Escape England - Live and Work Abroad

The Flying Ferang

2008-07-24T09:46:00.003Z

A journal entry from Pod

I have spent the last month learning to ride a moped. It's a scary experience for me, but I have had a lot of support and only a few days ago, I rode back from Saladan in the most awful rain, feeling utterly confident.

However....the bike was not working well, it made a strange noise, the brakes were dicky, and I had real problems getting it started. The other day in Kantiang Bay I could not get it to start, so I went and found the Simply Life owner, from whom I have rented the bike on a monthly basis. She advised me to pull out the choke to it's max and sure enough, it started.

Mr "D" my friend and neighbour told me in no uncertain terms it was a crap bike and if I learnt to ride it, I could ride anything. He also advised me to get it serviced, but I never did. There was always something I wanted to do, somewhere I wanted to go. I did not know and forgot to ask which repair man to use. Excuses, excuses, fact is I am ignorant of machines and naively believed that as long as it was running it was O.K.

Four days ago, I wanted to ride to the pier for my morning coffee and quiet time. As usual the bike would not start so I pulled the choke to max and was rewarded with a roar! I put it into second gear and it shot off. I went through the posts and despite my attempts to brake, we carried on. Before you could say "Vroom vroom" we headed straight for sea wall at about 20km per hour.

Trajectory: through the posts

I real*eyesed we were going in, there was no stopping this scenario. We sailed into the air, and dived into the sea in a sort of magnified moment out of time that still replays in my mind. I landed sitting in one of the three tyres which at that stage were floating in the half tide (they have since disappeared) Somehow I managed to throw myself off the bike mid air, but left my right leg out sideways still pressing hopelessly on the brake pedal.

Point of entry

Strangely, I felt no fear going in, just a sort of surrender. As I sat there in the sea, the water to my waist, the bike now silent, I asked myself curiously "I wonder what happens now?" Then I remembered my camera, still in my bum bag and in the sea. I took the bag off and rescued the camera.

A young woman had seen the whole thing, and came to help me get out. It was a struggle. My neighbours appeared and a young man wheeled my bike out of the water, taking it under the bridge and around the other side. Of course people stopped and a small group gathered. I smiled and flapped my arms "Flying Ferang"

Some instinct told me it was vitally important to remain calm and composed with these people, so I refused offers of doctors and hospitals, and limped into my house to call Mr "D" Luckily he was at home, just down the road, still in bed and rather surprised "Hey "Mr "D"....., where are you? I've just driven my bike into the sea" He was there within minutes and took charge, allowing me time to do a quick healing on my leg and shed a few shocked private tears.

My bike was wheeled a few doors down the road to the local "bike man" and within three hours it was back on the road and running better than ever. Cost: 480THB (£7.30)

The moped was in such bad shape before the swim, that I suspect it was either a suicide attempt or a last ditch effort to get some TLC. With new brakes, a new front tyre (the old one was bald) new oil as it had less that 10mls in it and a new ball bearing somewhere, she purrs gratefully. I did a victory lap round the town, and then spent two days off, in a strangely dislocated and grateful state of awareness. The worst had finally happened and it was not so bad.

I feel very blessed. Not two foot away from the tyres is a large piece of concrete. I could have landed on that. I could have hit the large metal pipe that spans the estuary. The tide could have been out. Any number of things could have been far worse. My camera is functioning perfectly. My leg is much better, though still stiff.

Once again, I am reminded of the huge disparity between Thailand and the U.K. Perhaps laws would have stopped me being able to rent such a wreck in England, but accidents happen even when everything is functioning well.

No doubt the locals murmur "Stand clear" when they see me coming, but I have received nods and smiles too, as I ride past.

Most of all, no police, no insurance, no forms to fill in, no stress, no punishment.

I feel much more confident just living now, because I know that I can make a mistake and it will just be rectified. In the U.K if I make a mistake, even unknowingly, there is always a punishment, usually financial. I never real*eyesed before what stress that created in my life.

So I fully understand why my soul created this escapade for me and kept me safe throughout. I will never ride an un-serviced moped again and I am letting go of the unconscious worrying about life that I have always carried.

It has also been the cause of much merriment too, so have a laugh and celebrate for me and with me.

If bugs are terrorists then I'm George Bush

2008-05-19T05:48:00.004Z

A journal entry from Pod

The rains bring the mosquitoes. Bearing this in mind, I went to the Aqua Bar the day before yesterday to connect to the the Internet. I wore my long baggy trousers to cover my legs and a small top, the rest of my exposed body was lathered in Citronella and Eucalyptus oil (my own, tried and tested non chemical anti mozzie concoction)

Within ten minutes I was feeling the unmistakable sting of mozzie bites on the back of my legs. I hurried home, took off my clothes and applied my Aspivenin suction kit (I am aware that if I was seen doing this on CCTV in the UK I would be arrested as a heroin addict) but it works, if you can reach the spot.

Next morning, I asked a resident long time ex pat, Mr D* if mosquitoes can get you through your clothes. "Oh yes," he replied, "if it is thin sarong material they can, and they can live in your clothes too" (AHHHH activate fear mode!)

He advised me to spray my clothes cupboard regularly as mosquitoes live in dark places and then when they come out and suck your blood it is only to lay eggs and die. He also said that it is not wise to sleep in the same room you keep your clothes in. (so I could have put on my own mosquitoes) Lovely..........RED ALERT!

Last night I noticed rather a lot of mosquitoes in my bathroom which is warm and humid and has no window. So I lit an anti mosquito coil which smoked on top of the toilet tank.

I also lit one in my room, I thought that they just discouraged mosquitoes but when one crashed into my bed and died, I real*eyesed they may be more powerful (can't read the packet as it is in Thai)

When I went to the toilet, the floor was covered in dead mosquitoes. More died in my room, not little ones but big b******s with yellow striped bodies, rigged for silent running.

I went to sleep feeling terrorized unable to leave any part of my body exposed. And when I awoke this morning and found a flea in my bed, that was it. I felt despair. I made a coffee and wondered how to be safe.

Suddenly I heard the loudest fracas outside my room. I opened the window to see a group of mynah birds attacking each other. "Do you mind?" I heard myself say in a total Mary Poppins voice. They flew off, but several minutes later it started again.

This time I just opened the door, kept quiet and watched. Then I just giggled....

As I watched, all the birds went for each other, until some of them surrendered and lay down. Then when all those that were attacked had lain down the aggressors lay on their backs and they continued to screech and act ferocious.

When they felt vanquished the whole group would get to their feet and start again.

It looked very fierce with open shrieking beaks, but no bird was physically hurt. I can only assume it is the start of the mating season, because I have seen them strutting round with their heads down and their plumage puffed like the pigeons do. But at least pigeons have some dignity, mynah birds are definitely the clowns of the avian world.

I don't know how long it would have lasted if a cat had not appeared on the scene, but I managed to get a shot of them; they were totally oblivious to me. Two of them are actually playing dead in the photo, but flew off very quickly.

I have cleaned and cleaned today. Sprayed my mattress with poison and let it dry. Put my sheets and pillows out in the sun hoping that the heat would kill anything that moves.

I have done all this with a lightness of heart, brought about by the comical antics of the mynah birds.

Good thing too, because when I went to the 7/11 and asked for chemical help with my flea, they just laughed and subconsciously scratched themselves. The Thai word for flea is "mad"

There Be Dragons

2008-05-10T10:47:00.001Z

A journal entry by Pod

In olden times, before the globe was circumnavigated, ancient maps bore the words "There Be Dragons" in the unknown and unexplored areas of the world. Dragons are scary creatures but their fire burns away the parts of you that are no longer necessary to your survival.

Last night I watched "La Vie En Rose" the story of Edith Piaf. Gosh* if ever a soul wanted to experience the agony of loss, it was little Edith with her big heart. In a final interview she spoke with an honest simplicity about Love being the central theme of her life, which was truly remarkable considering she lost everyone she loved, usually in traumatic circumstances.

I started to weep as she screamed out the name of her lover, killed in a plane crash. It was downhill from then on; the final song, "Je Ne Regret Rien" dragged me into my emotional compost heap, and I began a weepathon that has continued periodically throughout this morning.

I too am experiencing the pain of loss. The loss of my wonderful friends in England. I have been so blessed to have the most amazing people in my life, who have loved me and supported me unconditionally. My sudden decision to leave England permanently was a shock to all of them, but they never once tried to make me change my mind; instead they bravely held their pain in check and did all they could to assist me. They loved me enough to let me go because they knew me well. I know some of them miss me very much.

Because of my imminent departure, I experienced a wave of love from people who perhaps felt it was their last chance to love me and tell me how much I had helped them. It was beautiful, a bit like dying perhaps, but I was sad too because all their love was not enough to make me stay and that felt as if I was betraying them in some way.

I will, of course, see them again, I plan periodic trips back to stock up on supplies and have a change of scenery. Some will come and stay here with me; already two of them have made firm plans to travel to Kantiang Bay in the next 9 months. Nevertheless my heart knows their absence from my everyday life.

It takes some time and effort to build good trusting friendships doesn't it? You know the sort where you really listen to each other, affirm each other and love each other enough to blow away the bull**** and remember the loving truth beneath. Friendships where you have spent cosy evenings with a bottle of wine, telling each other your herstory/history, trusting each other with the contents of your emotional closet.

Some of my friends have been rungs on the ladder that allowed me to climb out of despair.

These qualities are still there in my friendships, but due to time differences, busy lives and the dynamics of ?,000 miles apart, they are not available to me in the same, easy, spontaneous way. I am living a different life with different challenges in a very different environment and I am responsible for the consequences of my choices. If I sometimes feel lonely, then so be it. That is the price I will pay. The scary part for me is that I will not be able to create that sort of friendship here in Thailand because it is such a transient place. People just move on.

It's not all roses you know. There are thorns and today I am right in the middle of the briar patch pulling them out of my heart.

Is it time to leave Paradise?

2008-05-07T07:09:00.004Z

Article written by Pod

The Internet is down, the power could go off at any minute as it has done many times in the last week. The air is full of some sort of flying insects which get into your hair, your clothes, everywhere. The frogs croak every time it rains (which is becoming more and more frequent), Burma - just ' up the road' geographically, has lost untold thousands to a vicious cyclone and the cicadas are so noisy that I have to turn up my music.

I have seen more snakes in the last week, than in my entire life, some of which I am sure are poisonous. The waves are too big to go floating on my lilo and much of Kantiang bay is shutting down for low season.

Is it time to leave paradise? No way! With all of this, I still want to live here because these are real problems brought about by real life. Not the manufactured fear that politicians and newspapers create in Britain which I cannot combat or deal with, because whether it is an increase in council tax, or God forbid, some passerby that sees me drop a piece of cake out of the car window and reports me to the council resulting in a hefty fine though the post, I have a choice in how I deal with these problems.

Yeah, sometimes it is boring when the electricity is off for five hours and it is raining. I have to do something, or experience boredom. Yes, I am seriously p-ss-d off when my washing (done by hand) is rained on, the mud has splattered all over it and I have to wash it all again (and those smalls are tedious). But these are challenges. England did not present me with challenges that allowed me to use my imagination and pit my strength. England presented me with situations where I was totally powerless to change the outcome.

I marched against the war in Iraq (for all the good it did) Tony Blair went to war, illegally anyway! I remonstrated with my local council about the amount of rubbish in my street, left there by McDonald's customers. I asked them to put in litter bins. Did they listen? No! Just increased my council tax by 12% Thanks Sheffield.

The sense of powerlessness, the feeling that I did not exist was the main reason I left the U.K.

Despite the rain, the mud, and the mozzies, I will stay. Tonight as I lay in my hammock, listening to life all around me, a firefly slowly sparkled its magical way past me. I am enchanted!!!!!!

Disclaimer: All opinions expressed by contributors are not necessarily those of the editor.

Escape England Open to Contributors

2008-05-07T06:47:00.003Z

Would you describe yourself as one of the following?

1. An English expat living in a foreign country
2. An English person considering, or carving out your own escape route
3. A person who is not English, but is living in England
4. An English person who loves life in England
5. An English person who returned to England after a long period abroad

If so, would you like others to benefit from your views, experiences and stories?

As of today – the Escape England Blog is officially open to contributors. If you would like to write about your experiences, and your views on life in England in comparison to other countries - this blog is a great place to publish your work.

Benefits to contributors
1. The opportunity to help others by sharing your experiences & perspectives.
2. The opportunity to be published.
3. Increased traffic to your own site through link love and increased profile.

If you would like to contribute please email me via the link on my profile page..

Exciting Changes to Escape England

2008-05-07T06:29:00.003Z

April was a busy month in many ways. Now, over 4 months into our journey to Escape England, my natural tendency to sprout new ideas and ventures has kicked into overdrive, and with many other exciting projects and opportunities to work on, it has become difficult for me to find the time to write posts for the Escape England blog – BUT - DO NOT FEAR!!!

It was always my intention to open the blog up and allow other ex-pats, or wannabie ex-pats to have their say and share their experiences, stories, philosophies etc.... NOW – seems like the perfect time for that transition to take place..

Previously we received news from Pod on how she felt upon her return to England. Now, having sold all of her possessions and wrapped up her life in the UK, Pod is back in Kantiang Bay.

Pod has continuously provided support and inspiration for the Escape England blog since I first mentioned it to her in January. She also loves writing, and has kindly agreed to write regular posts for the blog revealing her perspectives on life in Thailand, with a specific comparison to life in England.

Pod is a very passionate and lively soul harbouring immensely strong opinions – I’m sure her articles will provide all readers with insights, entertainment, and raised awareness to global AND national issues which affect our mental, emotional, and physical well being.

I will continue to perform the role of “editor” and will review all articles and comments before they are posted “out there” for the entire world to absorb.

I hope you enjoys Pod’s Posts - happy reading!!!!

Comment Guidelines

2008-04-28T11:04:00.002Z

Whilst the vast majority of comments I receive on this blog are supportive, positive, or in some way constructive, I do very occasionally receive comments which can only be described as rude and ignorant. Unfortunately because there is "always one" - it has become necessary for me to post a rather serious note providing guidelines for those wishing to leave a comment.

The subject of leaving your home country or attempting to adopt a simpler life is for many a sensitive issue, worthy of debate, with many different layers of arguments. All comments are welcome and encouraged, whether they agree with my content or not. However, please bear in mind that I embrace adult, intelligent, and humorous debate, but I have no time for childish slanging matches.. Any comments of an abusive or insulting nature will be rejected and deleted as quickly as you can press the space bar...

This blog is not about me really, but more about the topic of discussion - i.e why are so many people wanting to leave England to live and work abroad, and how does life in other countries compare? Aside from becoming a resource and a community for other people who are considering a move away from England, it is my hope that this blog will also develop into a library of information which provides insights into how different countries can learn from each other - only by sharing and learning can we possibly evolve our global community in line with our ideals and needs.

At last statistics to back up what we know!!!

2008-04-09T09:20:00.003Z

I just saw the following news article in The Independent Online....

Truth about Britons - Richer but no happier

In general it reports that the latest surveys carried out by the ONS show that despite longer life expectancy and greater prosperity - there has been no change in the levels of contentment people feel...

Let's hope the government soon start focusing on happiness and well being rather than wealth and competition....

A Possible Alternative to Leaving the Country...

2008-04-03T06:58:00.002Z

This blog has grown from the seedling desire to leave England and live and work abroad. BUT, one ingredient of the compost which has contributed to its growth, is the need to escape the rat race and search for a simpler way of life.

There are, however, many steps you can take to work less, spend less and establish a better balance of work and life, without making the more dramatic move of leaving England. Over the last few years we have seen the increasing trend among the “upper-working” class to “downshift” their lives, reduce the stress, spend more time with friends and family, work less, and spend less.

Whilst I’m not sure I like the term “downshift”, I do like many of the principles it encompasses, and I love the fact that it indicates a large movement within our society to boycott the consumerist lifestyle which for many, has led to an emotionally unfulfilling dead end.

This month sees the first ever “International Downshifting Week” between 19th and 25th April.

Tracey Smith, creator of National Downshifting Week, received so much support on her campaign over the last three years, that this year it has gone global.

The week long campaign seeks to provide the public with information, and encourage everyone to participate in a couple of downshifting techniques throughout the week. The idea being, if you like the impact it has on your life, you may consider adopting the lifestyle on a more permanent basis.

For more information visit her website: www.downshiftingweek.com

Tracey has also submitted a petition to 10 Downing Street to “Introduce 'Sustainable Living & Environmental Awareness' lessons to our national curriculum for all pre-school, primary and secondary schools in the UK” – an excellent idea. Click here for a link to the petition.

For people who are considering leaving England in order to adopt a simpler lifestyle, it is well worth considering what alternative steps you can take within your own country first, and Tracey’s website is a great place to start.

www.downshiftingweek.com provides a description of downshifting – as follows:

“Downshifting is about slowing down your pace, finding a better work/life balance, consequently embracing living with less and leading a simpler, greener and happier life!

Downshifting isn't about moving to new counties or countries, in fact, if you are looking to start a 'completely' new life, you'll arm yourself with the best chance of success by 'dipping your toes' into a few of our ideas and making changes within your own four walls, long before you reach for a map!”

When considering the prospect of downshifting as oppose to leaving England – it is worth reviewing your own top 10 reasons for wanting to leave England, and see how many of those issues you could eliminate by downshifting... Click here for a reminder of my top 10 reasons.

Given Tracey's description of the term, it is quite clear that downshifting would eliminate one of my reasons for wanting to leave England: 2. Pace of life

AND I can also see how it could have a knock on effect of increasing community spirit – which is the main point of one of my other top 10 reasons: 3. Lack of people contact

Naturally the movement is also anti materialism – so would provide some armour in your defences against advertising – and help cross another reason for wanting to escape off the list: 5. Materialism...

So... for me – that’s three reasons "kind of" dealt with... hmmm – that still leaves seven!

Weather - Thailand versus England

2008-04-01T02:31:00.006Z

Almost a year ago now, while sitting in the living room of the flat I was renting in Suffolk, England – I came up with my top 10 reasons for wanting to leave England to live and work abroad. Now, I’m sitting in Thailand, living the next episode of my journey to lead a simpler life.

I’m from the school of thought “you never know until you try” and firmly believe that events and situations are very rarely as you imagined they would be. With that in mind, I didn’t leave England in January under the banner of “never to return again”, but more in an attempt to explore and discover the realities of living in other countries. Only then did I feel I could possibly be in a position to make an informed choice on “where to lay my hat”.

Having now spent 3 months away from England, and having gained a good insight into life in Thailand I felt it was time I started to revisit my top 10 reasons for wanting to leave England – to see if anything has changed.

The number one reason for wanting to leave England to live and work abroad, I previously attributed to - The Weather. Click here to read my thoughts on English weather.

So – now that I’ve been in South East Asia for longer than a 2 week holiday, how do I feel about the weather here – in comparison to the UK.

Even if you can’t stand the British weather, there are positive aspects to the seasons we experience in England. Whilst it has been great to be here in Thailand, beside beautiful beaches, with beaming sunshine radiating heat of 30 or 40 degrees, we have often craved a cold wintery night so we could snuggle up on the sofa with a duvet, and enter into a kind of hibernation. Winter in England, although it’s cold, meek and for many depressing, it is also a great time to rest, stay at home, rejuvenate, and consider new ventures. Then, only after the sleepiness of winter, can you experience the waking up in spring.

As we sweated our way through a very hot March over here in Thailand, we occasionally drifted off to fond thoughts of daffodils carpeting our local country park in Suffolk, spring born lambs playing in the fields, and walking the dog in the woods while witnessing the first signs of life in what seems like Nature’s New Year.

Here in Thailand, the changes in weather during March were less apparent. We were well into the hot season on Koh Lanta (South West Thailand), and at that point, no seasonal changes in nature had really been obvious – even the diving conditions were fairly constant. But as it got nearer the end of March, it got hotter and hotter, to a point we could barely move. While I enjoyed the laziness the heat inspired, Paul got frustrated and dreamt of cool, fresh, pine woodlands...

Then just as it got too hot to bear.... the weather cracked!!!

Lightening from our balcony a couple of days ago.

Then yesterday morning we sipped hot cups of tea, huddled under the cover of the Aqua Bar, outside the dive shop, while watching the treacherous rain carve rivers into the beach.

Suddenly the frogs started their loud choruses which more resemble the sound you would expect to hear from a gigantic herd of mooing cows, than a mass of frogs. And last night, riding home on the moped was more like racing around an obstacle course, as Paul swerved again and again, in attempt to dodge the frogs which seem to have appeared everywhere – from nowhere. Every now and again throughout the day, the insects in the trees and bushes started up their high pitch singing for a few minutes, and then miraculously, like a conducted orchestra, they all stop at the same time.

Thailand has two prominent seasons - dry season, and rainy season - high season and low season. The timing of each season varies considerably depending upon where in Thailand you are, and in some areas is actually the complete opposite to here on Koh Lanta. During low season (April/May – October/November) Koh Lanta pretty much closes down apart from Kan Tiang Bay in the South. The conditions of the sea make it difficult to dive, and the rain, although by no means continuous, is frequent enough to deter tourists.

Over the last couple of years the rain has arrived on Koh Lanta in May – and locals are unsure at the moment as to whether this last couple of stormy outbreaks - is the low season arriving a month early, or just a freak outbreak.

Whatever – the storms are amazing to watch for now – and provided a pleasant, but temporary break from the humid heat of the last few weeks..

Dogs in Islam

2008-03-30T12:02:00.004Z

In the early hours of my first morning in Koh Lanta I was awoken by a noise. It took me a while to get my head around what it was that I was listening to.

Awake but eyes still closed I let out a huge sigh and thought “What is that?”

“It sounds peaceful, but it’s loud enough to wake me up.”

“ It sounds like singing.”

Another sigh, or more like a pleasant, contemplative groan.

“It’s veeery spiritual !”

Suddenly an image of the women I’d seen wearing veils the day before when I arrived, flashed up before my eyes.

“Oh! It’s the call for prayer!” I realised.

“How bizarre – I had no idea there was a muslim population here. I thought they were Buddhists!”

And with that I drifted off to sleep again.

The next day I had several discussions with people who all clarified that yes – the inhabitants of Koh Lanta are predominantly Muslim, as oppose to the Buddhism I’d ignorantly assumed. I was really surprised. It’s not that I have any aversion to the muslim faith at all, but I couldn’t understand why I hadn’t been aware of that fact - particularly as I’d spent time in Koh Lanta before.

