Where would you live out of Australia, Canada or the UK?

[Guest]

This is just a bit of a ramble based on today's events and is not, well not at this stage, particularly thought out or anything...!

An old friend of mine called me today - I hadn't spoken to him in a while....well pretty much since he gave up toking about 2 yrs back (deserter I know - lol). Anyway, he's invited me out on Sunday for "his last session" (on beer btw ) before he moves to Melbourne, Australia for good!!

I was pleased for him really - ya know it's nice to see people thinking outside the box and going for it. He's recently married and has a kid on the way - so I'm sure that this would have been a well thought out move on his part.

So, you know the way these things can get you thinking...? It's got me thinking - maybe I could do the same thing..? I'm not so sure about Australia, as I've never been there, and don't have family, but the weather and the beaches, houses with pools etc. all seem quite appealing to a Londoner that's used to living in a terraced house in an over crowded, often grey, polluted city...!

I've always liked the idea of moving to Canada too, despite never having been there as well, but I've got family there and heard lots about it...and with the average cost of a house being £120 000 UK pounds - I could even make a nice little wedge by selling here and moving there. And I'd get a much bigger, nicer house to boot! It's always seemed like an amazing country in many ways - the landscape, healthcare system, education etc. all seem to fit the bill.

But then the grass always seems greener and perhaps a different location in the UK or just staying put where I am is a better thing to do than all of the aforementioned?

What d'ya all reckon...? I know there are both Aussies and Canadians here and any input about your countries - pot laws, crime, employment, likelihood of becoming the next US etc (no offense but the US just scares me) or info on emigrating...well anywhere from anywhere, would be interesting to hear.

I'd qualify to live in both places, I believe, on a skill based visa...if that's what your first question might be?

Any thoughts..?

 

[Closet Funk]

I'd probally go with Canada.

 

[Guest]

well, I know one thing, I'd get out of London asap

different strokes for different folks, but London wares me down in a serious way

my favourite bits of the UK are all in the West: West Country, Borders, Wales, West Coast of Scotland; and then there's also the West Coast of Ireland

whatever the case, from my experience I would say spend plenty of time somewhere, preferably living and working, before deciding to move there; at the very least visit and revisit, just to make sure you like the life and the people

personally I would consider NZ first, but then I've always got on well with Kiwis - tend to find they have a better sense of humour and are a lot more mellow than some of our other Anglo-Saxon brethren, if you know what I mean... not to mention easier weather and stunning scenery

cheers 'n lovely,

Namkha

 

[Guest]

i think canada cause if u get fed up u only 5 hour flight away from home at reasonable cost ,,and canna laws a bit friendlier

 

[Pablo]

My brother emigrated this year to Oz .Whole family , sold house, business the works.

Lasted 8 weeks , but bought a nice car back home with him.
Unrelated as he don;t smoke , but i fancied posting .
Got friends in Canada and they love it!!
Halifax 5 hours from Manchester,easy.
Not that i'd come home , but you never know??

Anyhow , how about Spain? Good weather, beaches and great pot laws!!
Just expensive for property,But nowhere near as expensive as UK!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Guest]

if u go out too the small towns in spain property is dead cheap,,i'm with u i'd rather go spain and will be as soon as daughter finished school

 

[mace_ecam]

Australia is good, very good indeed.
great weather, great landscapes, great oceans, great people

the best thing about is the worst thing about it: its far away from the rest of the western world

when i get old, i'll be back in oz

mace

Ps: you'll get used to all the deadly animals there

 

[Guest]

I live in the states now but have vacationed to Canada a couple times and it just kicks ass.The fishin is freakin phenomenal.It will be my final resting place.

 

[naga_sadu]

I can't answer this question directly because I haven't been to Australia. But the ppl. I know who've been to all the 3 places u mentioned seem to say that Canada has one of the best smoke scenes out of the places u mentioned.

