Is Quality of Life better in HK than UK?

[jimbo]

To a point Jimbo, the meat and veg here is mainly from across the border - the meat cuts ain't great and not exactly stored in what could be called bastions of hygiene and the veg is full of all sorts of crap as pointed out in the news several times of year. Try getting a nice leg of lamb or a good cut of beef in a wet market! That said we eat loads from wet market.

And don't forget bread............HK in no way can compete with bread...........

But regardless of where you buy the veg from you should always wash it properly anyway.

The thing with me is that I amend my diet accordingly when I'm in HK, I don't usually eat red meat and apart from rice cut down on carbs.

Your typical british diet goes straight out of the window here.

[jgl]

Hmm... if you include breathable air in "quality of life" then be aware the the air is pretty horrendous out here. The government is only just on the verge of admitting that we've got some air quality problems so it will be many years before it improves. On top of this, the heat and humidity make most outdoor activities much harder than they should be- when I mountain bike in the summer, occasionally I run into still pockets of air that feel a sauna and really sap the energy out of me.

If you're into outdoor sports, it is surprisingly easy to access good hikes and biking trails. But at the same time, what you can access is quite limited and you'll probably find yourself doing the same trails over and over again (especially with mountain biking- there are less than 10 legal trails in HK, and most of them are practically inaccessable or concrete foothpaths). It's a much better situation with watersports though- there's plenty of sailing, canoeing and wakeboarding around.

On the whole, I'd have to say that Bristol offers better quality of life to someone who really enjoys the outdoors. You're close to Exmoor abd the Brecon Bacons. North Wales an easy drive for the weekend. Hong Kong is what I'd call 'just passable' when it comes to outdoor activities, and pretty low down on the scale for quality of life.

The place has it's upsides, but if you move to HK, do it for the travel, career or excitement. Don't do it for the quality of life.

[PDLM]

You'll be paying around 50p for 250ml of milk

Curiously, my local Wellcome sells milk for about 30p (HK$5.20) for 250ml. You can generally get 2 * 250ml for less than HK$10.

[wontun]

Curiously, my local Wellcome sells milk for about 30p (HK$5.20) for 250ml. You can generally get 2 * 250ml for less than HK$10.

Depends where you buy your milk really. If you go to convenient stores like 7-11 then you'll be paying around 50p. If there is a Wellcome close to where you live, then it's a better option.

[PDLM]

Sorry, but no. My local 7-11 sells milk for only cents more than the Wellcome. You can still get 2 * 250ml for less than $10 (65p) at 7-11.

[wontun]

Sorry, but no. My local 7-11 sells milk for only cents more than the Wellcome. You can still get 2 * 250ml for less than $10 (65p) at 7-11.

Not all 7-11 sells things at the same price. depends on location. I'd rather not fight over a matter of 20p.....sorry.

[Boris]

As a UK expat my 2 pence worth ( maybe less at 7-11 ! ).

Come to HK, you will never ever regret it. It is similar to if you transplanted a " perfect utopian dream version " of London into your beloved Bristol and moved the thermostat up to a reasonable level. Easy access countryside areas - just like Brizol. Seaside - just like WSM or those small sandy beaches you love down the coast. Lots of village life in the New Territories areas with country parks, cycling and hiking. There are many get together's with Geo members. However no chocolate box villages like you are used to going out to for Sunday lunch. If your into fresh sea produce then your home is here with delightful small islands to explore and have memorable eating experiences.
BUT YOUR IN HK -- so experience the difference.

Food - no giant sheds serving everything you need, but if you like to " do lunch " at Ikea ( Fishponds ) then they are here for your happiness. Quality of food is excellent. I am a great fan of Jusco ( Japanese Brand ) where you can get everything you need at maybe the lowest prices anywhere. They have fresh veg and fresh meat selections better than anything you can see in UK. OK maybe not in volume, but in choice, from every world market. They have a good range of registered organic produce.

Bread and Milk ( Staples ) - If your going to live in a Gweilo area then you will never put up with the supposed " fresh taste " of the UK sheds. Here bread is normally bought on a daily basis and will blow your mind in quality. Sliced bread is supplied in slices of 4 or 8 !! Milk you have in the normal ranges. They just have different descriptions to suit the local market. Cheapest in the supermarkets - except the City Super in TST where its massively overpriced because the rent there is huge.

If you like cake. Welcome to the taste capital of the world !!

Otherwise its , eat out a lot if you want. With cheap prices, unless you choose to go to the flagship restaurants in Central or Wanchai ( 2nd tier ). For a young couple without children its a playground you cannot resist. Think of any food you ever wanted and its here, somewhere. In fact think of anything and its here somewhere.

Even for us oldies its a place very close to our hearts and you could reasonably expect, never, to go back again but travel on to other parts of Asia and into the Pacific. OK July and August are hot and humid but we have air con EVERYWHERE. Buses, Taxi and Metro train systems are a JOY in quality and price. You wonder why public transport is so crap where you are and why you have to spend so much running a car.

People measure quality of life in a million ways - If you want to wake up happy. Never constantly watch the weather report for what to wear that day. Never have to have cold and flu remedies piled up in the bathroom cabinet. NEVER - want to eat a ready meal again. Then this is your place.

Finally if you want a bunch of friends that don't just come from down your street / in your pub then welcome to gatherings of people to make friends with, that come from every culture and every country. Where people look at you as someone they want to know, not look at you as " Yuom don't live roun' 'ere - do 'um ".

Brizol colonised the world - keep up the tradition.

[PDLM]

I'll have some of whatever Boris is on please.

[jaykay]

Yes bread of every kind if you love sweet bread! Blimey I must live in another HK to Boris!

Bread here to blow you mind..........that must be after some narcotic stimulant! The bread here is crap, unless of course you go to the bakery at somewhere like Taste. Most of the white bread contains transfats, only one loaf from Garden does not. Certainly not a patch on the bread back in UK. Also all the "sheds" usually have bakeries where you can get beautiful fresh bread - added to that complete aisles where there are so many different kinds of bread. I cannot get a decent wholemeal here for example and I've tried them all.

Fresh meat and fresh veg, yes all from across the border. Tell me where I can get a decent cut of beef or a leg of lamb? And also remember that the requirements for organic food here do not match those elsewhere.

Milk is certanly a no-no. Limited choice, no semi skimmed or skimmed unless you want UHT or "milk drink". Normally the main options are Trappist Dairy, Kowloon Dairy or P'n'S Select for "fresh milk" which curiously lasts quite a while in the carton - pure fresh it is not.

Maybe I was just privileged where I come from, maybe the rest of the UK is that far behind.........scary thought........

[jgl]

This thread has been hugely entertaining for the wide range of opinions. Understandable given that 'quality of life' is measured differently for everyone. I too want some of the Kool Aid that Boris has been drinking

To the OP: You're simply going to have to decide for youself when you get out here. Perhaps the way to go about it is to make a list to check out all the things that are important to you and make sure you get through that list when you get here (rather than get distracted by all the exciting touristy stuff). I'd be happy to take you mountain biking so you can get a feel of what that is like here (it's vastly more technical than UK riding).

It might also be worth coming out here in July instead, when it's hot. The heat and humidity seems to be the main thing that gets people down, so it'd be fair to see HK at that extreme.