Over the next few days I started to notice how there were loads of cats around Kan Tiang Bay – but no dogs. That also completely threw me. I remember there being loads of dogs before. I often fondly look back on a memory I have of skipping along the beach of Koh Lanta with my head phones on carrying a little puppy in my arms. It had been trotting along behind me while I was walking. Put a dog lover, a really cute puppy, and a walk along the beach together – and it was inevitable I would end up picking it up! But anyway – where was that place? There are no dogs here in Kan Tiang Bay?

Previously I had been staying further North on the island – at Long Beach. My friend was staying there this year, and when we visited I was relieved to see – that yes – there were dogs around – quite a few of them. So – No – I wasn’t going mad.

I was intrigued to know why there were loads of dogs on one part of the island, yet further South, there were none – though there were loads of cats! I am allergic to cats – but I love dogs!

Aside from the obvious increase in number of dogs, I also noted that further North on the island there were less signs of the muslim faith. I didn’t hear any call for prayers, and didn’t see so many women in traditional clothing.

“hmmmm – I wonder if the two are connected? “

A few of my friends confirmed that they believed muslims didn’t like dogs, and with a little bit of investigation on the good old tinternet – I discovered an entire tin of worms.

It would seem that there is some confusion within the muslim faith over how dogs ought to be treated. There are those that follow the belief that dogs are unclean, and those that believe that all creatures are from Allah and are deserving of love. In general though dogs have been viewed as impure and unclean, especially their saliva, and many jurists have declared that it is not permissible to keep dogs as pets, though it is permissible to keep a dog for security purposes, hunting and farming.

Here are some informative links for those of you who want to know more...

From www.albalagh.net
“Q.) I am a 15 year old Muslim American and my mother is buying a dog. I heard that if I touch the dog, I cannot pray. Is this true? What should I do?”

From www.islamicconcern.org
Dogs in Islam: Traditionally, dogs have been seen as impure, and the Islamic legal tradition has developed several injunctions that warn Muslims against most contact with dogs.

From www.islamonline.net
We are, however, not allowed to keep a dog as a pet, since it is not a very clean animal.

From www.submission.org
Fabricated hadiths contradict the Quran. Many of them narrated by Abu Hurayra. Abu Hurayra, whose name is translated as , father of the little cat, hated dogs and women and from his mouth came many hadiths that insulted women and cursed the dogs and make them undesirable animals that need to be avoided and in other hadiths killed.

In The Daily Mail a couple of years ago.
A Muslim minicab driver refused to take a blind passenger because her guide dog was "unclean".

The seed of change

2008-03-30T05:14:00.003Z

It is my firm belief that the major cause of anxiety, stress, and indeed many "physical" ailments, stems from the "hard working" culture we have increasingly been witnessing in the UK.

I was worried when Gordon Brown became prime minister... as I thought he was an economist... whether he is good or bad at that is not really relevant here. What concerned me was the fact that someone who's primary area of expertise is economics and finance, has been put in charge of the country... It merely highlighted to me how much of a priority "the economy" is among politicians... Sure I know it's important, and that a healthy economy is perhaps needed to enable "healthy living" among the nations inhabitants... but what about mental and emotional well being?

Surely our happiness and health should be top of the agenda, and surely in this day and age, we know that money does not necessarily breed happiness?? When considering the future of the country, surely an expert in social history should head up the agenda...

Anyway - I was really happy to discover this petition which is requesting "The Prime Minister to introduce legislation to prioritise leisure over work".

"The long hours working culture in the UK is a major cause of stress, anxiety and misery. The government should recognise that its primary duty is to provide for the wellbeing of the people, not to swell the economy at any cost.

The current tax credit system is intended to keep people at work as much as possible. It should be rearranged to give support for everybody, including those who wish to increase their leisure time, spend more time with families and friends and pursue activities of their choosing.

There should be a corresponding end to rhetoric about "hard working families" to emphasise that there is more to life than work.

The only loser would be the ugly culture of materialism."

I found a link to the petition at The Idle Foundation

But you can go direct to the petition here : http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/leisuretime/

Informative News

2008-03-29T09:53:00.000Z

My last post highlighted the negativity of today's media, but I am also aware that you can't just report on the good things that happen... sometimes news of an unpleasurant nature is necessary in order to raise public awareness, and inspire change....

The following 2 articles (kindly brought to my attention by Pod) largely report on facts relating to the ecomony in Britain, which will be of interest to anyone who has ended up here because they are considering leaving England to live and work abroad..

As always though - it's important to bear in mind the agenda of the publisher when reading the more "subjective" sentences and comments...

How professionals can get 43 per cent pay bonus by working abroad
By BECKY BARROW

Workers who leave Britain for a job overseas can get a 43 per cent pay rise.
A professional gets an average wage of £47,000 in this country but overseas they can earn £67,000, a report says today.

Click here to read the full report

Goodbye to rip-off Britain

With the crunch coming, the articial inflation in the economy will soon be exposed

Martin Samuel

There is a guy, does business up town, doesn't use his car much, bit of a novice when it comes to scooting around London. Anyway, a few weeks back he has complications with late meetings so, for a couple of days, he drives in. First time, schoolboy error, he forgets to pay the congestion charge, incurs a £60 fine right there. His parking for the day comes to roughly £40 in an NCP. Next time, he remembers the congestion charge, but leaves his car on the street, doing the parking meter tango, feeding it, moving it, feeding it, moving it, £8 here, £6 there, until finally he gets really busy, overruns by five minutes and, bang, a £100 penalty. He reckons the whole experience, with petrol, of two days' motoring will have cost close to £300. He's a wealthy man, he can afford it; but suppose he was an ordinary working stiff from the sticks, bringing in the average wage? That could be his disposable income, after the mortgage, gone. For two innocent, pretty harmless, mistakes. This is why Gordon Brown is in trouble.

Click here to read full report

Emotional Pollutants

2008-03-28T04:52:00.005Z

Within this post I’d like to refer to two sources...

1, An article in the Independent Newspaper called
“Anger – Why we’re all losing our cool”

2. A journal entry from my friend Pod on her return to England...

They are both connected in that they highlight the power of words and media on the nation’s psyche... when you are constantly bombarded with negativity, fear, terror, drama, anger etc etc.... you can’t but help to digest it some way... sometimes it seems the only way to escape it is it indeed to flea the country...

...in a world where we are struggling to deal with the negative impact of toxins upon the environment, it is also important to be aware of the “emotional pollutants” we all face....

Pod's Journal

"Well I am back in England after about 33 hours travelling. Not a bad journey at all.

I want to tell you what hit me! Why I find it hard to be here....

I read everything! I can't help it. My mind just reads anything that it can see, and I am sure everyone else is like that too, it is just that we do it so subconsciously we do not real*eyes it.

Mainly it is the adverts that get to me. The train stopped at Manchester Picadilly for five minutes. Bleary eyes, I looked out of the window to be confronted by two billboards directly outside the train window. I could not see anything else in my line of vision until I had read their contents.

The first one read " TERROR VIOLENCE KILLING"
and then below in smaller letters "Underneath the bleeding"

It is an advert for a book and the same billboard is at Sheffield station on the walkway. Can you imagine how many people subconsciously read it as they go to and from their destinations?

Next to it was another billboard which read "In a country where crime does not exist, a serial killer has a perfect alibi" and then more blurb about violence which I cannot recall (thank God)

In Thailand, I cannot read the billboards, even if there are any in Koh Lanta. Now I’m back in England, I have no defence against this and it has struck me hard, the violent energy of the words went deep into me. It was very uncomfortable. I have let my mind travel free and unfettered by the subconscious advertising of the Western World. Maybe in England we have mental shutters up and this stops us from exploring other thoughts of a purer and more peaceful nature.

Of course after so long an abstinence from English, my mafia mind is hungry and greedy for anything it can read and understand, and therein lies the trap. I do not want to have this stuff in my consciousness, but unless I go round blindfolded, I do not know what to do about it......"

End of Pod's Journal

Thank you Pod for sharing your thoughts and feelings upon returning to England. I can relate to your account very well. I remember returning to England a few years ago after a year in South East Asia... After a tearful and warm embrace with my family at the airport, and a cup of tea to catch up with each other, we set off in the car to make our way back home.

The radio was on in the car, and within minutes I heard news of a horrific murder which had taken place in some location miles and miles and miles away from my home... When I heard the news my emotions were immediately dampened and a sinking feeling came over me... and I promptly wanted to get out of there.... it felt toxic!

The question is - did I really need to know about it anyway???
Was it really news that I needed to hear in order to carry out my life?
Was there anything I could do about it?
Would me knowing help anyone in anyway whatsoever?

Yes - it may be reality, and that kind of thing certainly goes on... but the news is always so unbalanced that eventually you feel as though only bad things happen... and you end up feeling despair and apathy... you can't do anything to change things..

And on a deeper level.. how does this kind of emotion work? Where does it lead? The impact of unbalance negative news can only lead to anger, depression, fear and apathy leading to a tendency to escape the so called reality by burying yourself in alcohol, work, drugs or whatever else helps to numb the brain of the horrific acts we are led to believe form the MAJORITY of our reality....

For years I have believed there is a call for a newspaper or something which contains more balanced news... Media which places a greater emphasis on the positive things that are happening around the world... Media which inspires and injects hope and optimism into the psyche of its readers...

Well as yet - I haven't started such a newspaper... but I have started researching what media exists already.. here are some links to some sites which focus on positive news...

http://www.positivenews.org.uk
http://www.goodnewsbroadcast.com/
http://www.yesmagazine.org/default.asp
http://www.gnmagazine.org/

Social Class and White Skin in Thailand

2008-03-21T07:50:00.003Z

Since my first trip to Thailand in 2003, it’s always fascinated me how the Thais seem to be fixated with white skin. In contrast to the UK where a tan is fashionable, the Thai population go to great lengths to make their skin whiter.

It’s always amused me and highlighted the craziness of the world we live in – where on one side of the world people lay in the sun, under sun beds, or invest in potions and lotions to make their skin darker – but on the other side of the world in Thailand (in fact most of Asia), the shops are full of beauty products designed to make the skin whiter.

Initially, in my western arrogance, I assumed it was because the Thai people wanted to be more like us. However I’ve since discovered that in fact, the appeal of white skin is an age old cultural inclination of the Thai social class system.

In Thailand white skin signifies that you don't need to spend much time out in the sun, and as the majority of lower paid jobs involve hard slog and physical labour outside in the soaring heat, having white skin indicates that you must work inside, and are therefore wealthier, probably more educated, and likely to be in a more affluent position.

More recently however there has been a growing trend among the entire Asian population, that white skin on women is more attractive. Mass marketing campaigns by cosmetic companies, targeted at the Asian female population, seem to lie at the stem of this burst of white blossom around the Asian world. The international film industry and advertisements of multi -national organisations, who support the trend by favouring women with pale, pure complexion, and thrusting them into the Asian spot lights also have a huge part to play in the desire for white skin.

Subconsciously affected by the advertising which cleverly reinforces the existing "white skin preference" of the social class system, many asian women are led to believe that if they douse themselves in skin whitening products they stand a better chance of wealth, love and happiness....

English woman attacks 7 eleven staff with water pistol

2008-03-14T05:20:00.004Z

It was a usual sleepy day in Kan Tiang Bay. Pod, a very spiritual English woman in her 50’s, was pottering around her bamboo hut, begrudgingly packing her belongings for her trip to England. She would be returning to Kan Tiang Bay in a month or so, and wanted to leave her hut spick and span; so between packing frenzies she was popping back and forth to 7 eleven for cleaning products and other odds and ends.

She had built up a great rapport with the friendly staff of 7 eleven, despite the language barrier, and they always had a giggle with her whenever she stopped by. As this was her last day in Kan Tiang Bay for a while – spirits were high both within Pod, and the cheerful shop staff. I guess it was an attempt to brush over the underlying sadness of people parting in a very transient life – the 7 eleven girls were going to miss this exuberant character.

On about her 5th visit to the shop – after a bit of banter and giggling – one of the staff slapped Pod on the bottom and said something in Thai – which Pod didn’t understand.

There was a very serious tone to the voice of the young Thai woman, so Pod decided she ought to find out what she was trying to say. She made her way to the dive shop, where a Thai woman works – who speaks very good English.

Pod explained the scenario, and recited the phrase she thought the Thai lady in 7 eleven had used.

“What does it mean? What are they trying to tell me?” Pod asked.

“Errrm – I think that’s local dialect for – “You are crazy!” replied the English speaking Thai lady.

“Oh – I see!” smiled Pod. She pondered on it for a moment, and came to the conclusion that the staff must have stepped up their banter to another level. In an attempt to join in the humour, and up the ante a little, Pod decided that it would be good fun to embark upon a complete act of craziness...

With that she rushed to her hut, grabbed the huge water pistol she had bought in preparation for the Thai new year festivities, charged into 7 eleven, and proceeded to shoot all of the staff with water.

“You call me crazy!” she laughed in a loud voice – “I’ll show you crazy!”....

The staff seemed somewhat dumb struck, and so she scuttled out, wondering if she’d done the right thing or not...

Later that day, she bumped into one of the 7 eleven girls by the beach. The usual friendly greeting was absent – “Oh dear!” thought Pod, “I think I’ve upset them....”

In a desperate attempt to regain the friendship of the 7 eleven staff Pod rushed back to the dive shop, and dragged the English speaking Thai lady back to 7 eleven; with her presence the language barrier would be smashed down...

As it turned out – Pod, had been wandering around Kan Tiang Bay all day with quite a large hole in her shorts. All of her knickers had been stolen by the cheeky monkeys who hang around some of the resorts, so the hole revealed her bare white bottom to the world.

The lady in 7 eleven had noticed the hole earlier in the day, and had actually been trying to tell her.... that's what she had said when slapped Pod's bottom.

When Pod’s side of the story was relayed to them by the translator, the entire staff of the shop broke out into hysterics... they were particularly amused by the fact that the monkeys had stolen Pod’s knickers.

With the misunderstandings resolved – everyone was happy! Apart from Pod that is – who was mortified that she had been running around the bay all day baring her bottom to all who looked her way!

I hope my writing has done the story justice... when Pod relayed it to me verbally I thought it was hysterical... especially when I tried to rerun it visually in mind, and replace 7 eleven with Tesco Express in England.. I mean, how would such an act go down in the UK? For sure the men in white coats would have pulled up and taken Pod away! Yet here in Thailand – although it seemed a little crazy, it did seem that much more acceptable and “usual”.

It drew my attention once more to the fact that while staying in an area which attracts people from all walks of life, each day usually presents some kind of amusing event or story... Tourists and travellers alike are all out to make the most of their experience, and often feel free to reveal the wackier aspects of their characters... Couple this with the natural confusion that different languages and cultures can often generate between people, and you have a sure fire recipe for some very amusing random happenings...

Here's to randomnicity and craziness!!!!

Can you quit the rat race without leaving the country?

2008-03-10T05:15:00.005Z

On my quest to find a better way of life for ourselves, and any possible future offspring, Paul and I have chosen to first explore the possibility of finding a better quality of life in another country.

However I’m quite aware that there are perhaps other ways of living life differently, without perhaps the drastic measures of leaving your country. You only need to look at the trend of downshifting in the UK to notice that there is a growing movement of people within England who are all seeking ways to find more balance and more community within their own country.

I’ve found, or rather – I was found by, a group of people who have set up a forum on the internet for like-minded people who are free thinkers, and want to live a different kind of life within the UK.

Introducing: The Idle Foundation

Extracts from the site:

“This group is open to: eccentrics, thinkers, creatives, musicians, collaborators, dreamers everywhere.”

"supporting a rejection of traditional 'job' and 'career' aspirations and a tendency to eschew capitalism, supporting and nurturing the desire to think and create in a free and unconventional way".

“Join in and help build a happier society and planet together!"

Please note: Although the word "idle" conjures up images of laziness, this website attempts to introduce a different concept of "idle". Rather than adopting an attitude that you have to work hard in order to succeed, members of the site suggest that perhaps life should be more about finding ways to live your life, while loving what you do. In that sense the word "work" can easily be swapped for "fun" - and as a result - not seem like work at all...

Exciting news for me: Many members of the group have come together to write a book – and I am really flattered and excited to have been asked to contribute... Naturally I can’t say much about the book itself at this stage – it’s a SECRET! But I wish the book had been around for me to read earlier on in my life!!

Okay – I’d better quit writing a post for the blog now – and go write my chapter for the book.....

It's all about balance

2008-03-04T07:56:00.003Z

Writing this blog is a very strange experience for me... why? Well usually I am an extremely positive person. Normally one of the things I dislike most is a constant moan about something.. Usually I always seek out the positive aspects of a situation, place or person.. I guess that's what has inspired so much passion inside me to blog about Escaping England.. I keep searching and seeking for the good bits - but the negative always manages to get a stronger foot hold in my mind when it comes to life in England...

So - in an attempt to gain some balance, and embrace the positive aspects of England - I've tracked down another blog which focuses on just that... AND in order to bring balance to this blog - AND provide me with regular reading which I hope will help to regenerate warm feelings for my home country - I've put a feed to this positive English Blog at the top of the column to the right..

Happy reading :-)

What happened to the land of hope and glory?

2008-03-04T05:30:00.004Z

Today I felt it was time to address the issue in hand again... Why are so many people choosing to leave England and live abroad? I’ve scoured the internet and found a load of articles and views of the general public. A good friend of mine here on Koh Lanta has also forwarded some links to news articles which I’ve also contained below.

My feeling when reading through these articles is one of sadness and despair...

I am proud to be English – even though I’m not quite sure what the English identity is!

I love my friends and family who are also English... but I don’t care much for the growing “Chav” culture, and I’m concerned about what the up and coming English generation are going to be like...

I love the English countryside, cups of tea, and David Attenborough, but I hate the way everyone looks so miserable in the streets, how children are not allowed to play conkers anymore, how true creativity has been stifled and squashed by so called “health and safety”, how “mental illness” is one of the largest growing ailments of the people, how we’re bombarded with negativity, advertising and materialism, how you have to earn way above the average wage to make ends meet, and so on and so on and so on....

I feel even sadder that there is no one that offers hope of a brighter future to a nation with so much history... Where is the land of hope and glory? Where is the next revolutionary leader who is sincere, honest, intelligent and strong enough to dodge the negative impacts of power? A leader who inspires the public and delivers the change so many of us want... When I think of well known English characters – the only person I can think of who has proved his integrity over a lifetime – is David Attenborough... David – can you please take up politics????

Even as I type I go through a roller coaster of emotions... I feel hope rising as I contemplate the possibility of a revolutionary leader, and then I plunge downhill into disappointment when I realise that the British Media, and the public’s lack of trust in any leader – would make it near impossible for such a leader to emerge...

In fact that rollercoaster of hope and disappointment - is an emotion I find extremely familiar when I think of England's recent history and psyche...

The only reassurance I take from reading all of these articles is that I am not alone. I am not mad for wanting to look for a better life. And like many other people who consider leaving, I am by no means abandoning my country – I think it’s fairer to say we feel as though we have been abandoned by our country...

Links to news articles and views of the public:

Views from the people – on the Telegraph website... This is a great read and an excellent insight into the huge swelling of discontentment with life in England. Be warned however – there are over 700 comments from the general public...

Why are so many Britons Emigrating? - The Telegraph

Recent report from the Guardian regarding the cost of living in the UK

£42 a day: cost of UK family bills - The Guardian

A snippet from John Redwood’s Diary – I’m not a “conservative”, and I certainly haven’t been a fan of John Redwood – but he does hit the spot in this report which demonstrates an understanding of why so many people are leaving England.

John Redwood's Diary - Why are so many people leaving the UK?

A report in the Telegraph, which highlights that many of the people who are choosing to leave England are skilled, qualified, and intelligent, as oppose to the unskilled immigrants entering. What are the long term effects of such a brain drain? There is a strong focus in the report on the number of immigrants being a driving force for people to emigrate.. Immigration has nothing to do with my reasons – nor has it really entered into the conversation with other English expats I’ve met while travelling – so I think they may be missing the real cause for concern... I can’t speak for everyone, but I think it is fair to say that the vast majority of those who leave the country actually embrace multiculturalism. How could we not? We are immigrants ourselves....

One thing I do like about this article however is that it also highlights that the British have been wanderers for centuries – hence the British Empire, and the use of English as a world wide language..

Why Britain's brightest and best are emigrating - The Telegraph

What can be done to halt Britain’s brain drain ? Another article from the Telegraph with loads of rants from the public.

Similans Liveaboard

2008-02-28T06:19:00.008Z

A week ago we returned from our liveaboard diving holiday to The Similans in the Andaman Sea off the west coast of Thailand.

There were 2 aspects of the trip which all contributed to create the experience:

1. The choice of liveaboard, and the atmosphere on the boat
2. The marine life

We chose Jonathan Cruiser for our trip for several reasons:

1. A fellow diver who we met in Sulawesi last year had already booked a place on the boat, and we were keen to meet up with him. We spent Christmas of 2006 with him, when we were all guests of Two Fish Divers in Lembeh and Bunaken.

2. Jonathan Cruiser is one of the longest established liveaboards in the Similans, and has maintained a steady crew. This alone told us that the crew were well experienced, and also knew the area really well. In our experience a dive guide with “good eyes” and detailed knowledge of the dive sites is essential for getting the most out of our diving trip.

3. When asking around on Koh Lanta just about everybody recommended Jonathan Cruiser...

By the end of our trip we were confident that we’d made the right choice...We were the only English people among the 14 guests on board, with a cocktail of Dutch, Swedish, Belgium and Swiss adding to the cultural soup of characters. The Thai boat staff and crew were like the seasoning in a fine meal, completing the balance, and connecting us to our location.

The only disappointing aspect to the trip was that despite the fact we were going during “peak” season, when the visibility is supposed to be fantastic, and when there is supposed to be a higher chance of manta rays... the visibility turned out to be surprisingly poor – and there were no manta rays in sight... Not to worry, the atmosphere on the boat was great, and despite the lack of "big fish" we still saw loads of cool marine life...

We did four dives on Richelieu Rock, which is the furthest north of the dive sites we visited. There we came across two seahorses. It wasn't difficult to spot them as there was around twenty divers (some with amazingly poor diving etiquette), all waiting or pushing and shoving to get a better view. We felt really sorry for the oh so shy seahorses, who seemed to be turning their heads away as if to say "Pleeeease don't look at meeeee - I'm shyyy!"...

