Showing posts with label gym. Show all posts
Showing posts with label gym. Show all posts

Tuesday, 5 December 2006

Back almost a month, a Great British review

Well, Ive been home nearly a month now and having no money in the UK really does suck balls. Even though Im back at work, I really did forget quite how expensive this country is; just visiting a pub seems to cost money these days, and a few tame nights out cost me the spare £100 or so I had in no time.

I had a job, then I didnt, then I did, then I didnt again.... now for the first 10 days or so, when I thought I had a job, I actually wasnt working, so once again Im going to be a little fudged for money for a little while, but hopefully, one day, Ill actually be sorted! Image
I've started work of my story of my time at Wonderland but given the current work and living situation (Im back at my old mans) Ive had less free time than I might otherwise have, and the time I have had has been frittered away catching up and trying to sort my stuff out. I've come back to an even smaller space than I had in Korea, and I actually have more stuff to boot! Check out Fuck Wonderland or Wonderland Sucks at some point soon for my full lowdown.

People keep asking me "is it good to be back?", half expecting me to be all enthusiastic and reaffirm that the UK is "the best place in the world" but in all honesty, Im not all that enthused. The UK is still the shithole I left 6 months ago, with the same ridiculous tax levels, scroatish general public and its endless grey skys; the only change is people seem "distracted" by the Polish immigrants now (note to the lazy, or the job insecure - if someone can do your job as well as you and is willing to do it for less money thats called healthy competition. Rather than looking at the people that are coming here to do the manual labour jobs most people on this cesspool island think theyre too good to do, look at those benefit cheats, tax dodgers and other leaches that are draining our resources and start pointing the finger at them.... who knows, we might be able to reduce our National Insurance contributions if we do!).

You see, living in another country you learn that this is not the only place in the world that one can make a living, and those manual labour jobs, you know... the ones that anyone can do if theyre not a fat, boneidle bastard, can be done by anyone! So the rhetoric of British jobs for British people doesn't wash with this guy, hence coming back to get back into my career, at that which I went to University to learn (and had to support and pay for myself thanks to that C U Next Tuesday Tony Blair).

In any case, there are a few things I miss about Korea, my good buddy Mike being the main one, but there were a lot of little things about being there that I really did like...hence the picture! I have no urge to go to the gym here because I'm surrounded by fatter, uglier (IMO) people.. I still want to go to the gym (given my current financial debacle its a way off yet), but I'm not driven to like I was in Korea. I miss skirts, shorts and knee high socks, even if its nearly freezing out. I miss being 20 seconds from a shop thats open 24 hours a day, 30 seconds from a cheap place to eat and 45 seconds from the norebang (Singstar just isnt the same... Image). I miss having all my wages after tax. I miss Yong San. I miss having a disposable income. I miss cheap booze, even in a pub (Rich & Hayley : Its £2.25 a pint in my local now!). I miss being able to ignore the adverts on TV. I miss a fast, unmetered internet connection. I miss skirts, shorts and knee high socks.

But I would never actually go back to Korea (not that I can on anything other than a tourist visa now). It had its bad points too but I still can't help feeling its good points are available somewhere else in the world. I just need to get off Treasure Island, the tax is just unbearable! I'm going to get my skillbase up in my field and then I'm going to be hunting again, aren't I... I think Japan or Hong Kong has a sock fetish too! Image

Wednesday, 18 October 2006

Decision on the horizon

Our decision is becoming clearer... utlimately were back to the UK sooner rather than later and its a decision Im certainly glad we've made. Dates are still a little uncertain but at the moment were hoping for a stop over in Hong Kong for a couple of days to a week and then coming home. We found that a new airline called "Oasis Hong Kong Airlines" is offering super cheap LGW->HKG and vice versa for GPB75 plus taxes (about GBP140 once the tax offices have taxen their cut) and a flight from here is looking at 280,000 won+ taxes, so getting home for about 300 notes each is plausable. Hopefully Ill even have enough left to buy my Wii.... Image
In any case there isnt really a great deal to report as of yet for definate, other than you're likely to see us both before Christmas for yet another indefinate period.

I'm so glad I chose Korea, and Ill be so glad to get back to get into computing. I think if Id've been teaching in Japan or Hong Kong I wouldve wanted to stay longer but this way I know teaching isnt my "cup of tea", Ive cleared debts that wouldve taken me a lot longer to in the UK, got a 6 month holiday for free and Im coming home with my 360, my new Nikon D70 (..oh yeah, I bought that this month! Image), a new 300GB hard disk full to bursting with new TV episodes, music and alike (and possibly another one before I come back ... anyone want anything downloading before we come back just let me know!!! Image), and Ive met 3 new close friends that I can tap up for breaks in foreign lands when were bored of the UK! So yes, 6 months away from home has been good for me...

..but Ill somewhat be glad to be back! Yes, Im still going to be grumpy about paying all the UKs stupid taxes (but it now gives me a good excuse to finish my book!), the shitty weather (we _do_ have some of the worst weather in the world.. the world isnt all shades of grey!), the deal with prices being pounds not dollars but Ive grown to appreciate some of the things we do have, like being thousands of miles away from the nearest psychopath! Lol... Image
Theres nothing quite like the threat of a nuclear war to get you thinking of...

A quick list of things I want to enjoy when I get back...

1. Pint in the Links... on Jonny! A game of darts and a few quid in the bandit... its stupid but thats home... slagging off the gay lord quiz master, whether thats the Racoon or that other Knucklebeard and then not really being all that bothered about it.
2. Boys nights...OiOi with eBoy and the lads.
3. Talking science with Phil
4. Snooker night!
5. Steak night at Spoons.
6. Mixed Grill and a pint of Bods at the Fairhaven.
7. Driving a car... any car!
8. Poker Tuesdays/Thursdays
9. Knowing my games consoles are all there...
10. A TV thats less than 10 years old.... probably again, at Jonnys! Image 11. Sitting in the sand dunes.
12. Having more than one room in my house.
13. Tescos for bits and bobs at 1am when Im in one of those moods!
... too many little things to counts really... moneys a nice thing to have, and tax is a nice thing to avoid, but without the small things it can be a little empty... until you have enough of it not to be bothered about the little things and can just do what you want all day!

Oh, and the gyms going pretty well... still just about doing between 90 minutes and 2 hours a day 5 days a week and you can totally see the difference... its a small start but its certainly in the right direction, so a gym membership is a must for me when I get back! I hurt my neck which put me out for 3 days (that hurt in more ways that one) but Im back on course now... Image
Right, thats another free period done... I will post again once we have a definate plan of action! Take it easy y'all!

P.s. RIP Paul Hunter - I only just found out today that he passed away. People die of cancer ever day but he was a great player and a sorry loss to the world of snooker.