what's the best thing about living in the UK ?

like ggirl i grew up elsewhere but herea rea sons why i love it here:

tv and radio (yes it's shit, but it's OUR shit!)

internet shopping

it's just so fecking BEAUTIFUL here!

within half an hour i can be in 3 different cities. (obviously that depends on where you live)

the food! [proper scones, real chicken in sandwiches, indian restuarants, haggis, awesome chocolate, fish and chips, good tea]

i can walk just about anywhere i need to

it's HOME!

Hi Ernest, how was the trip to UK?

I was going to start this exact thread! We have been out of UK for 10 years and have decided to move back too. Must say, I've spent most of last 10 years thinking how much better things were than in UK, so need some serious convincing

For me, the immediate things are - not feeling like a foreigner.
Friendly chitty chat with people in shops, out & about etc.
Being able to buy familiar things.
John Lewis & M&S

Familiarity and belonging

Kitbit "Good eco awareness and recycling" that made me laugh, tbh, maybe the people I know are the exception, but after 10 years in Switzerland & Germany, that is so laughable. The people I know in UK are environmental disasters - thinking nothing of chucking cans, paper, plastics etc in the normal dustbins, (as well as occasional recycling) cos it's 'easier' ?!, using endless wipes instead of 1 dishcloth you can wash & use again, foods all indivudually wrapped in individual sachets, this all really shocks me.

hez-where do you live?

BBC Radio
BBC telly

sense of humour

newspapers (fairly independent)

culture/museums

climate (I prefer a temperate one myself!)

OK, enough! I don't think I can wait until next year to move now! Thank You!

Jerusalem or even Land of hope and glory

I believe that Robert Browning got quite homesick.
ATM it is a beautiful spring day outside, with soft fresh sunshine glistening on the snowmelt and the birds twittering in the garden as they make their nests for Valentine's Day. What's not to love about England? (apart from the recession!)

I knew it, this thread has made me even more homesick. I shouldn't have read it right through. Very of all those who are moving back soon.

puppymonkey-tv is worse than in the past but miles better than other countries

Good road signs. You can find your way around.

Proper pubs. With roaring fires and good beers.

Beaches.

Places for days out. We have fabulous history in this country.

Mostly normal weather. ie, rain, but you know what to expect. No few tornados, blizzards, earthquakes, bush fires, tsunamis or flooding on the scale you get elsewhere. It's nice and safe on the whole.

The BBC.

Multicultural food. Fantastic.

And on the whole, tolerance for other people and cultures.

I wouldn't move elsewhere.

We have gorgeous firemen

Good bakeries and butchers shops

Wonderful gardens

Cream teas....

you'll be so over womens hour within a week hez.

i agree with point that you won't get bitten by poisonous things or eaten by tigers.

gardening

well developed voluntary sector

Have to disagree about the television though. It may have been the best in the past, but it's bollocks now.

Coronation Street

Loooooooong summer evenings.

Distinct lack of poisonous beasties.

The NHS, while far from perfect, is generally pretty blimmin amazing in an emergency.

You'll be able to enter the MN competitions.

You can do that already online!

Message withdrawn

Cultural diversity
Good supermarkets with wide and varied choices
Decent fruit all year round (yeah I know it's imported but I am fed up with getting ds to like grapes all over again only to have them go out of season until next year...when we have to start again!)
Charity shops
Good eco awareness and recycling
Education system
Art. Galleries. Music. Lots of.

Everything. I second what Pooka says.

Seasons. The fact that we are having a proper Winter this year. Spring is around the corner, the nights are drawing out.

Wonderful food. And yes proper Cheese.

the nhs

and pubs