BUT - just around the corner, away from the masses of coral stamping, bad mannered divers, we were in for a little treat. It would seem that the two seahorses were male and female - or "Mummy and Daddy". Could they have possibly been acting as a decoy to protect their baby? For just around the corner, completely unnoticed by everyone else, I caught a glimpse of something bright yellow, just about the size of my little finger.. My diver's eye told me it was something of interest and I moved in for a closer look... aahhhh - it was baby seahorse....

On our second dive we returned to the same spot to show the rest of the boat the baby seahorse... The crew had timed the dive well hoping that we would avoid the masses this time... Thankfully none of the other divers were around, and Paul managed to get a couple of shots of the parents...

Tiger-Tail Seahorse (Latin: Hippocampus Comes)... we believe the brown one was the male..

Also on Richelieu Rock there were some mating cuttlefish... These creatures must be fairly rampant.. On all four dives they were mating, and just about everyone we spoke to who has visited Richelieu Rock before, claimed that they were mating then too.. wow...

The same site - also delivered my first sighting of a Zebra Moray (latin: gymnomuraena zebra)

One of the things I love about the Similans is the volume of blue fin travelly (latin: caranx melampygus), which can be seen charging around hunting small fish..

Paul was thankful for the opportunity to get more acquainted with his new camera... Here's a few more of his favourite shots...

A Whip Goby (latin: bryaninops yongei)

Dancing Shrimps

Leopard Shark

Long nose hawkfish

The underwater friend of our praying mantis - The Mantis Shrimp

Many Bands Pipefish (latin: dunckerocampus multiannulatus)

And finally - Paul's favourite shot - magnificent anemone with skunk anemone fish

Praying mantis posing for vogue...

2008-02-26T06:26:00.007Z

The other night a "visitor" popped up on our balcony....

He must have known that we were looking for models for the blog, as he seemed really keen to pose... what followed was a one hour photo shoot with a praying mantis...

"I can do coy!!" he says shyly....

"I can do camp too! Is pink my colour?" he jumps to the broomstick, getting excited at the prospect of becoming a supermodel....

That's all very lovely young chap - but what we'd really like is a photo of you in your full praying glory!!

"How about this?" he poses against the night sky...

"Lovely!"comes the photographer's voice from behind the camera... "And look up a bit - one more!"... "Thaaaaaat's it - perfect!"...

Please note that myself and Paul are now the agents for this new supermodel praying mantis - all requests for shoots must come via this blog...

Images copyright - Paul Rusher - 2008

The problem with "no problem"!

2008-02-23T10:23:00.003Z

So – we’re back from diving! Well actually we’ve been back for a few days now but I’ve been busy working on another project so the blog (sadly) had to take a back seat...

I will be posting a review and some photos of our trip to the Similans – but I’m waiting for Paul to find the time to go through his photos! He’s also taken some great shots of some of the nature around here and other bits and pieces on the island... All coming soon!!

So – back to the topic in hand – The problem with “no problem”!....

A couple of posts back I wrote about the “cool heart of Thailand” and the Thais’ philosophy of “mai pen rai” or “no problems”...

My previous post painted quite a rosy picture, but naturally there are a number of drawbacks that stem from the “no problems” attitude to life.... What if there actually is a problem that needs resolving?

Upon our return to Koh Lanta we experienced a scenario which highlighted to us – that just because the locals may say “no problem”, it doesn’t actually mean that there isn’t a problem...

We arrived at the North of the island from our ferry, and needed to get a taxi down to Kan Tiang Bay in the south of the island. Most of the taxi drivers were insisting on double the fare that we had been told we should pay, so we were bartering our way around the many taxi touts who were swarming like wasps around the fresh tourists who had just stepped off the ferry.

We were just starting to get agitated by the swarms who seemed set on getting double the fare, when we clocked a very quiet and calm looking tuk tuk driver, just sitting on his bike – waiting for customers. We asked him how much and he agreed straight away to take us for the price we knew was the “right” price.

Then it occurred to us that we had two sets of diving equipment, luggage for two people for a week, and of course, two bodies... I sensed a problem... Tuk Tuks on Koh Lanta are basically little carriages attached to the side of a moped – and the road to Kan Tiang Bay – is very hilly!!! Would the load be to heavy for the tuk tuk to bear?

“Aaahhh – but very heavy!” I said in a concerned manner to the tuk tuk driver.

“Mai pen rai!” he smiled gently....

We deliberated for a while – but it was hot, we were tired, so we decided to go for it..... The driver had said that the weight wasn’t a problem, so we trusted that he had obviously managed such a heavy load as far as Kan Tiang Bay before....

ha ha ha – how wrong could we be... half an hour later and we were pushing the tuk tuk plus the driver, plus our luggage up a steep hill in 35 degrees sweltering heat....

Still, throughout the whole “adventure” the driver remained gentle looking, calm, and determined, and I felt sorry that his tuk tuk hadn’t made it up the hill!! When we arrived in Kan Tiang Bay, I decided to give him a tip simply because I found his manner so endearing... when I gave him the money, he smiled.... “No money” he said, and showed me the contents of his money pouch – it was empty...

It was then that we realised that this gentle man really needed to make this trip to Kan Tiang Bay... even though it was unlikely his bike would make it, and it was unlikely he would make a great deal of profit from it – taking petrol into account, and even though it could possibly have ruined the engine of his bike... he needed the money...

This particular example highlights the poverty and struggle that many of the Thais are faced with, but also pulls back the cover and begins to reveal the trouble behind the "mai pen rai" attitude. The problem with “no problem” can be far more serious than pushing a tuk tuk up a hill... The opportunity that it provides to “bury” problems can easily lead to an inability to recognise and deal with issues that actually are a real problem.... if you couple this with the “chai yen yen” , “calm down” “cool heart”, you can see the potential for a scenario where a Thai person may struggle to even face a problem, let alone deal with it. The problem therefore persists, but if they express their frustrations, they lose face... the result – constant escapism and suppressed anger – likely to explode if poked in the wrong way!!

Don't get me wrong, I love the Thai mentality from my experiences to date, but I can see the potential fallout. East and West are complete opposites, as are the mentalities of the people who dwell there. It seems to me that there is a lot we can learn from each other to strike a balance, and find a healthy middle ground....

This article was inspired by Pod, who quite rightly removed my rose tinted glasses! Thanks Pod!

Out of Office

2008-02-14T09:21:00.001Z

The Cool Heart of Thailand

2008-02-11T09:14:00.001Z

There are two phrases commonly used in Thailand which pretty much sum up the mentality of the people. They are “mai pen rai” and “chai yen yen”.

“mai pen rai” means “no problem”, “it’s okay”, “no worries”

“chai yen yen” literally means “cool heart” and is used to say “stay calm”, “don’t stress” “calm down” etc etc....

The expressions seem to stem from or contribute to the incredible apparent ability of the Thai people to let things go and accept what’s coming, or what already is. It occurred to me that this attitude of going with the flow of things, and accepting that some things can’t be controlled, is the complete opposite of our western psyche.

Looking around my surroundings here on Koh Lanta I can see the manifestation of this “acceptance” in just about every area of life. To a Thai person, to lose your temper in public is a display of weakness, and by losing your temper you actually lose face to those around you, and lose out to yourself too. They seem to have an innate understanding that there is no point in losing your temper, as you cannot control the situation which has made you angry. You can however control yourself and the way you react to the situation. So when something goes wrong, they have an immediate tendency to say “mai pen rai” – “no worries”, what is, is, so there’s no point crying over spilt milk.

I’m not sure where this mentality stems from. I’ve read that it could be due to the fact that Thailand has always been an agricultural nation, and has been subject to the swings of nature, over which they have no control. I pondered on the possibility of it being a direct philosophy of life which is derived from Buddhist teachings and history, and I reflected on the heat and temperature, and wondered whether it was simply too hot for people to have the energy to worry about things. Possibly it’s a combination of all of these things, but wherever it stems from, as I look around, I start to gain an understanding that one of the things that makes this place and these people so different to life back home, is the way they seem to have relinquished control, and developed an acceptance of life.

When I think of life in England, I think of people, governments, and institutions who are trying to control scenarios, people and situations. The direct result of this control freak system is that the people tend to feel suppressed, controlled or rebellious, and the controllers tend to get frustrated and stressed when things don’t work out quite as intended.

The direct result of the “cool heart of Thailand”, on first impressions, seems to be that perhaps it takes longer to get things done, and perhaps things are not done in the most efficient way. Perhaps there are no HUGE achievements on the global stage – but from what I can gather so far – stress, depression and mental illness are not present on the grand scale that they are back home.

I know that I have only scratched the surface as far as the Thai mentality is concerned. I also know that the control system I talk about is deeply engrained in my own personal psyche. This post is not therefore intended to offend any English or Westerners, but is simply an observation of the differences as I see them at the moment!

Getting motivated to work while travelling

2008-02-09T07:23:00.000Z

As discussed in the last post, it can sometimes be a major challenge to find space and time to work if you are living in an environment where most other people are on holiday.

Lea Woodward from Location Independent Living wrote a great post on how to maintain focus on your business whilst travelling the world, which I found extremely useful.

If you’re struggling to get motivated, wherever you are in the world, and whatever it is you are trying to get motivated to do – I found the following exercising in conjunction with Lea’s article, really effective.

If you are struggling to sum up the motivation on an on-going basis, make an appointment with yourself for the following day. The mission of the day – is to do nothing, apart from mull over and perhaps write about the following things:

1. What was your original vision?
2. Why did you come up with that particular vision?
3. Does it still fit with your aspirations? Is it still something you want to do?
4. How can you create the space and time?

If you reach the conclusion that you still want the same things you will likely feel immediate motivation to get on with it all. However, you may also reach the conclusion that you need to change the ingredients slightly in order to align with any new insights you have. You may want to drop some projects to make room for new ideas, or a new line of work.

Once you’ve reassessed what you want to do, it’s then a case of finding the time and space – which is the other major challenge of working while travelling.

1. Try to find a hotspot outside of your immediate community, where you are unlikely to be joined by friends throughout your working time. Then set yourself a time to start work, and take yourself to your “productive/quiet” place, first thing in the morning, BEFORE anyone sows any seeds of potential distractions for the day!

2. Consider whether you need a computer or even internet to get on with something... You may find that you can get on with just a pen and paper, in which case the number of productive/quiet places increases tenfold..

3. If you struggle to find a place where you are unlikely to bump into people you know, then try wearing huge headphones, and when you see someone you know approaching out of the corner of your eye – DON’T look up!

Not getting things done on Koh Lanta

2008-02-06T02:14:00.000Z

Okay – so January was my time to chill out and not really worry about very much, or do very much. “February I will start to be productive!” I had told myself.

So – here we are in February. Actually right now it’s the 6th February. Since the 1st of February I have been trying to get things moving in my “professional internet publisher/copywriting” capacity. I have piles of projects to work on, heaps of ideas to explore, and mountains of things I want to write about – so GREAT – I AM TOTALLY DRIVEN TO GET ON WITH THINGS! No seriously – I am! Everyone else however, has other plans for me!!!

Let’s take the other day for example.

8.00 am : Wake up, stroll down to 7 eleven for ice coffee. Log on to the internet in our bungalow via Bluetooth, and check emails. Paul hasn’t checked his for a while, so he takes the computer and replies to a few friends – by which time it’s approaching 10am and I’m thinking – “hasn’t he got a course to go to or something?”

10.00am: I push Paul off the computer and he drags himself around the bungalow trying to muster up the enthusiasm to go to “school”. He has a day of academic study! Ha ha ha ha! He’s not so enthusiastic as he is when he’s out on the boat! Meanwhile I check out the finances and do some cashflow analysis – YEP definitely time to get productive!!! And definitely time to stop paying for Bluetooth and go find a free wireless spot.

12.00am or is it pm? I’ve finished the cashflow, had a hot shower, got my glad rags on – and ready to head off somewhere quiet to work, but argh, I need to meet my friend for lunch. She lives at the other end of the island and I haven’t seen her for a few days – so lunch would be a good time to catch up. Still – that gives me all afternoon to BE PRODUCTIVE!

2.00p.m: I’ve had lunch (or was it brunch?), and have had a nice chilled chat with my friend. She knows I want to be “productive”, so she heads off to find some of her own productivity – maybe a game of yahtzee or a power snorkel? I don’t know – but she’s off..... I move to another bar which I think will be quiet, and NOONE I know will be there!!! I arrive at Rastababy bar, which is home to a litter of about 10 puppies... aahhhh – I must play with them a little.... But – Yay laptop is fired up and ready to go...

3.00pm: A couple I met at Kan Tiang Bay come into the bar.......

4.00pm: I send the laptop into hibernate mode as I’ve not used it for an hour while I’ve been chatting to this really friendly, nice couple..... who I genuinely wanted to spend some time with.. I make my excuses, pay the bill and leave....arranging to meet them at the bar at 9pm!

4.30pm: At last – my quiet spot. Viewpoint restaurant.... I now have about an hour and a half of productivity time left at the very most!!!! And those prawn crackers will still keep flying around the restaurant! (see previous post for those of you confused by the prawn cracker scenario!)....

5.30pm: The internet isn’t working at Viewpoint so I head back to Drunken Sailor to do some bits and pieces on the internet.

5.45pm: A friend spots me in Drunken Sailor, and pops over for a chat... I try to multi task...

6.00pm: She understands I’m trying to get on and leaves...

6.05pm: Another new friend comes along. We chat..

6.10pm: The phone rings – it’s Paul – He’s starving hungry after his day of study and is ready to eat...

6.15pm: Laptop closed down – working day is over!

The moral of the story: Working while travelling is NOT an easy task, there are plenty of pleasurable distractions. If you're trying to work from hotspots - then just about everyone around you is on holiday, or having a day off... Finding a quiet environment where you can be productive - can sometimes be the greatest challenge...

7 ways to stay cool in soaring temperatures

2008-02-04T10:19:00.000Z

Sitting here on a Sunday in Koh Lanta, at the beginning of February it’s hard to believe that we have been here almost an entire month now. Time seems to have passed by in a flash and the sweltering temperature, particularly over the last few days, has left us feeling like a pair of rarely cooked steaks which have just been shown a glimpse of the heat.

This morning we were on the balcony at 9am drinking our morning ice coffee, and we had to push our chairs as close to the wall of our bungalow as possible in order to remain in the shade and escape the burning morning rays. We’ve been told that at this time of the year the weather just gets hotter and hotter by the day, until it reaches the forties, and sends everyone (including the locals) into a sleepy state where they can do nothing but sit inside with air conditioning or a fan blowing directly on them. Joy of joys! By that time we will be feeling like sizzling burnt sausages which have been left on a burning BBQ.

So... we’ve come up with a list of 7 ways to stay cool in soaring temperatures!

1. Go diving
Divers are lucky – they get to sit on the boats and feel the breeze as the boat cruises over the liquid topaz water to take them to their dive sites, and then they cool off by dipping to depths in the 28 degree ocean for almost an hour. You can almost imagine the steam coming from their bodies as they hit the cooler temperature – almost like a hot frying pan being dunked in a bucket of cool water... In addition to the initial release of steam as you hit the water - your body loses heat a lot quicker when under water - by the end of an hour long dive, if you’re lucky – you may even be COLD!!!!

2. Go snorkelling or swimming
If you don’t fancy diving, or your budget won’t allow it – take a snorkel, mask and fins – smother yourself in sun screen – or better still wear a rash vest and shorts – then stroll leisurely into the sea and take a look at some on the critters residing in your bay. If that gets too energetic – then just float around, or even sit on the sand with the water up to your neck...

3. Go for a drive
This is a great way to cool down, especially if you are suffering from beach fever and want to get away from things a little. Hop on the moped and as soon as you’ve pulled the accelerator lever you’ll feel the cooling breeze. Head for the straightest bit of road you know so you can open up and feel the coolness as the air rushes past you, faster and faster.

TIPS while on the moped: If you pick up a pace and feel a little adrenalin kick in – don’t be too shy to allow a huge “yeeeeeeeeehaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!” to escape from your lips – it’s good for your soul! And plus if there’s no one around and you’re on your own – no one will hear you anyway!! Watch out for the occasional elephant, monkey or goat who may roam out on to the road and the show them respect by slowing down.
Don’t forget to fill up with petrol before you go!

And alyways wear sunscreen !

4. Go shopping in 7 eleven
7 eleven is THE convenience store of Thailand. Open 24 hours and offering possibly the coolest aircon you can imagine the shop makes for an excellent cool down stop. You can easily amuse yourself for 15 minutes by taking the opportunity to explore the local offerings of snacks displayed along the shelves.

5. Poor a bucket of cold water over your head
I would have said take a cold shower – however we’ve discovered that at our place the only time the water from the shower is cold is in the evenings. Anytime during the day and you experience quite hot water trickling from the shower – which is fantastic if you want to get clean – but not so great if you want to cool down. As the infrastructure of the island is still less than ideal we also have days when we have no water at all in our bungalow. So – we always have a bucket of water in the bathroom – which is great for chucking over you when you need to cool down – plus it’s a back up if there’s no water supply!

6. Find a cool and breezy spot on the island
As you drive around Koh Lanta on the moped you can’t help but notice the pockets of cool and warm air that you hit. Even though it is a small island there seems to be little micro climates going on... (no doubt their is a scientific explanation for this - but I have no idea what it is) When you’re driving around – look for a cool spot which also has a restaurant – and click save to store it in your memory bank. Then on a hot day – head for that spot...

So far I’ve been 3 times to View Point Restaurant – the first one past Klong Nin. Each time it has been cool and always very breezy. I’m there now as it happens – and one of my prawn crackers was just lifted off its plate by the wind, and flew across the restaurant. They have free wireless here too – which is fab – and the view out is amazing!

7. Have a cold beer
If all else fails – simply sit under a fan for the morning – and then when beer oclock arrives (whatever time you set yourself for beer oclock!), simply crack open a bottle of Singha and forget about things!

So if you’re not out diving, you could quite easily stay cool all day if you apply yourself.

1. First make sure the fan is on through the night pointing directly on you, so that wake up to some kind of breeze.
2. Find some shelter on your balcony for your morning coffee
3. Chuck a bucket of cold water over you
4. Head for the hills on the moped, and find a spot to stay for a few hours
5. Head back home and then when it gets too hot again – go for a float in the sea.
6. After all that floating you may feel peckish so nip to 7 eleven for some shopping
7. By the time you’ve done all that it ought to be beer oclock
8. By the time you’ve finished your first beer the early evening will be bringing some cooler weather...

arrghhhh 3 more of my prawn crackers just flew across the restaurant!!!

Record Number of Brits Choose to Escape England

2008-01-28T09:12:00.000Z

Today a fellow escapee led me to the following news article from the Daily Mail.

High Taxes and Soaring Crime Force 700 Britons to Flee the Country Every Day

In summary latest figures show that during 2007 a whopping 250,000 Brits emmigrated during 2007, compared to 207,000 in 2006, and 149,000 in 1997.

Top destinations are Australia, New Zealand, France, Spain or the U.S.

The article claims that the main motives for people choosing to emmigrate are high taxes, soaring crime, and general lifestyle...

Sitting here in Thailand I have a number of English people around me, who are here either temporarily or permanently. They all have many motives for being here, but without doubt there is a general underlying discontentment with life back home in the rat race.

While some people are drawn here time and time again for the beautiful beaches, the relaxed lifestyle, the great diving, and the hot weather - some are also here to avoid and escape the feeling of opression and stress that they cannot escape from when they are in England.

It is estimated that the number of Brits choosing to emmigrate will continue to soar over the coming years, but bizarrely the number of immigrants is also increasing - and out weighing those leaving. The population is therefore still on the increase - despite the mass exodus of Brits.

Where will it lead....

Will it reach a point where the number of people choosing to emmigrate each year matches or exceeds those who turn to England for the "democracy" or "prospects" that their own countries lack?

Will England become a country with a lower number of natives than immigrants?

Certainly that seems an extreme scenario, however if you extrapolate the statistics - it's not an unreasonable suggestion.

And then - if native English are spread thinly around the world, living in different cultures, reproducing, and adopting the attitudes and lifestyles of other countries - what will happen to the English?

In the most extreme of scenarios - we could become an endangered species!!!

Colour Culture

2008-01-26T04:41:00.000Z

Last night we were eating our evening meal when our rather eloquent waiter stopped for a chat once more.

He always wore great Thai pants, which were subtle in colour and individual in pattern. Paul had taken a liking to them and was trying to find out how he could get hold of some. Our friend told us that his cousin makes them and that he would bring a selection in for Paul to choose from.

“No pink ones!” we joked...

“Ahhh – no, no! No pink ones!” our friendly waiter replied.

One of our friends from England was also dining with us that evening. “In England, if a man wears pink, people think, little bit gay!” he said. “Same, same in Thailand?”

“No!” replied our waiter.

We chatted for a while about why it is that we associate pink with the feminine in England. We reached the quite obvious conclusion, that it was likely due to the fact that when babies are born we immediately surround them with objects and clothes of colours to match their sex – pink for girls, blue for boys. At a very early age we are subconsciously brain washed into associating pink with the feminine and blue for the masculine. We decided that different colours for each sex must have come about out of necessity - so that people could easily identify what sex a baby is – after all – they quite often all look the same when they are born (unless they are naked of course!).

Our waiter informed us that in Thailand, there was no colour associated to a particular sex at child birth; instead the girls’ clothes are more frilly and decorative than the males’.

“We only really have one colour that means something for man in Thailand” added our friendly waiter. He picked up a pen with a purple lid and pointed to it. “What colour you call this?” he asked.

“Purple!” we all called out together, as if we’d just pipped our competition to the post in a University challenge type TV quiz..

“Ahhhh! Purple!” he nods.

“In Thailand, if man wear purple it means he is – how you say – divorced? Or with no wife – orr??” he circles his arms trying to encourage us to find the words he is looking for.

“Single? Available? Batchelor?” I guessed – keen to win the next university challenge points.

“Yes. Yes!” he laughs. “Awailable!” the Thais have difficulty pronouncing V’s, and they often sound like w’s.

“No purple Thai pants for Paul!” I had the last word before our waiter laughed and strolled off to serve someone else.

