx to my marrow and my family goes back generations and very few of them ever moved away ........ but I'd like to live somewhere like the Peak District - quiet and remote (and similar in many ways to here), but only a train ride away from Sheffield or Manchester with the theatres, shops, city life etc. I find the Island very claustrophic and the older I get the more I panic that I'll live here all my life and never have the chance to experience life elsewhere. But my other half is happy here and will never move, plus all my children and grandchiildren are here and seem very settled. Making the move would be very difficult in many ways If you visit the Peak District, Lake District or pretty well any rural tourist area you start to appreciate how very bady the IOM's assets are managed. Just look at the current state of planning for the old baths in Port Erin. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GD4ELI Posted December 18, 2012 Share Posted December 18, 2012 Go for it, ACLDM. Even if only for a few years. I'd opt for the Peak District or certainly the Lakes. I loved living there. Or way down southe where the Eurotunnel is handy. Silly suggestion - how about the Isle of Wight? I did a 12 month contract there in the early 80's for Plessy Radar, nice place, sea etc. My preference would be to go to the Lakes though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trmpton Posted December 18, 2012 Share Posted December 18, 2012 I have no real preference between living here, and any one of a number of places in the UK, Ireland, Europe or the world. I may be sad, but I select to live and bring my kids here because my family live here, my wifes family live here, and our friends live here. I have lived in other places for periods of time, but ultimately it would have to be a LOT better than here, or the job opportunities would have to be a ot better than here to move me and the kids away from grandparents, and extended family. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thomas Jefferson Posted December 18, 2012 Share Posted December 18, 2012 (edited) Can you give me some good reasons as to why the Isle of Man is better than/preferable to/far exceeds living in the UK? Let's see - lower crime - safer - culture - low unemployment - better scenery - fresh air - less pollution - good local farm produce - lots of things to do - lots of history - better quality of life - better pensions - more benefits - better education - less overcrowded - better workers' rights - good public transportation - good business opportunities - geographic location - in the middle of the British Isles - the close proximity of everything Having lived in London, which is supposedly some sort of trendy epicenter of "things to do", I think there is a lot more to do in the Isle of Man. The only downside about the Isle of Man is the civil service, but that's a disease which even the UK suffers from. Edited December 18, 2012 by Thomas Jefferson Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trmpton Posted December 18, 2012 Share Posted December 18, 2012 Can you give me some good reasons as to why the Isle of Man is better than/preferable to/far exceeds living in the UK? Let's see - lower crime - safer - culture - low unemployment - better scenery - fresh air - less pollution - good local farm produce - lots of things to do - lots of history - better quality of life - better pensions - more benefits - better education - less overcrowded - better workers' rights - good public transportation - good business opportunities - geographic location - in the middle of the British Isles - the close proximity of everything Having lived in London, which is supposedly some sort of trendy epicenter of "things to do", I think there is a lot more to do in the Isle of Man. The only downside about the Isle of Man is the civil service, but that's a disease which even the UK suffers from. You know the UK is a big place, with lots of different areas to live in? I love living on the island, but there are parts of the UK with better of everything you list above. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GD4ELI Posted December 18, 2012 Share Posted December 18, 2012 I love living on the island, but there are parts of the UK with better of everything you list above. But the IOM is not as big and scary as the UK Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thomas Jefferson Posted December 18, 2012 Share Posted December 18, 2012 (edited) You know the UK is a big place, with lots of different areas to live in? I love living on the island, but there are parts of the UK with better of everything you list above. Yes, but they're all connected by land. I like having an ocean to separate me from horrible places. Edited December 18, 2012 by Thomas Jefferson Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cheesypeas Posted December 18, 2012 Share Posted December 18, 2012 I'm also manx to the max, and happy that we've been able to bring two kids up in a safe environment with a good education system. The Island has been good to me and my family, but many of the advantages of living here have now been eroded. As much as it will break my heart, we cannot afford to retire here, and will eventually move to a warmer climate (Mrs Peas suffers in the cold). When we left school, it was not a matter of 'can I get a job', it was more a case of 'where do I want to work'. Today that's all changed. As long as I can still taste salt air, and be able to get to the countryside quickly, I will be happy. Bollix I'm depressed now !! Always become down when I think about leaving. Have to tell myself it's for the best. Merry Christmas. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gladys Posted December 18, 2012 Share Posted December 18, 2012 I really love the island. I have been back for 10 years now and have watched both of my children grow up in a very safe and nurturing environment. That has been great. My main worry is the opportunities that will be here for them. I would much rather that they leave the island through choice than compulsion as I had to in the 80s. Even so, I have absolutely no desire to go back to England even if it would increase their chances (and that is very doubtful now). There are some fantastic places and a lot of things I miss (like proper markets, quick access to a change of environment or airports). But when I tot it all up. I would rather be here than there; it suits, it fits and I feel part of the place. I never really felt part of the bits of the UK I lived in for a total of 20 years. I guess that is why you would want to be anywhere despite the material advantages or disadvantages. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bombay Bad Boy Posted December 19, 2012 Share Posted December 19, 2012 the aqueduct? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quilp Posted December 19, 2012 Share Posted December 19, 2012 I really love the island. I have been back for 10 years now and have watched both of my children grow up in a very safe and nurturing environment. That has been great. My main worry is the opportunities that will be here for them. I would much rather that they leave the island through choice than compulsion as I had to in the 80s. Even so, I have absolutely no desire to go back to England even if it would increase their chances (and that is very doubtful now). There are some fantastic places and a lot of things I miss (like proper markets, quick access to a change of environment or airports). But when I tot it all up. I would rather be here than there; it suits, it fits and I feel part of the place. I never really felt part of the bits of the UK I lived in for a total of 20 years. I guess that is why you would want to be anywhere despite the material advantages or disadvantages. This absolutely says it all for me, Gladys. The IoM in the late seventies/early eighties, for me anyway, was more depressing and claustrophobic than it is today. It's all subjective, though. Some people, in fact more than not, never get away from here and experience life 'across'. Most don't feel the need to, nowt wrong with that but broadening ones horizons can only be a good thing. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
manxie44 Posted December 20, 2012 Share Posted December 20, 2012 Go for it, ACLDM. Even if only for a few years. I'd opt for the Peak District or certainly the Lakes. I loved living there. Or way down southe where the Eurotunnel is handy. Still plenty of sailings and flights available, although I believe one-way flights of the Island are pretty booked-up Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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