I agree with that. You've got Nissan in Sunderland and all the associated companies, such as TRW, etc, manufacturing various components. Further down the road, there's Thyssen-Krupp who produce chassis components for Ford, etc. Plenty of possibilities for someone with the right qualifications.

I live about halfway between Durham and Sunderland so for rides out, if I head north, there's Northumberland and the Scottish Borders, head west and you're into County Durham, Weardale, Cumbria and the Lake District and to the south there's the North Yorkshire moors, all within a day's ride out. At present, Durham has no fixed safety (bollocks) cameras and only 2 mobile units so is top of my list but all the surrounding areas offer brilliant biking roads. There's also an overnight ferry from Newcastle/North Tyneside to Ijmuiden near Amsterdam, Holland so easy access to mainland Europe. Spoilt for choice really.

BUT....

I agree with that 100% and I am working on the language to make it happen as well. The UK is a beautiful country but the scum who live here will make it sink.

I mentioned about Durham's lack of speed cameras. The truth and this is fact, not speculation, is that Durham Constabulary is nearly bankrupt. They simply can't afford to put petrol in traffic cars to go out and enforce speed limits in remote areas. Fantastic news for those of us who want to be left alone to ride like hooligans but if that doesn't underline how far this country is up shit creek, nothing will.

I cant stand these people who go on the internet and brag about driving like hooligans and spoil it for the rest of us.
Al theturtleshead

Off topic but a fair point. It's not exactly a secret but I've even named the place which I said I disagreed with bike mags for doing. Bugger!

In all honesty though, you can go for a quick (but not reckless) ride through rural County Durham and be fairly confident you won't get nicked, purely because they can't afford to police it.

Tag, ja Deutschland ist viel besser. Go for it! The language is a struggle but in virtually every way Germany is much preferable to UK now. Take care where you choose to move to as some areas are very conservative - as anywhere some folk are a bit reserved. For ME the Rhine area has wonderful pepole and I really like the mentality, open, direct honesty of the area of Bremen and south to Hanover. While , food and other things are great, for me it HAS to be die Frauen!!!! God above some of the achingly beautiful blond women over there and for me they are super in their mentality. My only reservation would be a memory of a group of friends in conversation years ago. All Germans, and the chat centred itself on emigrating to escape the over industrialisation and loss of quality of life and loss of peace and quiet!! Then again I met an Italian guy, asked him the time as I ---didn't know it!! Well we chatted and it turned out to be this 32 year old's last day in Germany! He'd lived there since 17 and couldn't get used to the reserve and lack of " touchy feeliness". We were in Freiburg in the Black Forest. Beer, food women and other great things but he was lonely and needed more contact. Should have gone to Bayern--Bavaria. Oh my God. Visit Bavaria. On a bike or not doesn't matter. Since my first sight of the green flowing hills, sleepy hamlets and snow capped peaks to the south, I too felt like throwing back my head and singing for the joy of living. Pick your area carefully and you could be making a very good move indeed! Viel Gluck, Linzi.

Come on now, I get asked that almost every day by my regular friends
Wait till they hear the plans for South America...
Trust me, I know it sounds crazy, but being a 3rd world citizen, I have no other choice of country to move to if I want to do this South America trip. If I was just moving straight from the US, then I think I might go for Germany. I know the UK's probably not the best, but it can't be all that bad. Besides, I'm looking forward to the increased access to Curry (which I hear is becoming standard fare over there).

Fantastic, the govt's paying for movies. My kinda place (let's not go into wasteful govt spending here)

Yeah, that's what I'm realizing too now. Just trying to get an idea of general climate patterns. And oh yeah, weather-proof gear - I've got a good wet weather setup now, so not an issue hopefully.

Regarding history, which I've lately taken a great interest in, it's definitely very complicated and am looking forward to learning more about the UK.
But firstly, I've got a lot of reading to do about all of Latin America for next year.

__________________
J A Y | Riding a 98 Suzuki DR650
Current ride thru Latin Am and Africa > Jammin thru the Global South

Sure, maybe I'm over-researching, but that's how I like to do things and it's worked out well so far. And as I've said before, always being an immigrant wherever I go, I can't easily just pick up and move. A lot of thought has to go into it.

If there's a ferry service to the Continent from Scotland, that's putting the cherry on the choice of heading to Scotland.

Thanks for that detailed reply. Just the kind of info I'm looking for. Sounding like Scotland might be the choice and maybe a stint in the oil business might be financial fruitful right now (especially since I'll be almost broke when I move over after my trip). Office job is nice, but a change would be good.

Not having motorways is a plus in my view and yup, they do that gravel treatment to my favorite twisties nearby in Wisconsin too.

And Scotch - blimey, that's another great reason to move up there. I really enjoy single malts over any other alcoholic beverage.

Hmm, so many good reasons to move to Scotland besides the weather, which I think I can handle (the Midwest here is known for it's unpredictability, but I'm sure not as intense as Scotland).

__________________
J A Y | Riding a 98 Suzuki DR650
Current ride thru Latin Am and Africa > Jammin thru the Global South

I've lived all over the UK (or whaever we're calling it now!) and I love the south east.