Lanta Marine Park View - Koh Lanta - Thailand

2008-01-22T08:40:00.000Z

Set in the cliff side of Kan Tiang Bay, Lanta Marine Park View has become one of our regular haunts for a multitude of reasons.

1. The view from the bar and restaurant is probably one of THE best views of the bay.

2. The friendly waiters and bar staff always make you feel welcome.

3. The food is consistently good - unless you ask for spicy Thai style with a smile on your face. In which case they can’t resist a challenge, and you’ll find yourself melting and sweating with numbing lips and a mouth on fire – as I discovered the other day (and I like it HOT)!

4. There is always a party in the bar which is aptly named The Shroom Bar. This can prove a great tonic if you suffer from the occasional bout of insomnia. If you find yourself unable to sleep in the early hours of the morning, you can almost guarantee that if you wander down to the Shroom Bar, you will find someone to chat to! The place should come with a health warning however!

“BEWARE! Once you have frequented this establishment, you may feel the urge to party here every night! While we like to party with you, we would just like to warn that you may end up leaving the island as a nocturnal being with a serious drink problem! Alternatively – you may never leave!”

5. They have wireless internet – Yaaay! It isn’t free – you need to buy a card and provide a contribution.. but with a view like that – it has to be worth a few pennies every now and again.

6. The steps leading up to the bar and restaurant are providing us with a daily legs, bums and tums work out.

For more information about the resort and the accommodation on offer click here

Thank you to Aniko for letting me use some of her holiday snaps... Lovely to meet you Aniko – Goodbye and good luck!

Getting around Koh Lanta

2008-01-21T09:48:00.000Z

It would be a shame to spend time on Koh Lanta and not explore the coast line with its myriad of restaurants and bars, all of which offer a different view or a different vibe. You can get taxis and tuk-tuks, but it works out much cheaper to hire a moped.

A moped can cost between 200 and 300 baht per day to hire, or between 2,500 and 4,000baht for a month.

If it’s a feeling of freedom you’re looking for, not many things will top riding along the winding coastal road of Koh Lanta with the sun beating down on you and the wind blowing in your hair – yeeeahaaaa! I love it! Just beware receiving the common moped tattoo on your right calf, courtesy of the burning exhaust.

It is the law to wear a helmet, though it isn’t enforced to any great extent. Occasionally the police have a clamp down, and if you get stopped for not wearing one you could be charged between 200 and 500 baht.

Drink driving laws seem nonexistent here as well, enabling party goers some wobbly rides home from the various beach bars. There is a high chance that regular snake and ladder journeys home from the bar will eventually end in a skin grazed arm or leg at the very least – so naturally it is recommended that common sense is applied, and if possible – get a taxi home from the party, or stay in a bungalow near by.

Here’s a picture of our first moped (the lower end of the market)...

An insight to the Thai way of life

2008-01-16T06:50:00.000Z

One of the most pleasant aspects of Thailand has to be the overwhelming friendliness of the locals. As a stressed out paranoid westerner if can unnerve you a little when you first encounter it.

Constant questions from complete strangers meet some people with suspicion.

"Where you stay? What are you doing today? What are you doing on Lanta? How long do you stay on Lanta? Where are you from?”

Some people find themselves thinking – “Like – Why do you want to know? What has it to do with you and what are you up to?”

But after a while you soon relax and realise that they are just being friendly. They like to get to know the people that are around them every day, and many have a great interest in practicing their English just by chatting to as many English speaking people as possible. Sometimes the conversation can be fairly limited depending on how well they have grasped the English language, or indeed how good they are at conversational skills. But you also often get a great insight in to life as a Thai person. Given my quest to research various cultures and how they differ to the English way of life, I embrace any opportunity to have a good chat to the locals.

I had a good chat with a waiter the other day. He just came and sat besides us for a while, and went through some of the usual “getting to know each other” chit chat. He was a very softly spoken gentlemen, with a good grasp of the English language. Many waiters are young, and just out for laughs, but this guy was different. He had a rather eloquent demeanour about him, and it was a pleasure to have him join us at the table for a chat.

He told us of his family – a wife, one child, and one more on the way. He explained how now he was 31 and with family he didn’t like to drink. He had to work to bring money in for his children. His day starts at 6.30am when he goes to the rubber plantation until around 10am, when he starts his day job. He stays at the restaurant until around 5pm in the evening when he nips back home for a break – ready to start work again at about 7pm for the remainder of the night.

“Wow – that’s a hard day’s work!” I exclaimed.

“It’s okay” he answered. “I have to bring money for children!”

“In England – the same” I sympathise. “People with families have to work very hard to pay for house and feed children!”

“I think Thailand easier” he replies. “My wife can stay at home and look after children. Here on Koh Lanta anyway. In Bangkok, I think not so easy. People have to take children to care, then go to work, then pick up. Not good. England, same same, I think. Koh Lanta, it’s okay.”

Intrigued to know more about how the locals felt about their quality of life, I pushed a little further.

“And life expectancy in Thailand?” I asked. “In England sure some people become ill and die at 60 years or maybe 50, but many people live to be 80 or 90 years old. What is it like in Thailand?”

“Sure it is good. Like my grandfather, he is nearly 100 years old! He has money.” He smiles patting his pocket. “And sometimes, when he is ill and has to go to hospital, he is always – like this (patting his pocket), saying “Where my money!” checking it is still there”.

I laughed, thinking of my own grandfather back home. He’s 95 years old and is also often concerned about where his wallet is when he is taken to hospital.

“And your grandfather? He lives with your family?” I ask.

“Yes” he answered. “My family look after him”.

“In England” I continue, “many people have to go to work and cannot care for grandparents. They have to put them into care home. It’s sad”.

“I think Thailand better” he smiles.

“I think Thailand, some things not so good” I return his smile. Then I tap my head with my finger. “But many things very good. Many things the Thai do better”.

Our home for the next 3 months

2008-01-13T05:14:00.000Z

As we arrived late into the season on Koh Lanta it proved really difficult to negotiate a long-stay agreement with the resorts on the beach front. They can charge a lot more per night to short stay tourists. It soon became clear that a house or bungalow away from the beach would be much cheaper.

After a few days the owner of the resort we were staying at revealed that he knew of a concrete bungalow, close to the bay, which was available to rent.

“You come with me! I show you!” he said in pigeon English with Thai accent. And with that he hopped onto his moped, and tapped the seat behind him. As instructed I hopped on, wondering where in the world he was going to take me.

Just 30 seconds later he pulled up a road way which led to some new bungalows that Paul and I had been to look at the day before on a fellow expat’s recommendation. We had instantly taken a liking to the peachy bungalows in the hills, and were waiting to find the appropriate people to speak to. GREAT! The co-owner had found us! This was obviously meant to be!

Within 5 minutes I’d agreed a good price, and 2 hours later we moved in to our new peachy bungalow, with running water, sofa, a flush toilet, and a tranquil view over Kan Tiang Bay.

As the bungalows have only just been completed and were standing empty, we managed to agree an extremely good price when paying for 3 months up front. We struck lucky. Next year I’m sure we would pay more than double for the same place.

The first flight of Freebird

2008-01-11T08:43:00.000Z

Hooray!!! My new website is now live and running!!!

Offering:

Consultancy, support and training to small magazine publishers AND
Copywriting services to graphic designers and businesses

www.freebirdpro.co.uk

It's really exciting to see the website complete. Thank you to Gemma Walters - who once again has done a grand job!

Koh Lanta at last!!!

2008-01-11T08:35:00.000Z

As we had so much luggage, and we were really tired we opted for a nice taxi direct from the Airport to our final destination.

When the taxi stopped at the car ferry port on the mainland, we got out for a few minutes while the slow chugging car ferry approached. In the distance I could see the steep edged islands that this area of Thailand is so famous for, standing proudly out of the sea.

Immediately I was choked, and almost moved to tears. 4 years I had wanted to come back to this place, and now it was within sight.

We got back into the taxi and completed the journey. Car ferry to Koh Lanta Noi, drive through Lanta Noi, and then another car ferry to the North of Koh Lanta Yai. As we drove through Koh Lanta to the south of the island, the first thing that struck me was the volume of development that had taken place in 4 years. The main road that takes you from North to South was almost completely built up, with real estate agents, restaurants, resorts and shops. 4 years ago, hardly any of it was there! I was prepared for this fortunately. I always believed the island would expand and develop. If I loved it and could see its potential 4 years ago, then naturally developers and investors would see it too.

The further south we went, the less development there was , and finally we arrived in Kan Tiang Bay - a beautiful white sandy bay with a couple of 5 star resorts and other resorts of varying standard dotted around.

Unfortunately there had been a mix up with our accommodation, so we had to quickly find somewhere to stay. Not an easy task when it’s peak season and most places are full. In the end we found a cheap bamboo bungalow set in palm trees off the road for 300 baht a night (approx £5). It was very basic, and very small, so not ideal for a long stay – but at least it was somewhere to rest our heads while we looked for somewhere more suitable.

Exhausted from our night out in Bangkok, and a day of travelling, we crashed out – leaving further explorations for the next day.

Getting to Koh Lanta

2008-01-11T08:22:00.000Z

Koh Lanta Yai is a beautiful island in the Andaman Sea on the west coast of Thailand. The long, thin island stretches for 22km from North to South, and the entire west coast is laden with strips of white, sandy beaches set against the backdrop of lush green mountains and cliffs.

To get to Koh Lanta you can fly to Trang (the choice for most locals), or Krabi. We chose to fly to Krabi with Air Asia from Bangkok Airport. I found Air Asia to be the cheapest of the airlines that I looked into. They have regular flights, and you can book on-line.

From Krabi you can either get a passenger ferry from Krabi town to the North of Koh Lanta, or you can opt for a taxi which will take you across two car ferries, direct to your destination on Koh Lanta.

A taxi direct to the south of the island from Krabi airport costs about 3,000 baht, so this is by no means the cheapest way to do it....People on a budget could try to find other people at the airport who are going to Koh Lanta, and share a minibus. It works out cheaper to get a taxi to Krabi port, then a passenger ferry to Koh Lanta, and then a taxi at the other end to your destination on the island. This is also by far the most scenic route... There are 2 draw backs to this way though... a) If you have a lot of luggage it’s more of a pain to change taxis and ferries, and b) the ferry leaves Krabi port early afternoon so you need to make sure you get there on time, otherwise you’ll need to spend a night in Krabi town..

Alternatively, you may strike lucky as our friend did who came to visit a couple of days ago. He managed to negotiate a lift with some monks from the airport. It cost him just 250 baht to get to Koh Lanta, PLUS he had the pleasure of a random and enlightening experience at the same time...

Bangkok, Buckets and Backpackers

2008-01-09T06:06:00.001Z

As we were just starting out on the transition from Western to Eastern living we decided to stay in fairly decent accommodation. Our hotel (Hotel de’Moc), cost around £20 a night for the room, which by western standards is a fantastic bargain. With a free tuk-tuk service to the nearby Khao San Road, attractive and comfortable rooms, and a friendly service; we would recommend the hotel for anyone stopping over in Bangkok who wants to stay in medium to high class accommodation.

We spent most of our time in Bangkok hanging out on Khao San Road, which is a single street of restaurants, bars, and market stalls. This street is a haven for backpackers and travellers. Simply sitting, drinking Singha Beer, water, fruit shakes or whatever takes your fancy, whilst melting under the heaviness of the heat and observing the many different characters passing through, can be an experience in itself. With lone travellers, couples, and groups of friends, all of whom cross a range of ages, nationalities, and styles, the observations are plentiful. If you like people watching you’ll love this place.

Let’s not forget we’re in Thailand though. And whilst the seasoned and less seasoned travellers can easily alert your inquisitive senses; the locals and the overall laid back vibe provide you with a gentle introduction to the pace of life and culture of Thailand (a.k.a – The Land of Smiles). Lady boys, food stalls, and locals popping up beside you repeating the mantra “Taxi! You want Taxi? Want to go to Ping Pong show? Now good time! Taxi! We take you now! Taxi!” will not provide you with a deep insight to true Thai Culture, but will give you an insight to layer 1of life as a tourist in Bangkok.

Another vital rite of passage to spending time in Thailand is “the bucket”. A bucket in Thailand is a medium sized plastic container, filled with any concoction of alcoholic beverages you desire. Indulging in buckets is a very social way to drink. You can gaze lovingly into your partner’s eyes as you both lean forward to sip through the straws, or a group of you can practice the art of communal bucketing without banging heads. Alternatively you can take it in turns or be a lone “bucketeer” – but beware – the one thing all methods have in common is that if you’re not careful you could easily wind up falling off your chair backwards and landing on the floor in a stupid giggling mess. This result – IS NOT BIG – and IT’S NOT CLEVER!!! Plus you will likely suffer seriously the next day.... For the more hardcore party animals out there however – this may be one aspect of Thailand that keeps you here forever!

Different place or different person?

2008-01-03T05:00:00.000Z

I'm pinching myself at the moment! Can it be? Is it real? Here I am sitting on my balcony in Bangkok, blogging!

We arrived yesterday! Only a day here now, and we leave for Ko Lanta tomorrow.

As I arrive in Thailand I'm filled with anticipation. It has been almost four years since I was last in The Land of Smiles. I've been aiming and hoping to come back ever since. Now that I'm finally here - what will I make of it? I'm older, hopefully wiser, with a boyfriend beside me; in a completely different place within myself from when I was here before. I'm fascinated to know whether the feeling I remember was more a reflection of the place I was within myself, on my own journey, or whether the place - Thailand itself - delivered the feeling.

I remember feeling strong, content, indepedent and extremely relaxed. I find it intriguing how travelling to a different place physically, can almost make you feel like a different person. New experiences, and completely different cultures can tend to fuel what I can only describe as an alter ego... With usual social boundaries altered, individuals are automatically and perhaps subconsiously slightly tweeked to a different state of mind...

I'm looking forward to experiencing our journey unfold, as our view of what's important alters - now that we are less concerned or seduced with cars, clothes and houses, and more concerned with mozzy repellent and staying hydrated!!

A guide to staying in touch with friends and family

2007-12-29T21:34:00.000Z

This week we've been setting up webcams and skype accounts for our family so that we can see each other and chat on a regular basis. Needless to say we have experienced a few teething problems such as software not loading properly and internet connections not working, but hopefully they'll all be sorted soon!!

None of us have used webcams before or used skype to communicate with anyone - so it was a learning experience for all of us. It occurred to me that many other people may need to go through the same research and some people may have very basic computer knowledge.

So - for those of you that would like to know more - here's a step by step guide to setting up FREE communications with friends and family in far away places.

There are a number of options available in terms of the hardware and software you can use.

1. An internet phone
This type of phone can start at a cost of around £15. You basically plug it in to the computer, and call your skype contacts free of charge, through your broadband connection. It is just like a telephone. We were advised to buy a FREECOM phone - which we paid around £25 for.

2. Headset and microphone
Instead of holding a phone you can also make telephone calls by having a microphone and a set of headset speakers, or just ordinary speakers.

3. Webcam and speakers
By opting to have a webcam, microphone and speakers, we are able to communicate more as a group. And of course we have the added bonus of actually seeing the people we're talking to. Both Paul and I, will be able to have a conversation with all of our parents at the same time. Everyone sitting around the computer can hear what is being said. Obviously if you have a phone or headset speakers - this wouldn't be possible.

Here are 6 steps to chatting and seeing your friends and family in far away places, or even just down the road. Total cost = £20 - £50 plus an hour or so of time. Total benefit = priceless!

1. You need to have a computer, and broadband connection - already in place.

2. You need to purchase a webcam with a built in microphone.

We were advised that Microsoft and Logitech webcams were reliable, provided good updates in software, and were reasonably priced. Check that the webcam is compatible with your operating system. The Microsoft ones tend to only be compatible with Windows XP or Vista. Logitech have some that are also compatible with Windows 2000. Make sure that the webcam has a built in microphone. We chose Microsoft and Logitech webcams for our family - they cost around £25-£30.

3. If you don't have speakers on your computer already you need to buy some. There are a whole range of PC speakers available - and you can buy a reasonable set for around £30.

4. Load the CD that comes with the webcam on to your computer & follow the instructions.

5. Plug the speakers in and connect them to your computer as per the instructions.

6. Set up your skype account

Go to www.skype.com and select the FREE skype download.
Follow the instructions to download skype onto your computer.
Once the download is complete you ought to have a skype icon on your desk top
Click on the icon and follow the instructions to set up a new account.
Also search for people you know who already have a skype account, and add them to your contacts.

That's it! Job done! Simply select the contact you want to call, and call them! They need to be logged on to the internet to receive your call.

Isn't technology marvelous!!

No Need for Fairwell

2007-12-26T11:19:00.000Z

Merry Christmas!

As we move through Christmas and continue our countdown (6 days) to our flight from the UK, it becomes clearer and clearer that there will be many things we will miss. Most of all, we will miss our family and friends.

It has struck us how when you live close to your family and friends on a day to basis it becomes amazingly easy to take people for granted. Annoying habits can often rise to the surface, as people go about their daily routines, with no sign of anything ever changing. Change one dynamic - like announce that you're leaving - and it is amazing how the strength, appreciation and love within yourself, and those close to you, can burst forward to the forefront of all relationships.

But leaving England to live and work abroad needn't mean "fairwell" to those close to you. Over the next couple of days we'll be setting our family up with webcams and skype - so that we can see eachother and communicate on a regular basis... FREE of charge!

In my experience, when one person leaves the usual group dynamics to embrace new things, they can bring new insights and opportunities to the table. Relationships can grow and blossom over distance, and with the technology we have today - there seems little need to say goodbye to anyone at all - no matter how far away you're going.

Paying homage to the power shower!!

2007-12-20T18:13:00.000Z

We leave in 12 days - our home for the majority of January at least will be a bamboo hut on an island in Thailand!

Back to basics! We will have a bedroom, a balcony and hammock, and a bathroom which will contain a manual flush loo (manual in that you have to throw a bucket of water down it for it to flush), and a shower which trickles out cold water (apart from perhaps the first few trickles which, if we're lucky, will be slightly heated from the Sun).

We're currently camping out at the parents - and they have the most amazing power shower... We are spoilt! I think I will miss the power shower...

Amazing - the things we take for granted!!!

A Jumbled Bag of Emotions

2007-12-19T08:28:00.004Z

"Are you excited?"

Is the question that falls from the lips of most people we speak to at the moment.

The answer is always a little more complicated than a simple "YES". You see, at the moment we are a complete jumbled up bag of emotions. I think excitement is the emotion at the very bottom of the bag. Sometimes it manages to shuffle its way to the top and say "whoop whoop!" Then quickly returns to the bottom allowing all the other emotions to have their fair share of airing!

One emotion I have always found comes hand in hand with excitement is FEAR! Arrghhhhh - don't we just love that one. Generally speaking if you are excited about something it means you are about to do something different or something adrenaline inducing! It makes sense that excitement will also bring with it an element of fear, as you break comfort zones and boundaries or break into dangerous territory. Fear is good as it warns us of things to look out for, and helps us prepare... BUT it also has a terrible habit of trying to scupper things for you by casting doubt and whispering negative thoughts into your head. I am a fully fledged warrior when it comes to fear - but needless to say - still a battle is required. I occasionally have to sword fight my way through MR Fear to set little Miss Excitement free!

As we battle with Mr Fear, we find that not only is little Miss Excitement liberated a little, but also Mr Optimism has his voice and starts predicting all of the wonderful things that can happen. It's not long before Miss Negativity tries to have a squeal and a squeak, but we soon stamp on her!!!

And then of course there is happiness and sadness!!! Both together! Happy to think that we are embracing a dream, but really sad to be leaving people close to us! It's this sadness that rules the roost in the bag of emotions at the moment. With less than 2 weeks to go and Christmas upon us, we're seeing friends and family on a regular basis. Our heart strings are being twanged, tweaked and tuned, every day!

We remind everybody AND ourselves, that we are not going forever! AND that if we do decide we miss everyone tooo much - we can just come back! But - hey - Thailand is a wonderful holiday destination too!

So - with this orchestra or jumbled bag of emotions it's difficult to say just how we feel at the moment! Or to guess how we will feel from one minute to the next! Though we are certain that we're doing the right thing for us. The positive emotions will conquer... and excitement will rule the roost at some stage! Probably when we're at the airport!!!!

Ruby - It's NOT Goodbye

2007-12-18T17:56:00.000Z

aaahhh!!! I just read Ruby's post on her blog... she's still sitting here and she doesn't know I'm writing this... I'll tell her later!!!

RUBY - it is NOT goodbye... don't think that you've got rid of me... the blog world, skype, facebook, emails - and mutual interests and projects will have me knocking on your "virtual" door on a regular basis I'm sure.....

xxx

Welcome Expats of Bury St Edmunds

2007-12-18T16:56:00.000Z

I'm currently sitting in a pub in Bury St Edmunds called the Fox Inn....

I'm honored to have Ruby sitting opposite me, the author of a very successful locality blog called Living in Bury St Edmunds.

Ruby has explained that many Expats from Bury St Edmunds visit her blog to find out what is happening in their "home" town back in the UK. If you are one of these - then welcome to my blog, and thank you for visiting.

A Bury girl myself, I'm soon to board a plane to Thailand in an attempt to kick start my mobile career. While I'm traveling around trying to earn some pennies, I'm also going to be researching the motives and journeys of others who choose to leave England to live and work abroad.

I'd love to hear from you if you've made the leap...

What motivated you to do it?

Where have you moved to?

What do you miss the most about England?

What do you NOT miss about England?

AND are you happy you made the move?

I hope to eventually build up an informative resource for other people who are chipping away at an escape route from England, so that they can make an informed choice of whether or not it is the right move for them.. Do you have any experiences you feel you could offer a potential escapee?!!!!!!!

Thank you again for visiting, and I hope you find some enjoyable reading on this site...

How many other mobile professionals are there out there?

2007-12-18T10:17:00.002Z

This morning I decided to take a look at "The Complete List of Location Independent Professionals", as detailed on the LIP site.

There are loads of them. If you're interested in seeing examples, of just how a mobile career is possible - and IS being achieved by people already - then take a look!!!

Should I offset my carbon emissions?

2007-12-17T14:38:00.000Z

The debate on Global Warming continues. Does it exist? It is as bad or dramatic as we're led to believe? I saw this video several weeks ago, which does an excellent job at highlighting why we should stop debating, and take action instead.