Despite being next door neighbour to a country (cool people tho) being headed by brain dead psychotic chimpanzee puritan anti pot nazi, surrounded by wrinkled, infinitely greedy fucknuts is freaky indeed...as freaky as sleeping between 2 wild boars in mating season...I'd still say that as long as you're not a big timer/ and are exporting shit to the US you should be fine.

Do check out the laws in Australia tho. Are they cool w/ growing for personal consumption? Are the cops after pot? How severe are the laws. Compare this to your current location and make a final call.

I'd love to check AUstralia out one day tho.

 

[GMT]

Get a work visa and work there for a while vision. If you are stil happy when the olympics arrive, sell up.

 

[mace_ecam]

Do check out the laws in Australia tho. Are they cool w/ growing for personal consumption? Are the cops after pot? How severe are the laws. Compare this to your current location and make a final call.

Hey naga_sadu,

the funny thing is that porn and growing your own stash is allowed in the ACT, the Australian Capitol Terretory, lots of politicians there.

 

[Guest]

yeh, I seem to remember that there are other areas of Oz with fairly chilled laws on having a few plants... you'd need to check it out, unless someone here knows

in Canada, Georgian Bay, Lake Huron, is gorgeous
cousins have a small island there - there are thousands
and yeh, lots of sweet, fruity bud, if that is your thing

 

[Guest]

Sweet, fruity bud..? My thing...? Do bears shit in the woods? LOL

Hey some good suggestions there - thanks for the input chaps.

Perhaps - just Canada and Australia is being a bit too exclusive in my thinking. I have thought about moving to Spain in the past but I saw one fo those relocation programmes and the thing that really came across was the importance of being able to speak Spanish - particularly if you wanted to enter the Spanish labour market. And I don't speak hardly any Spanish - not unless you count amigo, si and hola as speaking Spanish!!

I have family commitments - namely a wife and child - and I have to think about them in all of this if there was to be a move. Otherwise I'd be up for buying a bhang shop in Rajahstan in India (as Naga has suggested in the past) and just chilling out for the rest of my days. Or buying a plot of land in Spain and growing all my own food and weed to keep me happily surviving.

Oh why o why did I marry a bread head? Wealth, houses, cars, keeping up with the Joneses is the be all and end all for my wife. Me..? I think love is all you need to bring up a child well. Prolly why we don't see eye to eye a lot of the time!

Namkha, I know what you mean about the UK.. My favourite parts are definitely places like Cornwall, Devon and parts of Scotland. You won't get a lot for your money down south anywhere though but perhaps moving up north might be a way forward.

GMT - the olympics are 2012 - but I know what you mean about checking things out. Otherwise I'd be like Pablo's brother and back home in 8 weeks!

I figure life is all about quality of life...and I'd much rather open my curtains each day and look onto something beautiful than open my curtains and see a dreary, grey street with dreary, grey neighbours all trudging to and from dreary, grey jobs.!!

 

[naga_sadu]

I have family commitments - namely a wife and child - and I have to think about them in all of this if there was to be a move. Otherwise I'd be up for buying a bhang shop in Rajahstan in India (as Naga has suggested in the past) and just chilling out for the rest of my days.

The only thing which'd get in the way of this is those damned immigration policies. I wouldn't blame the government entirely tho, it's like they're still light years away from figuring out what to do w/ the resident population- about 1.2 billion people........

But if you do get past that, you can pretty much chill for the rest of your life and run a family. Your daughter will have a tough time in state run schooling, that's the only prob (metriculation private schools are expensive) I see. The math/ science portions in our state run schools are more advanced than "A" level schools in the UK. Something similar to what they had in the USSR. Metriculation schooling follows normal European syllabus tho but they're privately run and are expensive.

And if your wife is used to microwave for meals, or having a professional career, it can be a bit of an issue too, considering a working lady will have a tuff time becoming a home bound. But other than that, yea, the life of a bhang shop owner is pretty blissful indeed.

Hey naga_sadu,

the funny thing is that porn and growing your own stash is allowed in the ACT, the Australian Capitol Terretory, lots of politicians there.

