Nice People Thread Part 9 - and so it continues

lostinrates

We had a bath in the summer, by pulling the head of the temporary shower and filling the old bath. Its too cold for that sort of business now. The water is cold by the time the bath is half full! It only really works on warm days!

I've been paying for those good health days these last two. But I no longer need to see the doctor as I lost patience and took care of the other little problem myself. .


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chewmylegoff

If I bought the castle I would mount cannon in the tower and use them to ward off any visitors.

lostinrates

chewmylegoff wrote: »

If I bought the castle I would mount cannon in the tower and use them to ward off any visitors.

Well. Just so long as you don't do what my fil did.

And no, its too long a story. Pretty silly though.

The tower was amazing at the villa. I wish I'd been able to spend more time there getting to know it.

silvercar

chewmylegoff wrote: »

Zag - the big white tower is now up for auction.

It's out of our price range unfortunately, so you've got a free run at it.

Could have a cheaper tower in Hertfordshire.

zagubov

chewmylegoff wrote: »

Zag - the big white tower is now up for auction.

From an initial listing price of (I think) £2.5m they have set a guide price of £850,000.
http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-40160750.html

It's out of our price range unfortunately, so you've got a free run at it.

Nope, not enough stairs. :eek:

PasturesNew wrote: »

If people live outside London it can be expensive to get in (no figures to check compare-v- travelling around other parts of the country), but once you're there that Oyster card's cheap as chips compared to most local bus services elsewhere.

I've read that people in London will commute further than people in other parts of the UK. Travelling over about an hour each way would be too much for many people elsewhere.

It makes life more hectic and stressed.

It's not just accommodation that's more expensive, it's the total cost of the excessive travel you have to get used to. Residential areas sprawl out for miles in every direction without rapid travel, but workplaces are more concentrated (and far away from the residential areas).

Eating and drinking out are extortionate compared with other cities in the UK. There's lots of fine expensive stuff but the budget stores like B & M and Home Bargains are almost unheard of. Slaters gents outfitters and so on. Big deals everywhere else but not even bothering to make inroads in London. If I want a cheap second hand car I go elsewhere. The cheap car auctions etc. you get in outlying towns aren't here at all.

You don't pay lunatic prices compared with other overpiced cities abroad but the bargain stuff just ain't here.;)

PasturesNew

LydiaJ wrote: »

adding a glass lift up the centre of the spiral.

I'd be put off because:
1] The spiral stairs [a] exist are then too narrow to get things up/down
2] The cost of maintaining a lift - and - getting stuck in it and dying in it. I was stuck in a lift in a shop when I was about 6. One of those old ones with the big clanking metal concertina doors.

PasturesNew

zagubov wrote: »

Eating and drinking our are extortionate compared with other cities in the UK.

There are more "posh" places to eat out at, but if you're looking for regular food, sandwiches, chippies, etc it's cheaper because of greater competition.

When I went to London the other year, my London friend and the one who'd flown in from NY ate at a local indian and I saw the menu online and it was a lot cheaper than any takeaway locally to places I've lived. And they sat down and ate, which is always pricier.

zagubov wrote: »

There's lots of fine expensive stuff but the budget stores like B & M and Home Bargains are almost unheard of. Slaters gents outfitters and so on. Big deals everywhere else but not even bothering to make inroads in London. If I want a cheap second hand car I go elsewhere. The cheap car auctions etc. you get in outlying towns aren't here at all.

Only heard of Home Bargains because of MSE. Not heard of the other two.

No idea about the cost of cars anywhere.

PasturesNew

What I dislike about travel distance to work is that if the car breaks down you're utterly stuffed. No other way to get there. You're there at the roadside, car's carted off ... what now?

No money to hire a car. Can't afford the potential garage bill. Will get the sack if you simply don't come in until the car's fixed. No other transport options.

That's why I want to work/live 2-3 miles apart tops.... to ease the stress of breakdowns, not to mention poor weather/potential for other idiots in the wet/fog/snow.

lostinrates

zagubov wrote: »

Eating and drinking our are extortionate compared with other cities in the UK. There's lots of fine expensive stuff but the budget stores like B & M and Home Bargains are almost unheard of. Slaters gents outfitters and so on. Big deals everywhere else but not even bothering to make inroads in London. )

There are really good tk max shops in London. DH gets really excellent suits there. In fact, there is a timely story...just last week a tailor was going round the office and was saying dh's suit was obviously really expensive. Its one of the few makes that fits DH well off the peg ( him being not as big as most English men) but it was a very good reduction in tk max. He saw another recently but decided he doesn't need another any time soon. Just outside, Croydon seems to get better furniture IME.

The quality of cheap and varied street food is incredible too. We lived very, very cheap and full lives in London. Yes, of course its easier to spend a bomb, but its easier with a bit of effort (and an oyster) to spend nothing or under a certain amount and be fully occupied and fed. Even things like buying food....DH gets shopping lists because there are no rural or provincial comparisons to so e of the London or very big city options. While I am glad to have finally found the Chinese supermarket in Bristol (it to ages, I cannot believe it was hiding behind ikea) that's a hefty day for me. And less choice that London. And the Indian supermarket whose name eludes me but is raved about by everyone we know. And the quality of fruit and veg cheaply, from markets....not apples and potatoes, more fun stuff.

lostinrates

PasturesNew wrote: »

There are more "posh" places to eat out at, but if you're looking for regular food, sandwiches, chippies, etc it's cheaper because of greater competition.

When I went to London the other year, my London friend and the one who'd flown in from NY ate at a local indian and I saw the menu online and it was a lot cheaper than any takeaway locally to places I've lived. And they sat down and ate, which is always pricier.



Only heard of Home Bargains because of MSE. Not heard of the other two.

No idea about the cost of cars anywhere.

I'd have to think about this. I think generally I'd say takeaways would be roughly the same, maybe slightly cheaper out here, but much,much better in London. Possibility of finding more 'ethical' ones, or veggy ones etc. choice is vast. And delivery might be where cost comes in, because in London its to the door, free.

Restaurants. Its how long is a piece of string. Indian could be much much cheaper and better, or the same and the the same quality, or more expensive by far.......