Click here for the most terrifying video you'll ever see

Great! If you watched the video I'm assuming you can't argue with this guy's theory - I know I couldn't. But what a dilemma. There's no way I can sing from my hymn sheets or shout from my soap box about global warming, when I'm about to hop on a plane to Thailand - and apparently drop a total of 1.1 tonnes of carbon dioxide on the earth while I'm doing it. That's 1.1 tonnes per person - each way. So if I include Paul AND our return flights into the equation - we'll be responsible for a whopping total of 4.4 tonnes!!!

What are the options?

1. Don't fly
2. Offset our carbon
3. Bury our heads in the sand and forget about it

Really the only viable option for me at this stage in my master plan to leading a happy life, is option 2 - offset our carbon.

So - I set about finding out more on the subject... What a mine field!!!! I'm now completely confused about whether I should bother offsetting or not. Many reports reveal that it could in fact be harmful to the environment.

I've looked at several sites, all of which offer different projects. Most of the projects involve buying trees (which apparently could be harmful), or investing in developing environmentally friendly products, services and methods - in developing countries.

Now it struck me that the real changes need to happen in the developed countries - surely they are the worst offenders. Why invest in developing countries? I can't quite get my head around the prospect of wealthy westerners polluting the planet, and then offsetting their damage, by investing in implementing environmentally aware products and services in less wealthy countries... What - are the poorer nations our environmental slaves now???

About the best site I've come across so far is www.globalcool.org

This site tries to educate us on ways to reduce our emissions within our own countries, and uses celebrities and other high profile individuals to promote the entire concept as being a "trendy" thing to do.

They also provide you with the option to buy "tonnes of cool" - which they invest in UN and DEFRA approved projects. Many of these projects are based in developing countries, but I like the fact that the site is so focused on educating the masses! It provides loads of simple tips on how each of us can easily reduce our own carbon footprint. So overall it seems well balanced.

I haven't actually made the step and parted with my pennies as yet. I'm still faced with the following dilemma.

1. Is it worth offsetting or not?
2. Is Global Cool the best site to go for, if I do decide it IS worth it?

hhhmmmmmmm....... what to do?

Further reading:

Article in the Guardian

Carbon Offsetting Harms the Environment

What DEFRA have to say

The Inconvenient Truth about Carbon Offsetting

England - The Best Place in the World to Grow Up...

2007-12-16T13:31:00.000Z

Last week my ears pricked open with interest while I was pottering around the house with the news on the TV in the background.

The BBC were reporting on “The Children’s’ Plan – a new £1bn, 10 year strategy for education, welfare and play.” The vision of this seemingly revolutionary strategy is simple – to make our country the best place in the world to grow up.

Click here for the full report: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/education/7136564.stm

This item of news is very close to my heart. I’m 35 years of age, and as yet I haven’t had any children. Why? Well it’s quite simple really. Bringing up a child in England quite literally scares the pants off me!

Parenting has to be one of THE most difficult jobs in the world ever, and I’m sure the rewards can be equally as monumental. BUT – it seems to me that English parents have untold pressures that reach far beyond the already daunting prospect of simply being responsible for another person’s life.

What kind of income do people bring in to achieve all of the following?

1. Buy a house in today’s property market. The smallest of houses can leave you stressing over bringing in enough cash to make the payments, let alone a house that's large enough to bring up a family.

2. Fashionably furnish it and fill it with all the latest technology that your children will need in order to be on an equal par with their friends and the demands of the education system.

3. Buy your children nice clothes and the toys they long for so much because their friends have all got them.

4. Pay for school trips & hobbies

5. Save up so that you can send your child to university

Unless one of the parents is very successful it seems to me that both parents (if they're fortunate enough to still be together) will need to bring in above the national average to achieve all of these things. If they’re both working hard to earn over the national average – what time will they have left to be parents??

Given the facts and the reality of what it takes financially to bring up a child in England – I always end up feeling depressed at the thought of it! Of course, you can take another stance, and say that you will educate them on consumerism and how they can’t always have what they want – but that approach seems increasingly difficult and challenging in today’s society. In fact, that approach seems even more challenging than working your socks off to give them what they want!

So – getting back to the new strategy announced last week, wow – have they finally got it?? Well, there are some great things in there; such as more play areas, more support for parents, reviewing the sats and stuff like that. BUT, I was completely disheartened by what seemed to me, an obvious indication that they hadn’t quite got it. There was continuous reference to providing a “World Class Education System”, so that children could flourish and reach their potential.

This constant drive in England to be THE best in the world at absolutely everything is surely at the root of the pressures, stresses and mental health problems that are prevalent today.

Now – I’m very competitive myself, and I always strive to be the best, so I do have an element of conflict over my own opinions on this subject. But I have to ask – what would it be like to simply BE! Why do we have to be the best? And how much easier would it be for children and parents if England were to withdraw from the race to power and the competition to be THE best country in the world at absolutely everything?

What about aiming to be the happiest and most content nation in the World? How about striving to become a nation that doesn’t worry about their position in comparison to the rest of the world? How about aiming for emotional strength, fulfillment and self sufficiency?

Is it possible, that such a relaxed approach would lead by default to England becoming the best country in the world to live?

I know it’s not as simple as that, but I would love to hear your views – particularly if you’re a parent.

If you’re a parent in another country what’s it like for you?

Would you miss Jack Frost?

2007-12-13T10:18:00.000Z

This morning I awoke to blue skies and the glistening sparkle left by Jack Frost. My - he must have been busy last night. Judging by the layers of white, twinkling frost on the roof tops, trees, gardens and cars, he enjoyed a fine ceremonious dance around the nation last night while we all slept peacefully in the warm.

One step outside, and you feel the fresh air hit your face forcing you to take a sharp intake of cold fresh air. And provided you're wrapped up in warm clothes; the freshness on your face, combined with the pretty twinkle left by Jack, is something to celebrate - ha - until you realise you've run out of deicer, you're late for work, there's been an accident on the roads, and you've lost your gloves.. That's the wicked twinkle of Jack!

After spending a year in South East Asia 4 years ago, I returned to England in December. All of the way home I was looking forward to stepping off the plane and feeling the freshness and coldness of the winter air. Spending long periods of time in warmer climates is definitely relaxing and calming for the soul - but it can be surprising just how good, cold, fresh, frosty air can feel, when you don't experience it for a while!!

I'll miss Jack Frost and his wicked ways... would you?

England - The Good Bits

2007-12-13T09:39:00.000Z

To date, the majority of this blog has focussed specifically on reasons to Escape England. It was never my intention to be so one-sided in my writing, and is in fact completely against my principles. I always aim to write a balanced view, which looks at both the positive and negative aspects of a subject. We have so much negativity in the media already. It has always been my vision to maintain a positive or rather a balanced approach to all of my publishing.

I guess I've unintentionally been focussing on the negatives to help convince myself that I am indeed doing the right thing, by attempting to Escape!

That said, BEFORE you take your life savings and try to start a new life in another country, it is important to realise that there are many things England has to offer. I did consider writing a top 10 list as I have for the top 10 reasons to leave England. But I found it very difficult to focus on 10 specific things, and it seemed too organised and contrived.

This post is therefore the introduction to random postings which will occur as and when something happens to remind me of the wonders of England!!!

Feel free to add your contributions and thoughts as to what makes England so special!

Welcome Moreton Hall !!!

2007-11-30T15:58:00.000Z

If you have come to this site because you've read about it in The Moreton Hall Directory, or because you know me from my previous role as Proprietor of The Moreton Hall Directory - then thank you for visiting, and welcome!

I have been playing with this site for a number of months now, and I'm so excited to finally be in a position to "come out of the closet" and introduce you all to some of my other projects and passions. I hope you find this site enjoyable and informative.

So... what's it all about then....??

More and more people in England are opting to quit the rat race, hop off the hamster wheel of western life, and move to warmer climates for a better quality of life. I'm fascinated to know what motivates people to do this, and whether it actually brings them the happiness they seek. On this site I'll be publishing my insights on this topic, along with various interviews with people who have taken the plunge.

England has its bad points that's for sure (many of them I've already explored on this site), but it also has a great deal to offer. In conjunction with this, other countries may have their appeal, but surely they will have their downfalls too? On this site I will also be publishing the good and the bad of the different countries I visit on my travels. If you are considering taking the plunge yourself one day, wouldn't it be useful to have some kind of balanced (non sales related) information, from which you can make an informed choice? I hope I can help you work through the pitfalls and suss out whether it is the right thing for you or not.

On 1st January myself and my other half - Paul, are boarding a plane to Thailand. My mission is to build a mobile career in copywriting, magazine consultancy, and travel writing. Paul will be starting out by training as a PADI divemaster, but he is also a passionate photographer. As we're both passionate scuba divers, in the longterm we're hoping to draw in some underwater photography and writing work along the way too...

As well as addressing all of the questions posed, this site will also follow our journey both underwater and on land.

If you are interested in travel, the practicalities of living and working abroad, or even if your simply interested in following our journey and all the tales that may unfold - please subscribe to the box at the top right of the site so that you receive an email when we publish new information or stories.

Thank you again for visiting, and I hope to meet with you here again soon :-)

Warm wishes

Tina

Problem! Books and Print!

2007-11-23T16:49:00.000Z

My great escape is becoming more and more a reality. Having sold my previous business a few weeks ago, this week we moved out of our rented accommodation to camp out at the in-laws' for our 5 week countdown to the 1st January, when our flights are booked for Thailand.

Whilst de-cluttering it became apparent to me that out of all the objects I've accumulated over time, there are two things so precious that I simply can't part with them - they are books and CD's. Fortunately CD's take up minimal storage space, but books? Well, they can be heavy and bulky, but they also mark the history of my mind, and contain valuable information and inspiration. Many of the books I've read have been life changing. They are priceless in value. I cannot part with them for love nor money. What to do? I can't take them with me!

Aside from the storage issue, this alarming self discovery also led me to another question about the practicalities of working as a mobile professional. I LOVE reading things in print. Don't get me wrong; I spend hours reading on the net and have also bought several e-books, but in the end, I always like to print things off, sit in a comfy chair, and read a paper version.

How am I going to cope with not having ready access to a printer? No paper print outs, no pen scribbles or amendments on written work... It's a scary prospect. I am now forced into a position to really establish a paperless office! No lever arch files, just a couple of choice books such as a dictionary and thesaurus.

A far more important possession will be a good portable hard drive to store any information, e-books, pictures, music and so on! How amazing to realise that the contents which will once have filled an entire room, whilst simultaneously displaying insights into my personality, interests, and character - will now all be contained within one little box only accessible through the window of my computer!

Welcome to the digital age! Great for the environment! Easy for the new generation! How easy will it be to adapt? And what if anything, will be missed or lost as paper and print moves further and further into the land of ancient times.

Less = Liberation

2007-11-15T19:12:00.000Z

This week we started packing.

We hope to be relatively mobile for an indefinite period; consequently it's essential to take a hard look at just about everything we possess and ask the question, "Do we really need it?"

When faced with the prospect of minimal storage space, and a mobile lifestyle, your forced to reduce your belongings to the bare minimum. Harsh decisions are called for.

"Am I really going to refer to that information I gathered thinking it would be useful at some point? It's been sitting there for three years and I haven't looked at it once."

"Do I really need to keep all of those CDs that I never listen to anymore? Should I chuck; Travis, Macey Gray, Robbie Williams, and all those other albums, which were great at the time, but seem outdated now? Should I keep the classics, that seem to have timeless qualities that enable you to play decades after their release, such as; Crowded House, Rolling Stones, Herbie Hancock, to name just a few? Or should I download the complete collection onto a hard drive, and bin the lot?"

There's no room for mercy - everything that doesn't have a purpose, or that is below a certain sentimental threshold - MUST GO!

Wow - a few days after operation de-clutter started, and both of us are already feeling the liberation. Now that we have started cleansing ourselves of unnecessary belongings, it seems completely logical that it would bring with it a sense of freedom - but it isn't one we'd banked on - it's a surprise - a pleasant one.

It dawned on me that not only does the concept of a mobile professional install a sense of freedom in terms of locality, but it also has the added bonus freedom points that come with the reality of reducing your belongings. Clearing your mind and physical environment with the zillions of objects that clutter up your life and consequently your mind, brings a feeling of lightness and liberation.

Support and Inspiration

2007-11-12T19:52:00.000Z

As with all business plans or projects, establishing a mobile career, and leaving England involves a number of carefully planned steps.

There are a number of useful resources on the internet to help with some of the practicalities, but there is one site in particular that I have found both informative and inspirational. Lea Woodward, who along with her boyfriend, has successfully adopted a LIP lifestyle (LIP = Location Independent Professional), has developed a website which provides:

Ideas and Inspiration for the type of work you can carry out as mobile professional

Useful tips and pointers on the practicalities of setting up a mobile office

Plus support and coaching for anyone who needs more of a guiding hand

Lea has also recently published a book which details their journey into LIP living. The book offers practical advice on how to go about adopting such a lifestyle, and provides the reader with insights and knowledge which can only come from someone who has actually lived the experience.

The LIP website and their book "X Marks the Spot" is proving an invaluable resource to assist me on my own journey; not only by constantly reminding me that such a lifestyle is possible, but also by providing extremely useful tips and information to assist me in my planning.

Click here to view more details

Pipe Dream or Reality?

2007-11-05T23:24:00.000Z

Nearly four years ago I returned from a year of living and working in South East Asia. Like many people who travel, I returned for what I thought was a "temporary" period.

Whilst I was really happy to be reunited with friends and family, within hours of being back in the UK I was brought down by depressing media news. Before long I sorely missed the lifestyle, nature, sense of community, and cultural diversity I'd grown accustomed to during the year before - not to mention my daily plunge into the ocean donned with scuba gear.

Whilst my impulses were trying to convince me to simply jump on a plane and get back to it all, my senses knew that really that wasn't practical. What I needed was a plan. I had no idea where in the World I wanted to "settle". All I knew was that it wasn't England! Yet, here I was, with no money, and no other option really, than to stay put while I forged a plan.

As I wanted to explore what the rest of the World had to offer I soon figured that I needed to earn a living through work that I could carry out wherever I was. My location wouldn't matter. My work would come with me. For a variety of reasons, which I won't bore you with here - writing became my chosen career path.

Now four years on, a lot has happened and a lot has changed. As with many people who return from traveling with a view to gathering money then leaving again - I got distracted.

After my initial success (beginners luck) of getting two articles published with national magazines, I got completely grabbed by an opportunity to create and publish my own community magazine. The community needed a magazine, and I needed a project that tied in with my writing aspirations - perfect. It was a win, win situation. The magazine became my "baby", and its growth and success, became my reason for getting out of bed in the morning.

Now, 3 years on, the magazine is ready to fly the nest, and I am ready to return to my mobile professional aspirations. The community has an established and reliable magazine. The magazine has a new nurturer with fresh ideas. I have a portfolio of writing and publishing experience to hopefully fuel me towards my mobile profession.

Numerous opportunities are opening to me in copywriting, proof reading, editing and magazine consultancy... and I have a couple of web based writing projects I can't wait to get stuck into...

So - my mobile profession. Is it a pipe dream or reality? Well at the moment it feels somewhere between the two. None of the opportunities are cast iron contracts as yet - so I feel as though I'm taking a leap of faith!

Stayed tuned, and find the answer with me...

Not Much Further!

2007-10-11T22:24:00.001Z

The Hamster Wheel of Life - A Test of Stamina

2007-09-27T09:22:00.000Z

Just a quick note.... This blog is on pause for now, but I hope you still find some useful links to assist you in your escape plans...

I am currently running as fast as my legs will allow on the "hamster wheel of western life".

At the moment I can't stop running! The wheel is spinning so fast, if I do stop running I'm in grave danger of falling upside down from the top of the wheel, and ending up in a heap, while the wheel continues to spin, throwing me all over the place...

I have received word that this is a stamina building exercise, and that if I just keep going a little longer, the wheel will slow down, and may even stop completely for a while. Apparently - this is not too far in the future. I've been performing incredibly well over the last few months, and the wheel is actually getting more tired than me...

Once I've proved my stamina, and I've pushed the hamster wheel to its max - I'll be back with more posts!!!!

Please subscribe in the box at the top right of the site, so that you receive an email when my posts start again...

Until then - happy living!

How do we feel about consumerism?

2007-06-15T10:14:00.001Z

Below follows some notable comments from readers regarding consumerism...

Scott Eaton said

“It's very true what you say about consumerism spreading, I read an article in "das Magazin" about how much space people live in in different countries and one of the questions was what is the item of most worth to them. One of the families lived in Mongolia in quite a small tent but the father answered the question with "my TV"... with the TV comes all the other "wants" and thus is the root of all evil.
I don't like the consumerist lifestyle (if you can call it that) but I do like things, my computer, my watch, my headphones, but i really try to judge what I want and why I want it, also if it's worth working for. My stereo is good but old and I'd like a new one but I don't think it's worth going to work more just to buy the new B&O if you get my drift.”
14 June 2007 10:02

21st Century Mummy said...

"Hi Tina - great article and thanks for the recognition. I love our chats. :-)

Consumerism has just gone plain mad, especially re children...each year I dread the Christmas pile that arrives from well-meaning friends & relatives. We have no room left for more toys and despite alternative suggestions...it just keeps coming...and we're not going to buy a bigger house just to store it all in ;-@.

Scott, you're so right about the TV. There's nothing quite like the ad which shows that you're not quite as happy as the people in the advert who have the latest 21st Century gadgets with the bells and whistles. Sometimes, I really think I belong in time far far away."

15 June 2007 05:48

Tina said

"Hi Scott & 21st Century Mummy

Scott - yes its true about the TV. I remember back in 1997 travelling around some far out places in Indonesia - where the villages had very little in the way of modern equipment and had no schools. They were extremely poor in wooden shacks - yet to my amazement there satelite dishes everywhere sticking out of the shacks..??? I remember wondering at the time how this made them feel. For years they had no contact with the rest of the world and survived on very little - then with one small addition to their belongings they were exposed to the western world and all the desires that go with it... yet they were in a position where they were completely unable to obtain such a lifestyle... I can't imagine what effect that would have on their psyche....

21st Century Mummy - consumerism gone mad where children are concerned... For sure.. As a woman who hasn't yet had a child, the thought of bringing one up in such a consumer environment scares the pants off me :-) Just the thought of the enormous responsibility is hard to bear - but when you start thinking of the surroundings they are going to grow up in, and all the conflicts with the children comparing themselves to their friends - and wanting what others have.... How on earth does a parent deal with that?? Its enough to make me want to leave the country, find some desert island somewhere - then have a child and educate him/her myself...."

What does everyone else think? Particularly regarding parenthood in a consumer world...

Can We Escape Consumerism?

2007-06-15T10:11:00.001Z

During the time I have been writing this blog, through the comments I’ve received and through discussions with different people, it has become apparent that people from other countries are also trying to escape something. As disheartened as some people may be with various aspects of England, it is clear that other countries have their own problems too, which may or may not be similar to those we experience here in England.

One common thread however is that many people seem to be longing to hop off the hamster wheel of modern life. It seems that there is a general awakening and awareness to the meaningless and emptiness of exhausting ourselves working for the sole purpose of purchasing the next big expensive object to fill our life with momentary pleasure.

If you are looking to escape England and live and work abroad, I believe there is a primary question you need to ask yourself – certainly it’s a question I’ve been challenging myself with over the last year or so. Do you want to escape England – or do you just want to escape consumerism?

For me, escaping consumerism plays a huge factor. I gain no soulful pleasure from working all the hours under the sun just so that I can buy a new car. From experience I know that the pleasure delivered by these purchases are short lived. As soon as the pleasure where’s off – you need the next fix – the next big expensive thing – a bigger house, a better TV, a more exclusive holiday, a better car – and so on. And as a result you can easily see how you could potentially end up running faster and faster in the hamster wheel. It’s crazy and leads absolutely nowhere.

Now – for those of us that are keen to escape consumerism, there is another answer other than leaving the country. We could simply choose not to “buy in” to the whole thing. We could choose to live simpler lives, become more self sufficient, spend more time with friends and family but above all – SPEND LESS.

Personally – I think this is a very tough call. We are continuously seduced and bombarded with marketing strategies cleverly designed to subconsciously make us want to buy. In addition to this – I think we’re in the minority. I believe it is extremely tough to remove yourself from consumerism when you are living in a country where consumerism is at the core of its existence. I have always been the kind of gal who would much rather remove temptation than resist temptation – maybe that makes me weak willed? But whatever – it’s true…

As far as consumerism goes – logic tells me that the best way to escape the seduction of career, money and the perceived success and respect this brings – is to take yourself to a country which is not so hungry for material wealth. To live in an area where you are surrounded by people who really don’t have a great deal – but are nevertheless happy. To find a home where people have time for each other, time to relax and where all that really matters to everyone is ensuring that the very basic human needs are met.

What concerns me however – is the rate at which consumerism can spread – like a disease which has no cure. If we blindly remove ourselves from consumerism by taking ourselves to places where it is less prevalent – then I imagine that we have not actually tackled the real issues. As a result our consumer attitudes will follow us wherever we go – and – as contagious as it surely is- consumerism will continue to spread – until there is no place left to go.

So please ask yourself the question – do you want to escape England, or do you want to escape consumerism? If you want to escape consumerism – then fine – me too… but we need to ensure that we do actually escape it – and we don’t just take it with us!

If you have any thoughts on how to escape consumerism – then please do share… Or maybe you can enlighten us all to some of the benefits of consumerism… whatever your thoughts – I’ love to hear them…

Here's one useful link to start us off:

http://www.wikihow.com/Escape-Consumerism

Thanks to the 21stcenturymummy for inspiring this post – and the bottle of wine I’ve just consumed to help find the words!!!

Is Home an Illusion?

2007-06-04T17:18:00.000Z

When I was visiting Chiang Mai in Thailand around 3 years ago I was fortunate to share a few drinks and some philosophical chatter with a man I can best describe as a guru of travel and nomadic living.

At that time I was having what I can only describe as an identity crisis. I’d met a wide array of different characters and experienced several different lifestyles – all of which I discovered I could adapt to amazingly well – so well in fact – I thought I was a chameleon – and I felt as though I had lost complete sense of who I actually was, not to mention where I actually belonged.

