London, could it be the worst?

“MY FIRST day in London I encountered a homeless woman, doubled over in the street, pushing out the biggest turd I had ever seen,” said David Roepcke.

“It was snowing outside and I could see the steam rising from it. The only thing I could imagine was it freezing into a solid and then tripping over it. Disgusting. It was like an omen for the rest of my time there.”

He told news.com.au he lived in London in 2010, and that he “absolutely hated it”.

He’s just one of the millions of tourists who descend on London every year, romanticising about big red buses, buzzing night-life, and charming accents.

“It’s just like Australia, but colder, dirtier and devoid of any differing culture. Their pay-rates are also terrible. I worked at a Holiday Inn in Kings Cross for two months and was paid just over 1000 pounds (A$1651), for two months work, before tax.”

At that rate, he would only have made $19,812 a year, which is barely enough to survive in what’s notoriously one of the world’s most expensive cities.

He’s now a published author, and said the only reason Australians go there in droves is so they can adopt a “faux accent” and say: “When I lived in London, I used to ...”

Is it possible the world’s love affair with the British capital is finally over?

Parts of London — notably Shepherd’s Bush and Clapham Common — could almost pass as suburbs of Melbourne or Auckland, such is the number of Aussies and Kiwis.


It’s long been a favourite destination for travellers from this part of the world, particularly since working holiday visas are so easily accessible.

It’s not yet clear how Brexit will affect the application process, however, it seems it’s becoming quite fashionable to bag out the iconic city.

Just last week, Vice Australia’s Julian Morgans argued it was wrong to include London in the same sentence as great cities like New York, Paris and Tokyo.

“I found London ugly. I grew tired of working constantly but never having money. I resented the sky and its sad, broken sun. I grew tired of being ignored by everyone except Polish waiters and the cleaners from Bangladesh who, like me, had come dreaming of something greater than Sainsbury’s gin hangovers and mildew. We were all so disappointed,” he wrote.

He said the first thing he noticed was the fences everywhere, and the fact that “everything is idiot-proof, floodlit, locked-up and covered in CCTV”.

It paints a pretty grim picture.

Candice Meisels, a South African-born public relations consultant, told news.com.au the city was nowhere near as romantic as she expected when she moved there with her British fiance.

“Coming from a summer country, like Australia or South Africa, the warmth is very much a part of your core, and it’s very hard to wake up every day to grey skies.”

Syl wrote:Maybe he should have visited England's second city Manchester if he was looking for a good time.

“Being from the UK I find it a shame London is the first or only city many tourists want to visit. London’s a dream destination for a lot of people but not me ... for me Edinburgh or York beat London every time.”

eddie wrote:In my experience, there are big steaming piles of shit wherever you go.

Syl wrote:York is lovely and quaint, we spend a bit of time there now my grandson is at York uni.
Chester is a nice place to visit too.
Personally, I love Wales.....it has majestic scenery and some of the coastline and beaches are beautifully unspoiled.

I think every place has it's great spots...and it's not so great.

Lord Foul wrote:Miffs is gonna bash you Eil......

you have earned "frying pan rash"

Eilzel wrote:

Lord Foul wrote:Miffs is gonna bash you Eil......

you have earned "frying pan rash"

Miffs isn't native scouse so its ok

Vicar of Dibley (vod) wrote:

Syl wrote:York is lovely and quaint, we spend a bit of time there now my grandson is at York uni.
Chester is a nice place to visit too.
Personally, I love Wales.....it has majestic scenery and some of the coastline and beaches are beautifully unspoiled.

I think every place has it's great spots...and it's not so great.

agree with you  there love York - went there to the Christmas markets saw the ice sculptures . We go there in the summer take a boat trip and then head off into the Yorkshire Dales - have a drink in the Tann Hill Inn my grandson loves the sheep when they wonder into the pub . Such a beautiful place to visit all round and also near Whitby another beautiful place to visit .

We saw the Northern lights there that was an experience . (Tann Hill Inn)

Major wrote:I have NEVER found a Hary Rams which I would even give 5 out of 10, Syl

I consida meslf a connisuwer of fish and chips.

Lord Foul wrote:theres a brilliant chippy in the village of Whittington on our route in and out of wales (use post code SY11 4DA in google maps)

mini fish chips and peas £3.
and its luverly.....and let me tell you that so called mini fish aint so mini...

and them mushy peas...delish....

if you ever pass that way Syl...give it a go....

Syl wrote:You do very well, both of you, though 60s are now the new 40s.....(that's what I tell myself anyway)

Will you live here permanently one day?