Londons close enough to visit, but best of all I get up and can be in France within the hour from where I live hence we travel to france/ belgian for an evening out, meals etc.

There are loads of plus sides about most regions of the UK and once your here your find a place that suits you.


Personally I can't wait to leave the UK permenantly next year but thats another story......

Sorry to change the subject, but Craig, where and how are you going about learning the lingo, and how effective is it. I've thought about doing it myself... cant bear the thought of growing old in this country!!

Cheers mate!

Hi Leevtr, if it's any help in 1989 I returned from 3 years down under and went straight to Germany. I couldn't say more than about 40 words. I got a job anyway and a flat to live in. I went to a book shop and bought a book and dictionary. The first book was a waste of money as it was for a teacher. I didn't read German. I bought a correct book and spent 60 minutes in a supermarket getting the basic food for a few days. I had to look in the dictionary for milk. There were seemingly hundreds of milks! OK later I learnt some were yoghurts but you get the idea I was lost! I studied at home and got better rapidly. I first learnt how to ask ( in German!) "What is that in German please? I went to the adult evening classes that are available in ALL towns to help visitors learn the Sprache. I lived in Germany for 2 1/2 years and proved that it can be done. Loneliness was the biggest problem. It helps if you're outgoing. Work mates get together and drink, tease and joke after work and being unable to understand ithem is accepted and not a problem. Now with internet etc it must be even easier. Germans love to help a visitor trying to learn. It's a gold standard ice breaker with girls too.

So: Volkshochschule : adult evening classes.

Books and tapes from bookshops.

Library for books and to bump into someone for advice.

Go to pubs and read all the free magazines and papers.

Join clubs: motorcycle, gym whatever--drinking club?

Socialize and get out there and mix.

I worked in Germany and had no instruction other than some VHS
classes each week and met other visitors which helped keep off the
lonliness.

To move there you need 1 month's rent in cash, one month's rent in
advance and a deposit. You'll need cash to cover water, electricity and
gas. That's quite a slice. It's no bad idea to rent a stationary caravan
on a long term rate. Try zypresse in Freiburg for ads and an idea of
costs. Zypresse is a weekly free paper of ads. I don't know of any in
other areas. Regards, Linzi.

Cheers for the great reply Linzi. I've been going now every year at least a couple of times for about 4 years. Got a bit addicted to the Nurburgring you know!! I was in Baden Baden twice this year and loved it, although someone did say that Freiburg is better, more lively. I think i may well have to do some homework on this matter.
Cheers again,
Lee.

Hi, yes Freiburg is beautiful but as a slightly introverted and prone to melancholy person who needs only one person to relate to I found Freiburg soulless. I stress that's me. I was alone which didn't help. I only stress that each of us is unique and I picked the wrong part of Germany for me. I must say Freiburg has LOADS to offer though. Check out google earth west, over the Rhine to hills north east of the city of Mulhausen. this is a wonderful place to just chill out. In German it's Die Vogesen, in French les vosges. Rip roaring roads for a supermoto! Keeps your licence clean with your local Polizei! Now the gems of roads in the black forest east of Freiburg is no longer welcoming noisy, fast bikes. Disturbs the peace needed to make money from the other activities! The INCREDIBLE Schauinsland road near Freiburg is now closed to bikes on Sundays. Grr! Check out THAT snaking beauty on G Earth! The road is south east of the town leaving from a leafy suburb and as the hairpins rise up the hill the blood goes to the head and nether regions as the engine screams. After 20 turns and 250 metres higher the road shoots off for 6oom then snakes among the pines towards Switzerland. Twenty minutes later you'll dive down towards Lorrach and the crossing to the Confederation Helvetica or in English Biker Heaven! The Alps were created for turning petrol into extacy! Monday to Friday, no matter what the job entails the Alps are there. The only thing that is less good over there than here is that English is my mother tongue. I didn't have the emotional makeup or whatever to make it happen. Some people win the lottery and blow it all. That's what I did. ps the VHS classes are really cheap! Mit freundlichen Gruessen, Linzi.

What does ' freundlichen Gruessen, ' mean?

Sorry to everyone else, but this seems to be turning into a personal chit chat!!

Hi Leevtr, literally "with friendly greetings" but actually it's the standard sign off. So it is yours faithfully/sincerely. Easier than English for once. It has to be said that Germans in writing are still more old fashioned than we are. I deal with Germans on ebay.de and often meet the official side but it's not to be misunderstood. It's just protocol. Some sign off Mit Guzzi Gruessen and they are particularly easy going. As anywhere, some are serious, some less so but Germans still lumber themselves with some stilted writing style. I once asked a young German woman how a German would begin an e-mail to a 10 person specialist bike dealer and was surprised that the full official letter version would be used! In other words "Guten Tag". Always begin with Sie until you are invited to use du. That is unless she is young, gorgeous and your chatting her up! Other bikers too if not old. Bikers means not at work, so chilling out. We dropped the equivalent thou and thee years ago but it was just the same. The French is vous and tu of course. Mit Biker Gruessen, Linzi.

Think i might have to think about selling my road bike now, as i just purchased a nice shiny XR650R. Next for that big trip of a lifetime.
Oh my god what have i done!!

Where to? Linzi.