In this composed but lost state, my meeting with Mo Tejani seemed so much of a coincidence it resembled a gift from someone or something up above. There I was at a time when I was pondering on how chameleon-like humans can be – when who should I meet – but a man who was writing a book called “A Chameleon’s Tale”.

Now – 3 years later – the book which was then in the making is now published and has even been selected as one of nine finalists for the 2007 PEN/ Beyond Margins Book Award in New York.

What follows has been taken directly from the back cover of the book – there are no better words I can give to summarise this insightful piece of work, which displays unrivalled insights and knowledge into a tripod of different cultures, global history and the human psyche.

“Is Home and Illusion?”
“Mo Tejani – an Indian Shia Muslim by ancestry – was expelled from Idi Amin’s Uganda in 1972. Torn apart from his family, and exiled from the continent of his birth, he was suddenly left homeless, with little sense of his own cultural identity. Over the next three decades on the road, he worked with non-profit agencies, learned a slew of new languages, met fellow cultural nomads in forlorn and faraway places, and became involved I some of the world’s most significant historical events.

In this entertaining, globetrotting memoir, the author travels through all five continents in search of a place he can call home. The trials and tribulations of ‘identity shopping’ in the ‘multicultural supermarket’ of today almost bring him to the brink of alienation, but, as he discovers over the years, there are many along the road who are ready to lend a helping hand. Join him on his journey as he seeks liberation from his cultural chains and the catharsis of realizing his true identity.”

Jo Cummings – author of Lonely Planet Thailand reports: “Hold tight for a 50 year gonzo ride from Africa to America to Asia, captured by Mo’s camera-like eye for pivotal events”.

Join the angels of the sea

2007-05-27T16:04:00.001Z

Something happened to me during 1997 that changed my life forever. I learnt to do something that I could turn to for the rest of my life, knowing that it would bring me the greatest relaxation and sense of freedom I could probably ever expect to experience. It sounds like a wonder drug, and in some sense it is... So, what is it? Well it's scuba diving of course!!

During 2003, I decided to quit the rat race and pursue a career in scuba diving. It was one of the most worthwhile ventures of my life to date, and so within this blog I'd like to share the knowledge I have already accumulated so that you too can experience the meditational beauty of scuba diving - and what's more - get paid for it too... My life scuba diving - has by no means come to end, and so as my knowledge of working within this field grows - so it will be shared with you...

Scuba diving offers all of us the opportunity to travel around the world, experiencing different cultures, enjoying the beauty of the underwater world, and receiving some income too. The level of income you receive depends on the route that you take - and there are of course advantages and disadvantges related to each route.

Working as a PADI divemaster is your first step into earning an income from diving.
As a divemaster you basically act as an underwater tour guide for people that are already qualified to dive. You may also support instructors when they are training.

Now I would generally recommend that you spend some time working as a divemaster before you become an instructor, whilst the training will provide you with all of the knowledge you need, there is no replacement for experience and time under the water. But aside from this, there are a number of benefits to working just as a divemaster and not as an instructor.

1. As a divemaster you are not really responsible for the people that you are leading around a dive site. Sure you will need to act responsibly and look out for your guests, but as qualified divers they really should be able to look after themselves to some extent. Your job as a divemaster will be to show them all the wonderful critters on a dive site, and lead them around the site ensuring their safe return to the boat.

2. As you are taking already qualified divers fun diving, you will usually be taking your guests to the best dive sites within your locality. This means that you also get to see all the best of the underwater world. Once you start working as an instructor, you may well end up at the worst sites fairly regularly, and instead of focussing on what there is to see out there - you will be focussing on doing practical expercises in the sand with your students.

3. As a qualified divemaster you will be able to earn a small income, and if you live your life very carefully - it may well sustain you. It really depends where abouts in the world you are as to whether you can work, and what your potential earnings will be. More posts coming later will explore the different countries and what the reality of working as a divemaster is, but certainly in Thailand and Malaysia - you may well just be able to make ends meet. I know people who manage to do it. It is very tight, and you would be wise to have some financial back up. For that reason, I would suggest that it is a temporary career, or even a means to scuba diving and travelling in a far more economic way, than actually paying to dive. Indeed there is no greater buzz than leading 4 cool, qualified divers around a dive site, and enjoying the dances of the angels of the sea - Manta Rays. It is an amazing buzz in itself, and when you remember that someone is actually paying you to do it as well - well - that is just awesome and in fact quite surreal...

4. Another benefit to spending some time working as a divemaster, is the number of transferable skills you will develop. There are key skills that you will need to develop such as leading a group of people, presenting the dive plan to your group, and generally ensuring that they have a great time from beginning to end, whilst maintaining their safety and confidence in your ability and knowledge... These skills will stand you in good stead for whatever future career you may move into, whilst simultaneiously doing wonders for your confidence and self esteem.

5. The majority of the people you will be leading will be on a holiday, or an extended travelling trip - this means that in some cases (depending on locality), they will be wanting to party in the evenings. The social aspect that comes with working in the dive industry is ideal for those of you that love to party. If you prefer a quieter, perhaps more mature social scene - then just be more selective in the area you choose you to dive, and the dive operation you work for... There is a place and a dive operation for the greates partiers - to the quietest introverts - just do your homework first...

That concludes my brief introduction to working as a divemaster. There is a lot more information to consider, and I also have recommendations on where you can train and work. These will all come over time - but in the meantime if you have any questions please feel free to comment below. Equally - if you have any personal experiences of working as a divemaster - please also contribute here...

Check out the PADI website www.padi.com - for more information on the PADI diving career ladder....

What is Richard Branson doing for the environment?

2007-05-21T16:23:00.000Z

Okay - one of the largest conflicts I face over the entire desire to travel - is the concerning impact all of those flights may have on the environment...

Carbon emissions from planes are a growing concern among scientists and environmentalists alike. It's also an area which shows the largest potential growth as Japanese and Chinese travel more and more, and India sees the launch of their own low cost airlines. Flying is becoming increasingly accessible to the masses, meaning that carbon emissions are on the increase, at a time when we are desperately trying to reduce them.

Now - I think it's fair to say that the World is not going to stop travelling. Certainly, even though I would like to remain an upstanding citizen and protect the environment, I am hypocritical to say the least when it comes to flying. Having tasted what the rest of the World has to offer, and having become a scuba diving, beach hut, and hammock junkie - the concept of not flying, makes many of my dreams somewhat near impossible.

It seems logical to me that the answer is not to stop people from flying by increasing taxes and scaring us about the impact on the environment - but to provide us all with an environmentally friendly, cost effective alternative. With the technology that we have developed as a race already, I find it hard to believe that this is an unreasonable and impossible suggestion.

Imagine my relief then when I discovered that one man at least - is definately reading from the same page as me. So much so that he's prepared to plunge all of his profits from the travel industry (amounting to billions of dollars) straight back into research for an alternative fuel.

Sir Richard Branson - the papa of the Virgin group, has now added Virgin Fuels to his portfolio of projects - all of which have been built on his underlying driving force to challenge the norm, and create positive change for consumers.

Now there has been much controversy around his decision, with many people referring to him as an egomaniac, or saying that his announcements were a publicity stunt - BUT lets face it - he's got his finger on the pulse. The World is just not going to stop flying - even if he does decide to close his own flying business - Virgin Atlantic. It goes completely against the grain of the psyche of the world, as we become more and more accustomed and adjusted to globalization - there is no way we're going to do a u-turn. So what better than to invest in an environmentally friendly fuel. By taking such action of course Sir Branson has something to gain - he's protecting his own future, and as always is working towards constructive change for the masses.

Aside from investing in research for an alternative fuel, Richard Branson has also joined Al Gore in offering a $25 million prize to the individual or group who come up with a workable method of withdrawing carbon dioxide from the environment. Trees and plants do it naturally - so what is there to say we can't find a way to counteract the damage we are doing...?

In addition to these quite revolutionery projects, Virgin Atlantic are also doing everything they can to reduce current carbon emmissions by employing energy efficient methods wherever possible in land based operations, and by reviewing where carbon savings can be made on current flights.

I don't know about you, but for me, it makes sense to fly Virgin whenever possible. At least I know that the profits from my flight are going straight back into finding alternatives to protect our environment. Richard Branson has always delivered eventually in his projects, and he has always thought in an alternative manner... I believe in his convictions, and I have faith that he will do all he can to make it happen....

Click on the logo to go through to Virgin Atlantic and receive quotes for your air fairs...

In the Same Place

2007-05-18T18:56:00.000Z

An old poem - from early nomadic days - some things remain the same wherever you are!

From Thailand to Ireland I'm in the same place
A coffee, a ciggie, a smile on my face
A pen, some paper, a table before me
A spectator of life's ongoing story

One story here, another there
Some I watch, some I share
Some people see me, others walk by
While I sit at the table my head held high

In no mans land I stop to rest
Which of the places shall I build my nest
I cannot decide so I spiral around
'Til my wings grow tired and I reach the ground

Then a coffee, a ciggie, a smile on my face
How far I've flown
To be in the same place....

What is a Digital Nomad?

2007-05-12T10:11:00.000Z

One of the most opportunistic ways to Escape England to live and work abroad, has to be - to become a Digital Nomad...

But what exactly is a digital nomad? What is your opinion? What is my opinion? What do other nomads think?

The Digital Nomad and Peter Haslan (notable characters in the blogosphere), are on a quest to gather people’s opinions on what it means to be a “Digital Nomad”.

Their definition of the term is as follows:

“a person who needs mobile technology to conduct business while on the road which could be within a city, between cities or from other countries. Nomads are not location dependent except through personal choice and could be employed by a business or be freelancers. This is a growing trend with the uncertainties of long term employment with a single company and rapid changes in emerging technologies, and there is a different mindset required to be successful.”

Nia, Nomad4ever and myself were all asked to answer some questions – which I have done below. If you are also interested in this lifestyle, then please also contribute your answers within your own blog (if you have one). If not – please feel free to comment here or on any one of the other “nomads” blogs.

1. What do you feel is the key attitude to being successful in this lifestyle?

If I were to create a job vacancy advertisement for a digital nomad there are many skills that I would be looking for, such as good organisational skills (making sure you have all the equipment and information you need, taking up minimal space), and a sound knowledge of what to do in the case of equipment failure etc.

However underlying the skills which can be acquired and learned – I believe that a digital nomad needs to be of a particular mind set in order to be successful.

At the moment we are in the minority, and in many cases people around you will not necessarily have an understanding or even believe that being a “Digital Nomad” is a possibility. You will therefore need to forthright in your vision, and contain your belief that it is possible. The chances are that any existing digital nomads will not be living within your immediate area, so you will need to build a network over the internet… Nunomad.com, is a website established by another nomad, that aims to do just that.

In addition to this, at the moment, there is no common script, or formula for living this lifestyle. So you will need to “think outside of the box” and explore possible solutions, which will vary depending on your area of expertise. The workingnomad has written an ebook on a formula that has worked for him. I am currently reviewing the ebook, and hope to post more about it, and more about the working nomad at a later date.

2. What is the biggest drawback for you in being a digital nomad?

If you are in a relationship, it can be quite difficult to find a “route” which suits both of you. In cases where you do decide to go separate ways in terms of location – you then have the difficulty in maintaining the relationship from a distance. It is possible, but it can become complicated when there are two of you or more.

You will also experience many new places and people, and this can have a twofold effect. You could on the one-hand grow further apart from your friends and family at home, and on the other hand, you may also establish an enormous network of people around the world.

This obviously has many positives and is indeed one of the attractions for me. Meeting interesting people who all have something to bring to the table makes for exciting conversation at the bar… However it does have a major drawback in that it can become quite difficult to maintain the numerous relationships you establish. In the end the only way to cope is to improve at letting go of relationships and moving on…or maintain many, but somewhat diluted friendships.

Life as a Digital Nomad could therefore potentially become quite lonely, as you develop the ability to remain detached – never fully committing to any one lifestyle and/or place.

3. What do you consider to be the minimum essential equipment you currently have or would be buying in the future?

Laptop
Separate Hard Drive and a number of USB sticks
A good laptop bag
Mobile Phone
Digital Camera
All the possible connection leads you may need…..

The following are fellow nomads or potential escapees – who may well also have an opinion or view on these questions.

The Digital Nomad
Nomad4ever
Nomadesigner
Working Nomad
Brave New Traveller
Notes from the road
Ray Dotson
Anything Goes
Leave the Office
Leave America
Zath
NuNomad

What do you think??????? Comment away…!!!

Found yourself, came back to England, and now you want OUT?

2007-05-07T18:57:00.000Z

If you feel as though you can connect with the following situation, then my heart goes out to you.

Many Brits take a gap year to explore themselves and the rest of the world. Whether it’s taken between school and university, taken as a career break for the older generation, or whether it’s taken in an attempt to find that “something else” you’ve been looking for – whatever the reason a large percentage of Brits will travel at some stage in their life.

Somehow though, it’s a bit like opening Pandora’s Box. Once you’ve seen and experienced a variety of different cultures, lifestyles and places, returning to England and your “previous” life can be quite torturous, and could potentially be one of the most difficult and pivotal times of your life.

Are you someone who has travelled and started out with the view that it was a once in a life time experience, something that you needed to get out of your system before you settled down? Whether you would be attempting to settling down for the first time, second time or third – the chances are that you did anticipate that your travelling period was a temporary phase that you only had the luxury of enjoying before you entered the permanent state of “settled” life. Certainly it is true that the “normal” and “accepted” belief is that travelling is an opportunity to temporarily “escape” from reality and responsibilities, a time to throw caution to the wind, living a carefree and exploratory existence, with no pressures or concerns greater than trying to decide which idyllic island to visit next.

However, once you have witnessed places where people don’t have much in the way of material possessions, but are nevertheless happy, it can be difficult to adapt back to accepting the consumerism of the west. The rapid pace of western society can seem pointless and meaningless once you have seen and experienced life where people operate at a much slower pace, because enjoying the day takes priority over running an efficient system.

After a period of travel your values, principles and ideals can change quite dramatically, and in many cases, returning to England can prove to be the largest culture shock of your life. Returning to your previous life may no longer be an option.

People generally tend to move in one of two directions at this stage. They will either sail through the transition, find work and adapt back to life in England, or they will struggle immensely, with an ever returning desire to get back on the road again.

I have returned to England on numerous occasions now, and each time I have always tried to enter into “the kingdom of settled life”, the normal, commonly accepted, structure created for a society quite different to the one we live in today. Every time I fail. No matter how much I adopt a positive mentality towards England, I still have a burning urge to leave. I have seen friends return to England and go through the same battles, with financial security and the pressure of what is expected of them by society and family, top of the list of worries.

If you are one of these people I hope that you find some comfort and inspiration in this blog. I personally believe that it is imperfectly normal to want to continue to travel, and that perhaps being “settled” for some of us, may mean not necessarily mean “settling down” in one place, but being settled and content with our need to explore, travel and embrace new experiences and places. I also believe that with modern technologies it is possible to sustain financial security, and also bring up a family, whilst enjoying the freedom of travel. I just think that we need to be creative in carving out our own lifestyles. We need to boycott traditional thinking, stop behaving like sheep – and think outside of the box to create a lifestyle suited to our own individual needs.

I hope you join me on my journey. As likeminded individuals we are more likely to reach workable solutions for freedom, if we share our experiences, views and ideas.

Escapee Type 2 - Finding Yourself

2007-04-30T18:43:00.000Z

Typically people that fall into this group will be at a transitional stage in their lives.

It could be that having striven for a career for many years you’ve realised that it doesn’t fulfil you in the way that you thought it would.

Or maybe you are experiencing a relationship break up and now you are viewing life completely differently, unsure what to do with your life, or what you want out of life.

It could be that you have suffered a loss of someone close to you, and you have gained a new perspective on life, or maybe you are reaching middle age, and want to go out and see what else the world has to offer before it’s too late…

There are many situations that could potentially lead to someone feeling the desire to just hit the road, and see the world.

As with the nomad or the explorer, simply looking to relocate to another country may not satisfy this desire. Nor will a concise and detailed travel itinerary which takes you around the world on a schedule of activities and tourist sightings deliver the insights you may be looking for.

Consider the possibility, that to “find yourself” maybe you need to “lose yourself”. It sounds barmy I know – but abandoning planning, abandoning schedules, and making yourself open and available to whatever opportunities may come your way – could open doors you had never even imagined – let alone contemplated doing.

Think of it this way. Imagine you have decided that you want to go out to see the world, to see what life has to offer, and to decide what you want to do with the rest of your life. So… you sit down, you look at all the countries in the world, and research the sights you think you want to see, and the activities you think you want to take part in. You then set on your merry way – with your rucksack on your back, and your schedule firmly in your back pocket. What do you think you will discover about yourself on this “journey”, other than whether or not you enjoyed the things you thought you would?

Imagine that while you’re at a destination you meet a group of people that you really enjoy hanging out with. Their next destination is in the opposite direction to yours, and you’d never even heard of this amazing new retreat where people learn how to fly in their dreams while sleeping. You used to fly in your dreams, and wake up feeling awesome – and would love to go and find out some more about this somewhat “whacky” activity. Unfortunately however – you’re booked into a hotel in Bangkok, and then your flight is scheduled to leave for America a week later – where you planned to check out the Statue of Liberty – the concept of which now sounds extremely dull in comparison to learning how to fly in your sleep!!

The examples I’ve used are just that – as far as I know – no such “sleep & fly in your dreams” retreat exists on this earth – but I hope you get the point that I’m trying to make.

My humble advice to anyone who is planning to travel in order to find out more about themselves – would be to keep your options as open as possible – and to allow yourself to go with the flow. Always be aware of potential danger, and make sure someone has an idea what you are up to and where you are going – but in general – keep your eyes beaming with excitement and set yourself a mission to try things and open yourself up to the possibilities and opportunities of the unknown. Live with uncertainty and follow the stepping stones of fate and whatever you fancy at the time!!!

By the way – if anyone does know of a retreat where you can learn to fly in your dreams – PLEASE – let me know….!!!

Escapee Type 1 - Explorer, Student of Life, Nomad

2007-04-26T15:01:00.000Z

1. Explorer, Student of Life, Nomad

Looking back through history, nomads and explorers have always existed. Entire populations have wandered and moved to new settlements, more suitable to their needs. Individuals have left for foreign shores and ventured out into the unknown in order to "discover".

Way back in time, immigration and emigration didn't take on the formal process that it does today. From what I can gather, people hopped on boats, or took to the road and endured dangerous (and in many cases fatal) journeys in order to reach a better land, or "the promised land".

Wandering, exploring, discovering - these are all characteristics that are deeply ingrained in the human psyche. Our need to reach out and connect with other nations and other countries is surely a driving force behind the invention of flying, and other modern technologies such as the Internet.

Now - the privilege of relatively low risk travel and international communication is available to the masses. No longer is exploring the world reserved for those that have the knowledge and inclination to gather a crew, hire a ship, and dare to enter lands or waters unknown.

Please excuse me for stating the obvious - of course we all know that already... But the point I am trying to make is that in some cases, for some people, the need and desire to travel has nothing to do with the state of any given country. Some people are simply just born to explore and perhaps will never "settle down" anywhere.

It is this group of people that I believe fall into "Escapee Type - No.1" Although the term "escapee" doesn't really fit. For these people (myself included), it really isn't about "escaping from" - it is about "running to" and "embracing" the rest of the World. Meeting new people, seeing different lands, learning about other cultures, and embracing the diversity, colourfulness and craziness of the World we live in.

In general people that fall into this group will often feel "unsettled" or "unable to commit" in what is regarded today as a "normal" life. The concept of living in one place for ever more, and entering into the modern concept of the nuclear family, will be if anything "unsettling" for them. Only content when they are discovering new things, places and meeting new people, these people are not necessarily suffering from intimacy issues, or some kind of mental health problem that prevents them from settling down(though this may be a possibility in some cases). They are simply "explorers" - and that's fine...

Now - if you feel connected to this description, it may not be the answer for you to simply uproot your life, and go to live somewhere else. You may enjoy the change initially. Excited by what you find, the new people, the different way of life etc etc. But after a while, your desire to move and travel will again come to the surface.

For this reason its probably a better idea to simple hit the road, and keep travelling, until you want to stop somewhere. Then stop, until you feel ready to move again. Just going with the flow of wherever life leads you.

Here are some considerations and tips for survival for the modern day explorer or nomad.

1. Always stay connected to your base/roots in some way. Our history makes us who we are, and we all need familiar faces and places at times. Its also a sound idea, to always have a base that you know you can go back to if you need to.

2. You can try to find work at each place you go, and there are a wide range of jobs available around the world, such as Teaching English as a foreign language, or working as a divemaster or instructor to name just a couple (we'll revisit these jobs at a later date). Alternatively you could look towards developing your existing trade so that you can work completely on-line. That way you don't need to decide where you will be based, you can go wherever you like, and your job will but more importantly YOUR INCOME - will move with you. See my previous post "The Modern Day Nomad".

3. Seek out like minded people, and develop a supportive network of people who choose to live in the same way as you. It can be very lonely travelling all of the time, and whilst you will still be in touch with people back home, there will be a change in your relationship with them. You will need to know people that are growing in the same direction as you.

I hope you found the introduction to my own personal view of Escapee Type no.1 informative and useful. I'm sure we will look at it in more depth at later dates. Please do remember that this is simply a view developed from my own observations on life and is by no means set in stone... Your comments are welcome - lets "explore" the subject together...

Which type of Escapee Are You?

2007-04-24T15:04:00.000Z

Before anyone can establish an effective escape route the very first step is to work out which “type” of escapee you are. Whilst I’m generally not a fan of stereotyping or labelling people, everyone will have their own reasons for wanting to Escape England to Live and Work Abroad (see top 10 reasons to leave England). The point is – unless you establish your reasons for wanting to live & work abroad, you’ll be taking a huge gamble with any escape route you attempt to carve out. You could easily end up in a country that suffers from some of the same ailments you had hoped to leave behind. For every potential escapee serious consideration is needed in terms of what it is you are actually hoping to gain by moving. As a starting point I have established the following groups of escapees. For each group the destination and the escape route may differ quite substantially. Please bear in mind however that the line between these types is very thin and it is highly possible and probable that you relate to more than one or all of the groups.

1. The Explorer, Student of Life, Nomad

2. Finding Yourself

3. Found Yourself – came back to England – and now you want OUT!

4. Global Activist

5. Sun seeker

6. Rejection of political climate, pace of life and materialism

7. Career choice/progression

8. Pursue hobby or passion

9. Seeking change/boredom

10. Fashion follower! It’s the “cool” thing to do isn’t it?

Over the coming posts I will explore all of these possible types of escapee, and together we can take a look at possible escape routes for each.

