Homeward Bound?

[margaretcarnes]

Let's face it - for many expats HuaHin is no longer the ideal hassle free location which it once was. It is no longer a cheap place to live. Nor is it the quaint little town it was a few years ago.
Then there are all those changes and complications with visa regulations, not to mention the pension problems faced by Brit expats.
Is all of this getting you down to the extent that you are considering going back home? Is it simply getting too stressful to live in HH? Do you find that you are no longer living the dream, and tend to stay home more? In other words - you do stuff that you could easily do back home without the hassle of Immigration etc.?

[buksida]

Is all of this getting you down to the extent that you are considering going back home?

No, even the crappiest day here would be better than any day in the UK!

When stuff does get too much or one place changes for the worse I just find another place in the region to settle. Rinse and repeat when it happens again, no need to be tied to a single location forever!

[NOKYAI]

Perhaps a foot in each camp approach is best! Then you can appreciate the best of both worlds so to speak.

[richard]

Perhaps a foot in each camp approach is best! Then you can appreciate the best of both worlds so to speak.

That would be my ideal situation. 6 to 8 months here and the rest of my time at home. Despite the obvious downers regarding weather, PC attitude, red tape the UK for me anyway is a refreshing relief from the sometimes frustrating existence in Hua Hin. OK, HH has changed a lot (for the worse IMO) but as Buksi said there are plenty of other places in SE Asia which may be more attractive. Of course age, mobility, family commitments, money and personal interests are factors we all have to consider.

Over the years I've been here my brother, daughters and friends have frequently visited me here in HH but even they are now saying that HH is boring and just another booming seaside town and now want me to meet them in different parts of the region.

[Big Boy]

Is all of this getting you down to the extent that you are considering going back home?

Who is down? Certainly not me. However, I've been really down for a few days because I thought I was going to have to return to the UK for a week or 2 for a family emergency - the thought was horrifying me.

The only positives I could find was the thought of a real pint of beer, some fish, chips & mushy peas and a real (Ron Dewdney's) pasty. I don't think the UK holds any more than that for me.

I think you are getting confused by the small minority who probably didn't plan their life in Thailand properly.

Don't forget, it's moaning that keeps people happy.

[richard]

BB There are many who are 'down' particularly those who have lived here permanently for a long time and do not have an escape route. I know of some who retired here and were living the 'life of Reilly' with an adequate pension and a good exchange rate but who are now feeling the pinch. Just trip out to the 'mom and pop' shops and sit down with a few of the long-termers or visit soi 80 during happy hour.

I know of people who have retired here bought a home up 88, 94, 102 and find it lonely and boring. Sold up at a loss and flown home. Bad planning you might say but you all know if you've been here some time 'best made plans..'

Personally I can live quiet comfortably here until I go home in an urn, but there are days when I'm bored out of my skull and seek a change. That is very quickly remedied by my thinking about how bored and frustrated I might be if located in the wrong place in the UK. As stated before, ideally I'd like a split between time here and time at home.

We all have different circumstances and different priorities As such it is impossible to advise anyone what they should or should not do.

[heartofmidlothian]

Well said Big Boy. I agree completely. This is an easy place to live, with very friendly people and a very reasonable cost of living. Food, petrol, eating out and housing are all a fraction of the cost here than in the UK. The weather is always warm and the women are much better looking. Not much to complain about here.

[Big Boy]

richard, I don't know you personal circumstances well enough, so please don't think I'm having a go - these thoughts are generalising.

How long do you think you'd be back in the UK before people got bored of you? Yes, you'd be the new kid in town, and initially people would make a fuss. How old are you? 97?

Kids will have their own lives, and you might end up in sheltered accommodation. Would they really want you in their spare bedroom for 4 months a year, every year? What will be the chances of going out for an afternoon, and receiving sexual favours from a young lady for £10? Yes, you'll probably have a local, but how many friends will you have? Need to start again - I expect a few of your old friends will have passed by now. General cost of living - you won't pick up a plate of som tam or pad thai for 30 Baht.

Personally, I think if you did a poll of people in the UK of a similar age, most would opt for your lifestyle.

I think you have a great life here. So what if the family prefer Vietnam or Cambodia? How many foreign holidays to exotic places would you get if you were a retiree in the UK?

You went to Isaan once and soon came back (mind you, I would as well ). Moving back to the UK for any time might be a one way trip, you might not be able to change your mind.

[richard]

As I quoted..............

We all have different circumstances and different priorities As such it is impossible to advise anyone what they should or should not do.

[STEVE G]

I see quite a bit of talk on here about how things have changed so much and how people are thinking of leaving but I wonder if it's possible that some are just getting bored of being in one place fot too long. The reason I say that is because I've been based out of Hua Hin for over ten years now, I've just spent a couple of weeks there and my personal experience wasn't much different from the first time I went there in 2003, sure, there are more housing estates and more traffic but that doesn't really affect my life to a great degree.
I still drive to beaches to the south for lunch or Cha Am just the same and I enjoy the nightlife just as much as before, it closes earlier but my age is beginning to take that in it's stride!
Ironically, my Thai partner has mentioned moving elsewhere in the region if no elections are forthcoming but I'm not thinking of moving yet.

[Big Boy]

As I quoted..............

We all have different circumstances and different priorities As such it is impossible to advise anyone what they should or should not do.

And I said I was just generalising.

I guess the point I was making is going back to the UK on holiday, is no different to coming to Thailand on holiday. It's a lot different to moving there long term. People need to look beyond the rose coloured specs.

[richard]

Yes I agree BB, you were generalising so as such, it all depends on the individuals circumstances

[Big Boy]

Exactly

[richard]

Agreed

[STEVE G]

As I quoted..............

We all have different circumstances and different priorities As such it is impossible to advise anyone what they should or should not do.

And I said I was just generalising.

I guess the point I was making is going back to the UK on holiday, is no different to coming to Thailand on holiday. It's a lot different to moving there long term. People need to look beyond the rose coloured specs.

Luckily for my generation, the demise of a decent pension means we don't have to worry about going anywhere long term, we'll just need somewhere with slippers and ovaltine for a couple of years and a decent crematorium!