That's great news man!!! Too bad getting an Australian visa for Indian small scale/ medium scale businessmen/ traders is as hard as sending a man to the moon from my garage built space-ship. But nevertheless its great to see such oases in this otherwise insanely chaotic world of prohibitionism.

 

[Guest]

hehe

totally agree

from what I hear of NZ (propaganda from family and Kiwi mates) it has a pretty good balance of space and pace, just maybe a little slow for 20 somethings sometimes - and of course, it's fecking miles from anywhere

one way or another, I am planning an escape from England too - there is a lot to be said for this country, but the basic way of life can do my head in sometimes

language is a very real issue too, it you don't want to get stuck with just ex-pats; and I'm not a family man, but timing is essential if you want the kids to pick up the language

 

[Guest]

Whoa I've stopped smoking weed for a while (personal choice) and it's really taking it's toll. Sweats, zero energy - just passed out for 20 mins again!!

I'll hit you guys up with pos rep when I can - Namkha, Naga and GMT - you people are just too popular with me and I have to spread it around!! The rest should have some.

Seems like Canada is just edging it, but Australia - with it's "grow your own stash" laws in the ACT, is coming back in the fray.

My little boy is 2 - at the moment - so I'm sure he'd still be fairly versatile with new languages but the next few yrs would be the time to do it if I am going to. Naga, I can't blame the Indians not wanting more people - but surely 1.2 billion and three wouldn't hurt?

Sorry, I make my wife out to be more of a dragon than she really is. She was always cool but the arrival of our son - for both of us - meant reassessing what's important. I am currently in the process of starting my own business (financial service sector) - an industry I have been involved in now for many years....and the business is fairly relocatable due to it's international nature, if you know what I mean? If, however, moving means finding a job and abandoning the business idea for a while - I wouldn't have too much of a problem with that.

I've seen the ads for NZ - on the TV over here lately, and it really does seem awesomely beautiful. I'm gonna research some more into it that idea...so cheers for reminding me Namkha...

Boy, I'm off for a lie down again...

 

[Guest]

OK - it's not the weed withdrawal (if there is such a thing - don't normally bother me) making me feel shit and tired - it's a nasty sore throat and cold that's been knocking me out. Just woke up sneezing and with a nasty pain in the throat.

I do the whole "stopping the weed" thing from time to time - especially when I've got things to sort out and I'm caning it too much - as it can make me laze away days - but I always come back to it when things are better. I aint a quitter - OK!?!

Just thought I'd add that incase you were wondering...?

 

[Guest]

hey there vision

I too am always looking to get out of whatever rut I'm in...well not really a rut, but always looking for "greener pasture"

I'm stuck in Colorado right now...but def. anxious to get back home to Alaska (did u consider Alaska at all?)

Canada sounds like it may be a nice spot for ya....Ive spent lots of time in BC, the Yukon (which is a territory of BC), Alberta, and Sask.

something to think about as far as Canada goes....I'm not sure what work your into, but there are VERY high paying jobs in Alberta..working the "oil-sands" I'm talking 6 figures for a green-horn.

lots of tuff/dirty work, but def. LOTS of money.

I mainly have worked commercial fishing in Alaska, and one deckhand I worked w/ is trying real hard to get me to move to Calgary...I'm seriously looking into it....but I dont know enough just yet.

I thought that may help you or someone else out on here.
-yukon

BTW if anyone has good links or info on any of those jobs in N. Alberta...either post them or shoot me a PM.

My homie is sending me a big packet of info from his company for "international applicants"

 

[GMT]

I've seen a tv show on those oil sands, and I guess the weather is cold enough to avoid all those deadly animals that warm weather seems to generate. No language barriers, lots of money to be made, sounds like a winner to be honest to me.

 

[Guest]

I live in Canada - been to UK, but I'd love to go to Australia.

I like the heat - so UK is out. Canada has nice summers, but winter is a bitch.

I think Canadians and Aussies are alot alike - both bastard colonies, both huge expansive countries w/ variable climate and terrain.

ws