This list or grouping is by no means fixed, or set in stone – it is merely a list developed from my own observations of life. If you agree, disagree or indeed have anything you would like to add – please do… I’d love to hear from you!!!

Why did you end up here?

2007-04-21T18:20:00.000Z

Today I sat down with the intention of developing a concise and informative content plan for this new blog project of mine.

As far as my common sense and general knowledge could tell, in order for this blog or any other publication to be successful in building up a sound readership it needs to meet the expectations of the readers. I thought carefully about the visitors to this blog and came to the conclusion that to have ended up at this page you must fall into one, some or all of the following categories:

1. You want to Escape England to Live & Work Abroad
If this is you - great! You’re one of the people I most hoped would visit. The content of this blog is built entirely around helping people like you (and me), to make a sound and informed choice about whether to leave England to live and work abroad or not. Assuming that you make the decision to leave, I then hope to help you decide where to go, what to do, and how to make it happen.

2. You have already made The Great Escape from England, and you like to read about and connect with like minded people. You may also want to contribute in some way, sharing your experiences with people who are just starting out on a journey you have already made. You are welcomed with open arms. Myself and any readers will be eternally grateful if you feel inclined to share your experiences and opinions. You will be of great assistance to people trying to make a decision on whether to leave England to live and work abroad or not.

3. You’re not English, and you’re not looking to leave – but you are interested in the National psyche for one reason or another. It’s great that you have popped by. I’m sure you also have some invaluable contributions you can provide about your own country or what you think of England. How do The Top 10 Reasons to Leave England compare with reasons to leave other countries? Opinions such as these can contribute to an excellent study of what it is we are looking for in our ideal country, or whether indeed moving countries is a solution to anything at all. You may also help someone decide to visit or not to visit your own country.

4. You’re a blogger and you’re networking or just generally interested in looking at a range of different blogs. I hope you find something here to inspire you, and I welcome any comments you may have on the blog, my writing, the design etc etc… Let me know who you are so I can check out your site too..

5. You’re a friend or a member of my family and you’ve ended up here because I've pleaded with you to come and check out what I’ve been spending so much time on just lately. If this is you – Thank you for popping by. I hope you find something here of interest to you, and that you leave with a little more of an insight into what the heck I’m waffling on about when I talk about my plans for Escape England.

Do you fall into any of those groups?
Is there another reason you have ended up here?
Let us know your thoughts...

England Activists on the Web

2007-04-14T23:28:00.000Z

Starting this blog has prompted me to explore and search the internet for other bloggers ranting about “Good Old England”. I felt sure that there must be an enormous number of ranters and activists out there, all revelling in the freedom of speech provided by the blogasphere.

As I was searching Brit Blog I started to discover blog after blog after blog of armchair activists, ranters and escapees… I got completely distracted and lost in virtual space for hours as I soaked up the unrest of the Nation in the wealth of posts focussing on the problems within England and the English Parliament.

I was feeling the need to try to bring all these people together in a community so that it would be easy to refer back to them all – when I discovered “The Witanagemot Club”

Quote from their home page.

“The Witanagemot club is a collection of bloggers that believe that the current constitutional settlement is disadvantageous to England. The word 'Witanagemot' is an old anglo-saxon word used to describe an Anglo Saxon gathering of eminent people. It would include bishops, ealdormen, thegn's and the like. They would be summoned by the king and would advise him on various issues that were important to the kingdom. They would act as witnesses and be responsible for new taxes, charters and running the country in between monarchs. The witan had a regulatory effect on the king so that his decisions were discussed fully before implementation. The witan could also responsible for choosing the king. This particular Witanagemot club, however, is open to all, regardless of ethnicity, just so long as you believe that England too is a nation that deserves political recognition.”

Click on the flag to link through to their site, and be connected to masses of bloggers campaigning to make England a better place - or simply ranting about its political failures!! You are sure to find some motivation to either:

1. Join the campaigners and ranters to have your voice heard.
2. Leave England to live and work abroad
3. Both of the above!!

Job Opportunities Abroad

2007-04-12T18:06:00.000Z

Ok – so we’ve had a look at why we would want to leave England (see link to the right for "The Top 10 Reasons to Leave England" if you’re new to this site). We will be revisiting this subject and hearing from people around the world that have made the great escape. For now though let’s assume we’ve made the decision and we’ve decided we want to quit the rat race. We’re done with the Hamster Wheel of Life. We’re finished with the idea and concept of HAVING to live for our work – just so that we can live. But how on earth do we break free? What will we do to earn cash to feed ourselves and put a roof over our head? How will we remain financially secure?

There are a number of questions we may need to ask ourselves here to break free from the brain washed concepts we already unknowingly live by, but for now – let’s just explore the opportunities available to people for working abroad.

There are many opportunities available for work all around the world, but first I’m going to let you in to a secret!

Quietly around the world, a revolution is occurring… New breeds of “people” are building communities. Their communities are dynamic and international – but interestingly are also very moveable, of no fixed abode! The individuals are intelligent, and they work fewer hours than many of us here in England – and for greater benefits. Their name – “The New Nomads”, or “The Modern Day Nomads”.

So, how do we become one of these Nomads, and what does it involve exactly?

Well – it’s actually amazingly simple, and could provide the answer to the majority of people that want to Escape England and live and work abroad. Do you have a job where you work on the computer? If so, do you also really need to have any physical contact with anyone in order to perform your job? Could your job be performed just as easily from a computer in Thailand for example? The truth is, with the technology available to us today, not only is it feasible for us to work from home, but it is also feasible for us to work from abroad.

Many large corporations have outsourced work to India, simply because it is so cheap there. But imagine if they could outsource work to another country and still have the work performed by an English person! Imagine you’re that English person. You could feasibly charge less than the English rate for working, but still charge enough money to provide you with a much better lifestyle in a country which has a lower economy - and oh - a country that hopefully doesn't have the majority of those top 10 reasons!

The great thing is - that you don't actually need to stay in one place - full stop! So, if you're anything like me, and you struggle to decide exactly where to place yourself on a permanent basis (eek - just that word permanent freaks me out!)... You don't need to decide - you can just keep moving - BUT you can take your job with you!

There are already a number of resources available on the internet to facilitate just this situation. Here is a list of the types of the jobs available:

1. Writing
2. Web Design
3. Photography
4. Blogging
5. Graphic Design
6. Financial Analysis
7. Administration (typing letters etc)
8. Anything that doesn’t require your physical presence!!!

So – invest in a LAPTOP and if you’re not already trained in a mobile profession – get learning!

HAVE LAPTOP WILL TRAVEL!!!!!!!

For more information and inspiration – check out some of these websites and books:

www.nunomad.com
www.nomad4ever.com
www.gofreelance.com
www.elance.com
www.guru.com

Top 10 Reasons to Leave England to Work & Live Abroad

2007-04-06T11:58:00.001Z

10. Apathy

2007-04-06T10:46:00.000Z

And finally - reason 10 - Apathy.

We are all so apathetic. Every day I hear people complaining. No one I know would disagree really with any of the top 10 reasons to leave England. The country is going to pot with more and more people seeking a life in the sun every year.

Decades or centuries ago, there would have been some passionate rebellious leaders - standing on soap boxes - gathering the crowds, developing a following, starting a revolution... Now - the majority of us - go to the pub - watch TV - or do whatever we can to escape from reality.... We all feel so powerless and unable to make a difference - that no one bothers anymore. My own personal icons of change are Richard Branson and Al Gore - if they were running two of the Worlds most powerful countries - how different would things be?

The media today is so powerful - anyone that wants to create change really has to get the media on side. Without positive publicity it could seem near impossible to get anywhere. Thankfully today - we have the power of the internet - where individuals can start to express themselves and reach other viewers without the authority of the media coming into play at all... Then we have Virgin Media growing slowly too.. Where will of all these new avenues of media lead the world? It's going to be fascinating to watch it all unfold... Maybe the dormant passion of the people has started to stir, and the nation will soon begin to feel empowered to change...

Alternatively, maybe those of us that can see, will just jump the sinking ship and start a new life somewhere else...!!!

9. Not all Property comes with a hammock & a balcony as a standard package

2007-04-06T10:44:00.000Z

Property here in England seems to be getting smaller and smaller, and more expensive. New estates are being developed, which although a great improvement on some of the sky scraper blocks of flats of the 60's and 70's, still resemble a growing span of concrete jungle. Getting onto the property ladder is a nightmare, and even buying a plot of land to build a wooden hut is incredibly expensive...

You can't beat a hammock and a balcony for breeding relaxation and contentment... But to be able to afford a place in England where you can have a balcony with a nice view, and a hammock to sway in - you really have got to be either extremely fortunate, working your socks off to earn a fortune, or just pretty damn smart.

In other places around the world, such as South America and Asia, beach apartments with balconies and hammocks are fairly standard, plentiful, and cheap. The international property market has grown beyond belief over the last few years as people become aware of the bargains available around Europe and further a field...

8. Propaganda and Negative News

2007-04-06T10:42:00.000Z

Is it true that no news is good news? I don't know about you, but personally I get tired and worn down by the constant bad news we are exposed to.

It would be interesting to carry out some research on two groups of people. The people in group 1 would be void of any television, newspapers, or radio news for a period of one month, and the people in group 2 would be exposed to them as much as possible.

Which of the groups do you think would be the happiest at the end of the month? I think we could almost guarantee that the people who were not exposed to the news were the happiest.

But hey – let’s keep bombarding the Nation with negative stuff that depresses everyone – but I know what… Let’s give them antidepressants to deal with the symptoms!!

I think it would be fair to say, that many of us have one main purpose in life - to be happy. So it follows quite naturally that in our pursuit of happiness we may desire to live somewhere which is not as exposed to negative and manipulative media. As the media and the politicians in England don’t seem to quite get this – perhaps the only solution is to leave England and live and work abroad…

7. Not the most favourable Scuba Diving conditions in the World

2007-04-06T10:40:00.000Z

Yes - I love scuba diving - so for me - this a genuine reason for wanting to leave England. Sure I could scuba dive in England, and I do believe there is some good diving around locally. But for me the whole pleasure of diving is the experience of warm waters, tropical fish, and a generally meditational time.. Somehow getting into cold murky water, looking for some of the less attractive fish you may find around the English Coastline, and dealing with perhaps some more challenging conditions - just doesn't do it for me in the same way!!! Particularly when I get out of the water and have to put as many layers of clothes on as possible because it freezing cold!!!

6. Symptom Orientated

2007-04-06T10:37:00.000Z

Symptom orientated? Well some of you may be scratching your head, wondering what the heck I'm talking about now, but some of you will be right there with me.

This absolutely drives me mad. But what do I mean by symptom orientated?

Okay - the first area I can use as an example would be the medical system. If any person suffers any pain or discomfort, that person will generally and automatically look for something to take away the discomfort. It could be painkillers, antidepressants, or any other form of medicine that treats a symptom of illness. And that is my point - the majority of these treatments do exactly that - they treat the symptoms - they don't treat the cause. Usually there is a very good reason for illness, pain or discomfort - but, because of the culture we have been raised in, our thinking is to immediately look at how we can eliminate the consequences - NOT look at what caused it in the first place.

The amazing thing is - even the Doctors tend to think this way. I was gob smacked to discover a few years ago, that Doctors are not trained a great deal in Nutrition... Like "Hello!"... It's a bit like going to see a mechanic when your car won't start after you've been putting pee in it instead of petrol - and the car mechanic walking around the car scratching his head and rubbing his chin - going "hmmmm! Can’t see what's wrong with that - every in the engine looks okay!"....

This approach doesn't just stop at the medical system however - what about speed cameras on the roads? Why is so much energy devoted to debating the rights or wrongs of speed cameras and the problems of dealing with speeding vehicles... surely the answer is simple - DON'T make cars that go so fast - and don't market their speed as a selling point...

This crazy philosophy we currently witness is almost on a par with allowing the sale of tobacco and alcohol - but making it illegal to drink or smoke!!! Can you imagine the uproar there would be if people were able to walk into a corner shop and buy a packet of cigarettes, but then get arrested and fined as they walked out and lit one up!!! Sounds bonkers I know - but really the current philosophy around cars and speeding is no different, is it?

Which ever area of English culture you look at - you can almost guarantee that the powers that be will be doing all they can to treat the symptoms - and hardly anyone - anywhere will even be discussing the cause - let alone dealing with it.....

5. Materialism

2007-04-06T10:36:00.000Z

Ahhh… the biggy. To me the route of all the evils, and the one that causes me some of my largest personal battles. When you live in the UK (or any western society really) you are constantly tempted, constantly seduced, and constantly encouraged to want more and more. A nice house, a nice car, nice things to go in the house, nice clothes – all designer of course. So we work all the hours under the sun to get these things, then we work even harder to pay for a holiday to get away from it all, plus we spend loads of money on playing equally as hard as we work in order to get some kind of release from the tension.

4. Crime

2007-04-06T10:34:00.000Z

Is crime growing? Or is it reported more? What do you think? All I know for sure is that the town I live in used to be pretty safe from a large proportion of crime, and to be honest still is one of the safest areas in England. However, I’ve noticed a growing amount of teenage agro seeping into town. There is much more attitude around in youngsters today, much less respect, and so on. I can’t begin to imagine what things are going to be like in another 10 or 20 years time, or indeed what it must be like already in some neighbourhoods of the UK.

3. Lack of People Contact

2007-04-06T10:33:00.000Z

Probably as a result of the pace of life, many people are too busy and therefore don’t have time for other people. We don’t smile at each other in the streets, everyone is on too much of a mission to get to the next place, or too worried about talking to strangers. We have to diary people in for quality time, IF we can. Then, when we do have “down time”, because we’re so exhausted, and because of the design of our society, we live in our little (or large) cocoon houses, living out individualist lives, trying to gain some connection with the rest of the world and other people by watching reality TV shows or god forbid, writing blogs!

2. Pace of Life

2007-04-06T10:31:00.000Z

Everybody, and I mean just about everybody, is stressed in this country. I really noticed it the most when I came back from a year in Thailand & Malaysia. I’m not kidding it was immediately obvious. Everyone looked tense, and everybody was moving so fast. It was almost as if I’d entered a nation high on caffeine or some form of Amphetamine. Everyone was whizzing around from one thing to the next, from one place to the next, and I couldn’t and still can’t fathom exactly how people manage to do so many things in one day.

Working parents I applaud you. How on earth do you keep the house clean, do the food shopping, prepare the meals, talk to the children, get them to school, get them to any after school activities AND go to work, let alone have any time for yourself? But whatever you do, while you’re busy working your socks off to simply get through the day, don’t forget to fill in any paperwork for your child, your car, the gas man…………. Arghhhhh!!!!!!

1. The Weather

2007-04-06T10:05:00.000Z

Right up there at the top. You can bet your bottom dollar, that if you ask anyone why they would want to leave England and live and work abroad, the first thing anyone would say is “The Weather!”.

People dislike the weather in England for varying reasons.

a. The Summers aren’t long enough and aren’t reliable enough
After that long grey winter, our spirits lift as we move through spring, and our excitement builds as summer approaches. The mood of the entire nation lifts as a heat wave approaches (if we’re lucky!), but then, before we’ve barely had chance to enjoy it, let alone maintain a steady state of bliss – the Sun has gone, the grey clouds come over, and down pours start! The nation moves to a mood of doom and gloom!

b. The winters go on too long
The winter has some plus points let’s face it. When the snow comes it’s really amusing to watch people walking carefully but quickly through the slush, frowns on their faces as they concentrate so hard on not slipping over in their work clothes. Or maybe you enjoy taking a walk in the English countryside, and being the first person to lay a foot print in the freshly fallen snow. The mood of the entire nation at this point enters into playfulness. Sledging, building snowmen, skidding – even adults can easily find it in themselves to regress back to being children. BUT before we know it, the snow turns to grey black slush, accidents happen on the road, and the rain comes. The playfulness of the nation moves to a mood of doom and gloom!

c. The weather changes too much
As we can gage from the above two points as a nation our mood is intrinsically connected to the weather. Yet the weather is constantly changing and unpredictable. When we do receive some “good mood” weather, it doesn’t tend to stick around for long, and so we feel deprived! How do we gain a state of contentment! Is it any wonder that Nations such as Thailand are known as the Land of Smiles? Does this bear any connection to the fact that their weather is more consistent? Rainy and Dry seasons. How less complicated is that than Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter?

Top 10 Reasons to Leave England and Live & Work Abroad

2007-04-06T09:45:00.000Z

The topic of the increasing number of immigrants in the UK is something we hear discussed constantly in the media and by politicians. BUT – behind the growing number of people coming into England there is an ever increasing number of people leaving England. Every year more and more English people choose to emigrate, opting to live and work abroad. Why?

Here is a proposed list of the top 10 reasons to leave England and work and live abroad.

1. The Weather

2. Pace of Life

3. Lack of people contact (cocoon, individualistic)

4. Crime

5. Materialism

6. Symptom Orientated

7. Not the most favourable Scuba Diving conditions in the World

8. Propaganda and Negative News

9. Not all property comes with a hammock and balcony as a standard package

10. Apathy

1. The weather

Right up there at the top. You can bet your bottom dollar, that if you ask anyone why they would want to leave England and live and work abroad, the first thing anyone would say is “The Weather!”.

People dislike the weather in England for varying reasons.

a. The Summers aren’t long enough and aren’t reliable enough
After that long grey winter our spirits lift as we move through spring, and our excitement builds as summer approaches. The mood of the entire nation lifts as a heat wave approaches (if we’re lucky!), but then, before we’ve barely had chance to enjoy it, let alone maintain a steady state of bliss – the Sun has gone, the grey clouds come over, and down pours start! The nation moves to a mood of doom and gloom!

b. The winters go on too long
The winter has some plus points let’s face it. When the snow comes it’s really amusing to watch people walking carefully but quickly through the slush, frowns on their faces as they concentrate so hard on not slipping over in their work clothes. Or maybe you enjoy taking a walk in the English countryside, and being the first person to lay a foot print in the freshly fallen snow. The mood of the entire nation at this point enters into playfulness. Sledging, building snowmen, skidding – even adults can easily find it in themselves to regress back to being children. BUT before we know it, the snow turns to grey black slush, accidents happen on the road, and the rain comes. The playfulness of the nation moves to a mood of doom and gloom!

c. The weather changes too much
As we can gage from the above two points as a nation our mood is intrinsically connected to the weather. Yet the weather is constantly changing and unpredictable. When we do receive some “good mood” weather, it doesn’t tend to stick around for long, and so we feel deprived! How do we gain a state of contentment? Is it any wonder that Nations such as Thailand are known as the Land of Smiles? Does this bear any connection to the fact that their weather is more consistent? Rainy and Dry seasons. How less complicated is that than Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter?

2. Pace of Life

Everybody in this country, and I mean just about everybody, is stressed. I really noticed it the most when I came back from a year in Thailand & Malaysia. I’m not kidding it was immediately obvious. Everyone looked tense, and everybody was moving so fast. It was almost as if I’d entered a nation high on caffeine or some form of Amphetamine. Everyone was whizzing around from one thing to the next, from one place to the next, and I couldn’t and still can’t fathom exactly how people manage to do so many things in one day. Working parents I applaud you. How on earth do you keep the house clean, do the food shopping, prepare the meals, talk to the children, get them to school, get them to any after school activities AND go to work, let alone have any time for yourself? But whatever you do, while you’re busy working your socks off to simply get through the day, don’t forget to fill in any paperwork for your child, your car, the gas man…………. Arghhhhh!!!!!!

3. Lack of people contact

Probably as a result of the pace of life, many people are too busy and therefore don’t have time for other people. We don’t smile at each other in the streets, everyone is on too much of a mission to get to the next place, or too worried about talking to strangers. We have to diary people in for quality time, IF we can. Then, when we do have “down time”, because we’re so exhausted, and because of the design of our society, we live in our little (or large) cocoon houses, living out individualist lives, trying to gain some connection with the rest of the world and other people by watching reality TV shows or god forbid, writing blogs!

4. Crime

Is it growing? Or is it reported more? What do you think? All I know for sure is that the town I live in used to be pretty safe from a large proportion of crime, and to be honest still is one of the safest areas in England. However, I’ve noticed a growing amount of teenage agro seeping into town. There is much more attitude around in youngsters today, much less respect, and so on. I can’t begin to imagine what things are going to be like in another 10 or 20 years time, or indeed what it must be like already in some neighbourhoods of the UK.

5. Materialism

Ahhh… the biggy. To me the route of all the evils, and the one that causes me some of my largest personal battles. When you live in the UK (or any western society really) you are constantly tempted, constantly seduced, and constantly encouraged to want more and more. A nice house, a nice car, nice things to go in the house, nice clothes – all designer of course. So we work all the hours under the sun to get these things, then we work even harder to pay for a holiday to get away from it all, plus we spend loads of money on playing equally as hard as we work in order to get some kind of release from the tension.

6. Symptom Orientated

Symptom orientated? Well some of you may be scratching your head, wondering what the heck I'm talking about now, but some of you will be right there with me. This absolutely drives me mad. But what do I mean by symptom orientated? Okay - the first area I can use as an example would be the medical system. If any person suffers any pain or discomfort, that person will generally and automatically look for something to take away the discomfort. It could be painkillers, antidepressants, or any other form of medicine that treats a symptom of illness. And that is my point - the majority of these treatments do exactly that - they treat the symptoms - they don't treat the cause. Usually there is a very good reason for illness, pain or discomfort - but, because of the culture we have been raised in, our thinking is to immediately look at how we can eliminate the consequences - NOT look at what caused it in the first place.

The amazing thing is - even the Doctors tend to think this way. I was gob smacked to discover a few years ago, that Doctors are not trained a great deal in Nutrition... Like "Hello!"... It's a bit like going to see a mechanic when your car won't start after you've been putting pee in it instead of petrol - and the car mechanic walking around the car scratching his head and rubbing his chin - going "hmmmm! Can’t see what's wrong with that - everything in the engine looks okay!"....

