Is having a pool and nice weather overhyped?

[Keithlemondrop]

I have really got completely obsessed with the idea of moving somewhere with sunny weather and where pools are the norm. There is NOTHING i love more than lazing around a pool on holiday, barbecuing and socialising with friends/family.

The world is really our oyster as both dh and I have very in demand jobs. And our kids are young. I sit in my bikini in my garden on a warm day but it’s just not the same. I know you cant out run your problems but a pretty garden and pool wouldnt hurt is my view.

Have I just overhyped this in my head? It just seems a wonderful lifestyle. Putting on a sundress on a Saturday morning and then going to do a big bbq food shop, followed by a day lounging by the pool seems like HEAVEN. Or is it just a bit of a novelty to me.

Do you live somewhere like this? What is your experience?

I have a pool and it’s hot and sunny here most of the year. When I first move here nearly 18 years ago I spent most of not all my spare time at the beach or by a pool.
After nearly 18 years I don’t spend any time lying by the pool (cos skin cancer) and I complain about the beach (too much sand) 😂
It is wonderful though, and nice to have right there. And I do grill a lot.

At least half the people in both Australia and Canada that I knew had pools. The rest either had mates with pools or lived near the beach/lake for swimming.

It’s not overrated. It’s wonderful.

This is my dream as well. It always has been. One day…
I think you should look into options and go for it. Life is short.

But I’m with PPs that I like the seasons and couldn’t live somewhere where it was hot and sunny all year. Nor could I live somewhere in Southern Europe where- although they get some semblance of seasons- it’s just far too hot in the summer. I like 25° Much more than that and I get miserable.

Singapore?

I don’t need it to be warm all year. Just a guaranteed warm summer that is several months long and not just a week or two.

East Coast USA and Canada are the same from a climate point of view. New England has the same climate as Toronto and so on.

Your second post explains: emigrating or working abroad for a stint with DC isn’t for everyone.

Would you have an automatic right to live in any of those countries?

How much time do you spend "lounging" now? A pool always seems like a lot of work with limited opportunity to use it, if you have an averagely busy life.

Based on your criteria, I thiink you need to go to the US. But then you need to figure out what is the right city/destination with int hat.

I’d use one, I swim outdoors all year round so would relish an easy access, clean cold water pool in the winter.

Even in the UK, it’s great having a pool but it costs a fortune to run and devalues your property. Ours got a lot of use before the DC flew the nest. It would be nice to live somewhere where you could use a pool all year round but I can’t think of any English speaking countries that fit the bill. I would not want to live in the US…

Sorry I think I mean I don’t mind living somewhere that has cold winters but I don’t want to be battling three feet of snow for half the year

We had one when we first moved here (Australia). It was lovely but we didn't use it as much as I thought we would - when you're not on holiday you still have to do all the normal stuff so there's not the time. Also, they're really expensive to run and keep clean, and we had 3 lots of ducklings set up home on it (very cute but a bit difficult to round up and regime!)

We relocated to Singapore for a few years and there are pools in every private flat block. It’s amazing to be able to swim in hot weather every day and relax in a hot tub. We took our child swimming on Christmas Day too. As it’s a communal pool you aren’t responsible for any of the maintenance either.

And it was also rarely busy too as I guess they are taking for granted there.

Are you married to Tony Soprano? 😂

My friend lives in Arizona and their neighbourhood has a very posh complex with restaurant, pool and bbq in faciiities (HOA pool I think they call it). What a dream. They spend a lot of time there with their young kids and can invite guests. Just lovely.

Lived in a Mediterranean country. We had a pool, the weather was nice most of year (we did have a winter, and it does snow in the mountains!) But the cold is about 10degrees in the day for a few days. It was conductive for an outdoorsy lifestyle, especially as the children only went to school in the mornings (but started at 7.30am, the older ones getting on the bus at 6.45am).

But there's still bills to pay, so you need to go to work. You still have to clean your house, and do the food shopping etc. It can be too hot in the summer. Ants etc were a real problem. (Not a case of being unclean, you could put down a packet of crisps for a couple of minutes to answer the door and they would be full of ants by the time you got back).

On the whole... its just the same shit in a nicer location.

One of the reasons Canadians and Americans had so many pools in backyards is that they had dreadful holiday allowances.

If you only have 13 days a year off, you tend to want long weekends relaxing by the pool at home to get the most of any time off.

You’re selling it to me OP. I honestly think life would be so much easier somewhere where the sun shines more often and we have guaranteed nice summers. Being able to bask in warm sunshine is the most relaxing thing in the world.

South Africa? Huge tradeoffs though. Other African countries, especially Southern Africa, if you are feeling adventurous. Not sure I could recommend it long term for a family but I practically had a phd in pool maintenance by the time I left.

I’m in Oz and we have a pool! It is fantastic but it is a pain in DH arse as he is the one testing chemicals and cleaning it 😂

We moved to thailand for a year with the kids and had a villa with a pool.
It is a better way of life if you like the heat.
However, factor in, kids cant stay out in the sun too long, beaches are too hot in mid day, most thai people go to the beach early evening, mosquitos and insects, tropical rain and days so hot you can't go outside for half the day, plus pool gets a bit boring after a while, kids playgrounds and activities are also too hot to go to for most of the day, so you do end up at indoor play places still.
I prefered it and would go back tomorrow, despite all the above.

I must not be the relaxing type, judging by how many ppl enjoy it.