Old Project Avalon Forum (ARCHIVE) - How the UK has changed and not.

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Re: How the UK has changed and not.

Hi Swanny,

I used to do a lot of back packing and hitch hiking in France and Spain (although Spain was **** for getting a lift).

I once made it from the UK to the southern border of Andorra in 24 hours, touched the Spanish soil then went back to the UK, just for something to do. I was around seventeen. Great life hitchhiking and always speaking to someone new, trying out different languages. It was a hoot!

I'm niot too sure if people would give lifts these days, nor give me a lift as I think they expect hitch hikers to fit into a certain profile, young, long haired, jean clad, studenty type etc. However, with cheap flights and off peak train fairs or National coaches, it's taken the sheen out of this traditional form of travel. :(

Best regards,

Steve

Quote:

Originally Posted by Swanny (Post 93917)

I live in the southwest of England and it's good here, it's not dangerous in my area. People are friendly and happy enough.
England in the summer is a beautiful place, one of the best IMO, ok the winters are a bit rubbish but they pass.
I'm not a city type of person but I'm lucky enough to live near Bath which is my favourite city in the world but I love to live in the country side.
But there are good and bad places to live in all countries.
I've traveled to many different countries (25 I think) either working or as a backpacker spending months in the country and mixing with the people of that land rather than a tourist who goes on holiday and stays in a hotel for a couple of weeks, so I think I have a pretty good idea of life in those places.
Of all the countries I've visited I have to say that France is one of my favourite places.

If you've never been Cornwall is a nice place.

Re: How the UK has changed and not.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steve_A (Post 93946)

I once made it from the UK to the southern border of Andorra in 24 hours, touched the Spanish soil then went back to the UK, just for something to do. I was around seventeen. Great life hitchhiking and always speaking to someone new, trying out different languages. It was a hoot!

I'm niot too sure if people would give lifts these days, nor give me a lift as I think they expect hitch hikers to fit into a certain profile, young, long haired, jean clad, studenty type etc. However, with cheap flights and off peak train fairs or National coaches, it's taken the sheen out of this traditional form of travel. :(

Too true, but then again maybe we're just too depressed. I always think of the situation, what would it be like if everybody just picked up anybody at the side of the road. Public transport would be unnecessary!
But I suppose that's too idealistic, as well.
Maybe one has to think about it like the internet. Less than 1% (If I remember correctly) of the users of Wikipedia actually create content.
I bet that's about as many as they are drivers that pick up hitch-hikers.

Re: How the UK has changed and not.

In New Zealand they apologize as they go by if they can't give you a lift :thumb_yello:
I hitched round there for 6 weeks and only ever had a problem getting a lift and that was when I was trying to get along Arther's pass.
Kiwis are fantastic people, them and the Dutch are my favourite people :original:

Re: How the UK has changed and not.

I like the sound of New Zealand!:original:

I 'did' Europe with a car and a tent. Mostly slept in the car but we put the tent up if we fancied staying for a while. It was probably less stressful than backpacking.:sweatdrop: Having said that, we certainly encountered the odd weirdo - car or no car.:original: (Probably me! - Steve :D)

I think spending so much time abroad was really beneficial. It's wonderful to soak up other cultures and, like Czymra mentioned, you can't really compare your own country to others unless you've been about a bit. What may seem like utter poo is clover compared to some places :original: The backstreets of Naples springs to mind here:lol3:

Living in Israel was perhaps my most insightful journey. It really isn't what it seems via the news.:original:

Re: How the UK has changed and not.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sol Invictus (Post 93642)

How the UK has changed; in my life time.

My school. We said prayers in the morning assembly, sang a song, and went about the day. School was educational, I learnt alot, but it was fun. Also the teachers had total and utter control. Christmas Time was celebrated, the school was decorated, we made candles and gifts and had a Christmas nativety play. The teachers ruled absolute.

My social circle. We had fun, we spent summers in the rivers and fields or in the woods outdoors. We did cadets and such like activities and went round to each others houses. We had total and utter respect for the parents of our friends because they were adults.

My money. Sweets and the like were a treat. Goods were not thought to be an automatic right, but a gift or a privilege. Money was earnt and saved.

Televison. It was either rationed or none at all. I did not consider the television a form of entertainment, it was there for the adults, not for me. Books and libaries weer my learning tools, not a goggle box.

Law and order. Total respect for the Police and any one in a position to tell me off. (all adults !) I had a knowledge that there was a set of rules governing my behaviour and that was the end of the matter. I stepped out of lined I got punished, end of story and never did it again.

Now, compare to todays society.

School. Chaos. Teachers are tied in red tape and touchy feel good bullscript. No discipline and no respect. Pupils run riot. Christmas is dead, winter festival is all.

Social circle. Hoodies, chip shop door ways and out side the shopping centres.
Exercise? thats running from the Police or their last victim.

Money. Demand. They don't earn it, but expect the world to owe them a living or give them a free ride.

Television. Innit. Bling. Gangsta! brrrrpppp! and any other bullship they want to pump into our mindless illiterate feral monsters.

Law and order. Forget it. In Blackpool 7 little hoodlums tried to mug me and my wife on the sea front. Ultra violence followed and guess who got in trouble? yep, me, the one against seven, and I got a 'talking to'.

To sum it up.

I do not recognise or have any feelings towards this mockery of a country where i am supposed to be a native. It is a hellish landscape of disjointed, illiterate feral sink estates and rat runs where the law abiding are scared, the feral rule the roost and the Police? they just look after themselves.

All this has happend in less than 20 years.

Hi sol invictus! spot on you must be of my generation, sounds like my childhood.
yes what has happened to the Uk, well what a shame that's all i can say.
I used to be proud to be British but no more when i see how the young make a mockery of our country with their boozy and brawling ways and thats not the boys but the girls i have to wonder how bad it will get.