This approach doesn't just stop at the medical system however - what about speed cameras on the roads? Why is so much energy devoted to debating the rights or wrongs of speed cameras and the problems of dealing with speeding vehicles... surely the answer is simple - DON'T make cars that go so fast - and don't market their speed as a selling point... This crazy philosophy we currently witness is almost on a par with allowing the sale of tobacco and alcohol - but making it illegal to drink or smoke!!! Can you imagine the uproar there would be if people were able to walk into a corner shop and buy a packet of cigarettes, but then get arrested and fined as they walked out and lit one up!!! Sounds bonkers I know - but really the current philosophy around cars and speeding is no different, is it?

Which ever area of English culture you look at - you can almost guarantee that the powers that be will be doing all they can to treat the symptoms - and hardly anyone - anywhere will even be discussing the cause - let alone dealing with it.....

7. Not the most favourable scuba diving conditions in the world!

Yes - I love scuba diving - so for me - this is high up and a genuine reason for wanting to leave England. Sure I could scuba dive in England, and I do believe there is some good diving around locally. But for me the whole pleasure of diving is the experience of warm waters, tropical fish, and a generally meditational time.. Somehow getting into cold murky water, looking for some of the less attractive fish you may find around the English Coastline, and dealing with perhaps some more challenging conditions - just doesn't do it for me in the same way!!! Particularly when I get out of the water and have to put as many layers of clothes on as possible because it freezing cold!!!

8. Propaganda & Negative News

Is it true that no news is good news? I don't know about you, but personally I get tired and worn down by the constant bad news we are exposed to.

It would be interesting to carry out some research on two groups of people.

The people in group 1 would be void of any television, newspapers, or radio news for a period of one month, and the people in group 2 would be exposed to them as much as possible.

Which of the groups do you think would be the happiest at the end of the month? I think we could almost guarantee that the people who were not exposed to the news were the happiest.

But hey – let’s keep bombarding the Nation with negative stuff that depresses everyone – but I know what… Let’s give them antidepressants to deal with the symptoms!!

I think it would be fair to say, that many of us have one main purpose in life - to be happy. So it follows quite naturally that in our pursuit of happiness we may desire to live somewhere which is not as exposed to negative and manipulative media. As the media or the politicians in England don’t seem to quite get this – perhaps the only solution is to leave England and live and work abroad…

9. Not all property comes with a hammock and a balcony as a standard package...

Property here in England seems to be getting smaller and smaller, and more expensive. New estates are being developed, which although a great improvement on some of the sky scraper blocks of flats of the 60's and 70's, still resemble a growing span of concrete jungle. Getting onto the property ladder is a nightmare, and even buying a plot of land to build a wooden hut is incredibly expensive...

You can't beat a hammock and a balcony for breeding relaxation and contentment... But to be able to afford a place in England where you can have a balcony with a nice view, and a hammock to sway in - you really have got to be either extremely fortunate, working your socks off to earn a fortune, or just pretty damn smart.

In other places around the world, such as South America and Asia, beach apartments with balconies and hammocks are fairly standard, plentiful, and cheap. The international property market has grown beyond belief over the last few years as people become aware of the bargains available around Europe and further a field...

10. Apathy

And finally - reason 10 - Apathy.

We are all so apathetic. Every day I hear people complaining. No one I know would disagree really with any of the top 10 reasons to leave England. The country is going to pot with more and more people seeking a life in the sun every year.

Decades or centuries ago, there would have been some passionate rebellious leaders - standing on soap boxes - gathering the crowds, developing a following, starting a revolution... Now - the majority of us - go to the pub - watch TV - or do whatever we can to escape from reality.... We all feel so powerless and unable to make a difference - that no one bothers anymore.

My own personal icons of change are Richard Branson and Al Gore - if they were running two of the Worlds most powerful countries - how different would things be?

The media today is so powerful - anyone that wants to create change really has to get the media on side. Without positive publicity it could seem near impossible to get anywhere. Thankfully today - we have the power of the internet - where individuals can start to express themselves and reach other viewers without the authority of the media coming into play at all... Then we have Virgin Media growing slowly too.. Where will of all these new avenues of media lead the world?

It's going to be fascinating to watch it all unfold... Maybe the dormant passion of the people has started to stir, and the nation will soon begin to feel empowered to change... Alternatively, maybe those of us that can see, will just jump the sinking ship and start a new life somewhere else...!!!

Do you agree with the top 10 reasons to leave England?

Do you have any other reasons to add?

Do you have any comments to add?

Go for your life... and add them here, let's start a revolution!!!!!!!

Setting up a Dive Shop In Indonesia

2007-04-01T09:18:00.000Z

Throughout my travels I've met a number of people of who have been successful in hopping off the hamster wheel of western life. What is it like? Is the grass greener on the other side? The following posts explore the lives of those who have made the great leap..

Last year Paul (my fella) and I decided to leap off the wheel at that time of year when it is picking up the greatest momentum... Christmas... Christmas was the ideal time for us to take a break from our businesses, and so we considered carefully what to do with this precious free time we had created. We really didn't want to be rushing from one activity to the other, or one place to another. All we really wanted to do was to sit in a hammock, or jump into the greatest chill out zone on Earth - the Ocean. After searching the web and asking friends for recommendations we were pointed in the direction of two fish divers.

Two Fish Divers is small friendly dive resort on Bunaken Island in Indonesia which is run by an English couple - Nigel & Tina. Tina & Nigel have been extremely successful in their great escape. The dive resort is well established with a large number of returning guests. The accommodation is attractive, comfortable and clean but most importantly each wooden hut comes with a hammock - standard! The atmosphere is down to earth and laid back, and the diving!!!???!!! Well - the diving is AWESOME! For more information on diving in Bunaken and Lembeh, and on the resort itself, check out their website: www.twofishdivers.com or their blog www.twofishblog.wordpress.com

It would take an entire book to discuss the marine life and the culture on Bunaken and Lembeh in Sulawesi, Indonesia. Maybe we'll return to that at some point in the future. The main focus at the moment however is Tina & Nigel and their Great Escape.

What were their main reasons for wanting to leave England and live and work abroad?

Do any of those problems exist in Indonesia?

What do they like most about living and working in Indonesia?

What are the main problems they experience with the Indonesian Culture?

How do these problems compare with the reasons they wanted to leave England and live and work abroad?

What do they miss about the UK?

How did they reach a point where they were able and willing to set up a dive shop in Indonesia?

How much hard work has it taken?

Do they feel it is worth it, and what advice would they give to anyone wanting to do something similar?

I'll be putting these questions to them, and hopefully they will share their wisdom and enlightenment with us soon. We may need to wait a while as they are currently probably in labour with their first child - so they may be somewhat distracted. Also internet connection on Bunaken can sometimes be less than perfect. We wait with baited breath...to hear their views, and the news of their first born!!!!

Top 10 Reasons to Leave England - Feedback

2007-03-24T10:54:00.000Z

Happy Saturday!!

The hamster wheel of life is again slowly rocking. I think it's a Saturday morning thing. Last night I was winding down with a nice of glass of wine, relieved that the week's work was at last complete, when I noticed, just how much the house was in need of a good clean. I decided at that point, that I would use Saturday morning to give the house a good spring clean.

Well - what can I say... I decided this morning in my wisdom, that if I did spend all that boundless energy on spring cleaning the house, I wouldn't have time to up date my blog OR do my yoga. Now - Priorities!!! What is more important? My blog and my health, or a nice clean pristeen home (which would only take a couple of days to get unclean again anyway!). Logic insists surely - that I update my blog - and do my YOGA! BUT - if I were brain washed into the English Culture well - obviously a nice clean show house would come way above my health and pleasure!

Well - as I continue to insist on rebelling against the English way of life - here I am upgating my blog.

So - after providing you with that lovely insight into my decision making process of a Saturday morning, what am I going to write about, that bears any relevance to Escape England?

Last week - I notified a number of people about my blog. Over the years I have gathered a wide collection of friends all over the World. Some of them were born and still live in another country. Others are successful escapees of England. Their feedback was fascinating, and quite diverse.
I decided that I would put together a standard questionnaire and ask them all to take part in some kind of electronic interview process.

It's been my busiest week of the month as far as my "day job" goes this week - and I've been having to sprint like mad on the Hamster Wheel of Life to prevent falling upside down all over the place. Consequently I haven't yet managed to find the time to ask all of them, or to compile the interview. Those that I have asked however, have been more than happy to participate - so watch this space over the coming weeks for insights into Living & Working abroad - from the people that really are experts on the subject. Those that are living it!

I'm really looking forward to this weekend. We have a friend visiting. Lucy from Bunaken! We met Lucy over Christmas, when we went scuba diving in Bunaken, Indonesia. She's a gal from London, who was taking some time out of English Living to train as a divemaster. I did something similar in Thailand a couple of years ago, so me & Lucy hit it off instantly. She's now back in England after around 6 months of living in Indonesia. Needless to say I think that she is suffering a greater culture shock on her return to England, than the pleasant culture enlightment she received when she arrived in Indonesia. I'm really looking forward to ranting to Lucy about scuba diving and Escaping England, over a bottle of wine and some food..

So - with that said - I'd better be off and try to squeeze in some time for my yoga session. Sun Salutation - here I come...

Have fun on the Hamster Wheel of Life if you're on it, and pleasant hammock swinging those of you that have sussed out how to get off the wheel!!!

See you again in my next post - which I hope will be a little sooner than an entire week away.

Top 10 Reasons for Leaving England - Summary

2007-03-17T09:32:00.000Z

Hello - looking over all my posts and coming to grips with the navigation of blogs, if you're reading the top 10 reasons to leave England - the order can be quite confusing... So - here's a listing of the Top 10 Reasons.... To read the more detailed explanation of each reason - please read back through the archives....

1. The Weather
2. Pace of Life
3. Lack of people contact (cocoon, individualistic)
4. Crime
5. Materialism
6. Symptom Orientated
7. Not the most favourable scuba diving conditions in the world
8. Propaganda and negative news
9. Not all property comes with a hammock and balcony as a standard package
10. Apathy

I'm not getting much traffic to my blog as yet - got to work on that - so if you do visit, and you have an opinion on the top 10 reasons - your comments would be greatly appreciated...

Also - I have found a wealth of information since I started this blog from the links offered by google. If you are looking to leave England - you will surely find something there that will inspire and/or help..

Good luck - fellow Freedom Seekers...!!!

Top 10 Reasons to Leave England - Part 4

2007-03-17T08:16:00.000Z

Hello...

Well - it's been a while since I posted the last entry. It's so frustrating - I find that I am so busy making ends meet, running my business, spending time with my boyfriend, and trying to keep up to date with friends and family, that it becomes near impossible to find the time I need to devote my energies to Escape England!

Sometimes I feel as though living in England resembles playing in a gigantic hamster wheel. Like a hamster I step into the wheel (which in this situation symbolises life), and start with a gentle run to achieve the things I need to. But as the day progresses more things come up, more things to do, more things to think about, more people to see.. Suddenly the wheel takes on a life of its own, and gets faster and faster, until trying to find a way to jump out, and get the heck off the crazy spinning wheel - becomes very difficult and in fact hazardous!... Yet staying on it is the most exhausting and sometimes seemingly pointless thing to do... All it does, is go round and round!!!! And all that happens is that you get giddy and tired!!!

Anyway at this point in time, it is early in the morning, and the wheel of life has slowed down over night. It's gently swaying now, and I'm rocking with it... I have an hour or so before it picks up speed again and starts spinning me around. So as time is precious - let's move swiftly on to the main point.

Here are reasons 9 and 10 on the Top 10 Reasons for Leaving England.

9. Not all property comes with a hammock and a balcony as a standard package...

Property here in England seems to be getting smaller and smaller, and more expensive. New estates are being developed, which although a great improvement on some of the sky scraper flats of the 60's and 70's, still resemble a growing span of concrete jungle. Getting onto the property ladder is a nightmare, and even buying a plot of land to build a wooden hut is incredibly expensive...

You can't beat a hammock and a balcony for breeding relaxation and contentment... But to be able to afford a place in England where you can have a balcony with a nice view, and a hammock to sway in - you really have got to be either extremely fortunate, working your socks off to earn a fortune, or just pretty damn smart. In other places around the world, such as South America and Asia, beach apartments with balconies and hammocks are fairly standard, plentiful, and cheap. The international property market has grown beyond belief over the last few years as people become aware of the bargains available around Europe and further a field...

10. Apathy

And finally - reason 10 - Apathy.

We are all so apathetic. Every day I hear people complaining. Noone I know would disagree really with any of the top 10 reasons to leave England. The country is going to pot with more and more people seeking a life in the sun every year. Decades or centuries ago, there would have been some passionate rebelious leaders - standing on soap boxes - gathering the crowds, developing a following, starting a revolution... Now - the majority of us - go to the pub - watch TV - or do whatever we can to Escape from reality.... We all feel so powerless and unable to make a difference - that noone bothers anymore. My own personal icons of change are Richard Branson and Al Gore - if they were running two of the Worlds most powerful countries - how different would things be?

The media today is so powerful - anyone that wants to create change really has to get the media on side. Without positive publicity it could seem near impossible to get anywhere. Thankfully today - we have the power of the internet - where individuals can start to express themselves and reach other viewers without the authority of the media coming into play at all... Then we have Virgin Media growing slowly too.. Where will of all these new avenues of media lead the world? It's going to be fascinating to watch it all unfold... Maybe the dormant passion of the people has started to stir, and the nation will soon begin to feeling empowered to change...

Alternatively, maybe those of us that can see, will just jump the sinking ship and start a new life somewhere else...!!!

Bye for now.....

Top 10 Reasons for Leaving England - Part 3

2007-03-08T20:30:00.000Z

Hello - this post is part 3 of the Top 10 Reasons to Leave England, discussing reason 8. Please read below for reasons 1 - 7..!!!

8. Propaganda & Negative News
Is it true that no news is good news? I don't know about you, but personally I get tired and worn down by the constant bad news we are exposed to. Mainly it is the news on the radio, on television, and in the newspapers that I am referring to here. It would be interesting to carry out some research on two groups of people. The people in group 1 would be void of any television, newspapers, or radio news for a period of one month, and the people in group 2 would be exposed to them as much as possible. Which of the groups do you think would be the happiest at the end of the month? I think we could almost guarantee that the people who were not exposed to the news were the happiest. I also think it would be fair to say, that many of us have one main purpose in life - to be happy. So it follows quite naturally that in our pursuit of happiness we may desire to live somewhere which is not as exposed to negative and manipulative media.

Top 10 Reasons for Leaving England - Part 2

2007-03-08T15:19:00.000Z

6. Symptom Orientated
Symptom orientated? Well some of you may be scratching your head, wondering what the heck I'm talking about now, but some of you will be right there with me. This absolutely drives me mad. But what do I mean by symptom orientated? Okay - the first area I can use as an example would be the medical system. If any person suffers any pain or discomfort that person will generally and automatically look for something to take away the discomfort. It could be painkillers, antidepressants, or any other form of medicine that treats a symptom of illness. And that is my point - the majority of these treatments do exactly that - they treat the symptoms - they don't treat the cause. Usually there is a very good reason for illness, pain or discomfort - but, because of the culture we have been raised in, our thinking is to immediately look at how we can eliminate the consequences - NOT look at what caused it in the first place. The amazing thing is - even the Doctors tend to think this way. I was gob smacked to discover a few years ago, that Doctors are not trained a great deal in Nutritition... Like "Hello!"... It's a bit like going to see a mechanic when your car won't start after you've been putting pee in it instead of petrol - and the car mechanic walking around the car scratching his head and rubbing his chin - going "hmmmm! can't see what's wrong with that - every in the engine looks okay!".... This approach doesn't just stop at the medical system however - what about speed cameras on the roads? Why is so much energy devoted to debating the rights or wrongs of speed cameras, and the problems of dealing with speeding vehicles... surely the answer is simple - DON'T make cars that go so fast - and don't market their speed as a selling point... This crazy philosophy we currently witness is almost on a par with allowing the sale of tobacco and alcohol - but making it illegal to drink or smoke!!! Can you imagine the uproar there would be if people were able to walk into a corner shop and buy a packet of cigarettes, but then get arrested and fined as they walked out and lit one up!!! Sounds bonkers I know - but really the current philosophy around cars and speeding is no different, is it? Which ever area of English culture you look at - you can almost guarantee that the powers that be will be doing all they can to treat the symptoms - and hardly anyone - anywhere will even be discussing the cause - let alone deadline with it..... There are exceptions to this generalisation - which I will be addressing in one of the other Top 10 Reasons for leaving England - further on..

7. Not the most favorable scuba diving conditions in the world!
Yes - I love scuba diving - so for me - this is high up and a genuine reason for wanting to leave England. Sure I could scuba dive in England, and I do believe there is some good diving around locally. But for me the whole pleasure of diving is the experience of warm waters, tropical fish, and a generally meditational time.. Somehow getting into cold murky water, looking for some of the less attractive fish you may find around the English Coastline, and dealing with perhaps some more challenging conditions - just doesn't do it for me in the same way!!! Particularly when I get out of the water and have to put as many layers of clothes on as possible because it freezing cold!!!

Top 10 Reasons to Leave England - Part 1

2007-02-27T23:44:00.000Z

Okay, before we start, I have to make it clear that despite the somewhat negative element of this title, I am not a negative person. It is not my intention for this blog to be just a rant of what’s wrong with this country (although a little of that will be necessary I’m sure). This blog is an exploration of the pros and cons of living in England, and the opportunities available to everyone for living and working abroad. As a starting point I think its important to establish exactly what it is that makes people like me want to emigrate and seek a better life somewhere else. The follow up to this entry will naturally be “Top 10 Reasons to Stay in England”.

So, I thought long and hard (in fact much longer and harder than I thought I would need to). What are my top 10 reasons for wanting to leave England? If you are thinking of leaving England and travelling, or living and working abroad, this exercise is naturally a must for you. BUT not only so that you can be sure in your own mind about why you want to leave, but ALSO so that you can fight off all those comments with hard solid facts… What comments might they be? Okay, well, if any of you out there, are anything like me, then you will have experienced on numerous occasions, the old cliché “You can’t runaway from yourself you know!”
To which you can boldly reply. “No, but I can run away from England!” If anyone then wants to challenge you as to why you would want to do that, then here you are fully armed with your top 10 reasons!

I think these could be placed in any order. For me they are all equally as important as each other, but this is basically the order they popped into my mind! Your votes on what your number 1 reason is would be most welcome. Or maybe you have some different reasons I’ve not thought of… Let us know!

Here we go…

1. The weather
Right up there at the top as the first thing I thought of. This is hardly surprising when you consider that it was raining at the time. But us Brits talk constantly about the weather anyway, so nuff said on that topic I recon.

2. Pace of Life
Everybody, and I mean just about everybody, is stressed in this country. I really noticed it the most when I came back from a year in Thailand & Malaysia. I’m not kidding it was immediately obvious. Everyone looked tense, and everybody was moving so fast. It was almost as if I’d entered a nation high on caffeine or something. Everyone was whizzing around from one thing to the next, from one place to the next, and I couldn’t and still can’t fathom exactly how people manage to do so many things in one day. Working parents I applaud you. How on earth do you keep the house clean, do the food shopping, prepare the meals, talk to the children, get them to school, get them to any after school activities AND go to work, let alone have any time for yourself? But whatever you do, while you’re busy working your socks off to simply get through the day, don’t forget to fill in any paperwork for your child, your car, the gas man………….

3. Lack of people contact
Probably as a result of the pace of life, many people are too busy and therefore don’t have time for other people. We don’t smile at each other in the streets, everyone is on too much of a mission to get to the next place, or too worried about talking to strangers. We have to diary people in for quality time, IF we can. Then, when we do have “down time”, because we’re so exhausted, and because of the design of our society, we live in our little (or large) cocoon houses, living out individualist lives, trying to gain some connection with the rest of the world and other people by watching reality TV shows or god forbid, writing blogs!

4. Crime
Is it growing? Or is it reported more? What do you think? All I know for sure is that the town I live in used to be pretty safe from a large proportion of crime, and to be honest still is one of the safest areas in England. However, I’ve noticed a growing amount of teenage agro seeping into town. There is much more attitude around in youngsters today, much less respect, and so on. I can’t begin to imagine what things are going to be like in another 10 or 20 years time, or indeed what it must be like already in some neighbourhoods of the UK.

5. Materialism
Ahhh… the biggy. To me the route of all the evils, and the one that causes me some of my largest personal battles. When you live in the UK (or any western society really) you are constantly tempted, constantly seduced, and constantly encouraged to want more and more. A nice house, a nice car, nice things to go in the house, nice clothes – all designer of course. So we work all the hours under the sun to get these things, then we work even harder to pay for a holiday to get away from it all, plus we spend loads of money on playing equally as hard as we work in order to get some kind of release from the tension.

********* okay – half way through – need to take a break now! *************

About escapengland.blogspot

2007-02-25T19:38:00.000Z

Written by someone who has her finger hovering over the eject button on the hamster wheel of modern western life, this blog explores the pros and cons of living in England, and the opportunities available to everyone for working and living abroad.

For over 3 years now, I have been seriously considering leaving England for good. A craze and desire which is probably a sever symptom of that “bug” I caught some ten years ago.

I am by no means the most travelled person in the world, and I would never claim to call myself a “travel expert”, however I have lived and worked in Thailand and Malaysia, been on marine expedition in the Caribbean, back packed around areas of Indonesia, plus I’ve enjoyed a fair few of the more traditional summer holidays that were more popular before the hay days of “Lonely Planet”.
Within England I have moved around fairly extensively, have experienced a wide selection of lifestyles, and met many amazing, interesting, but above all “different” people.

I am not really unique in the way that I have lived my life to date. There are thousands upon thousands of people that have caught the “travel bug” or “the scuba diving bug”. Some recover and learn to live “normal” lives in civilised England, while others vow to never live in England again, and curse the “normality” of it all. Whichever way people decide to go, some succeed in achieving happiness, while others don’t. But one thing everyone has in common is that they will all at some point go through a phase when they try to make the decision “Should I Stay or Should I Go”. Whether the decision to leave is simple or down right torturous to make, each person will then be faced with the almighty task of how to actually make it happen!

Though this blog I aim to share my own current exploration of the pros and cons of living in England, and consider many of the increasing opportunities to work and live abroad. I hope the site helps you to make your mind up, and if you decide you want to leave – I hope it provides some guidance and inspiration as to how to make it happen. I welcome any comments from people who have stories and experiences to share, and look forward to the potential knowledge base which could evolve.