..assuming no language barriers, and economic issues aside, if you could choose a country, other than the one you live in, where would you like to live, and why would you like to live there?
I kind of love the idea of Mediterranean Europe. Somewhere where you spend most of your time living outdoors, and a bit of a slower lifestyle. Italy appeals to me for some reason.
England, with second home in Scotland. Then New Zealand. Then France, followed by Canada.
Italy would be nice if it wasn't so corrupted (according to several of my Italian colleagues).
It's cliche, but I'd like to live somewhere warmer. Like you say, somewhere where people spend a lot of time outdoors. Where the culture is that little bit more relaxed. Climate has a big effect on culture and lifestyle. Not sure exactly where but I could do Italy.
Greece
Barbados. Not a Cowell-esque lifestyle but running a small rum shop and enjoying the sun, simple style.
Barrow Island
Scotland, with holiday homes in England, Spain & Canada.
I have an affinity with Scotland, love the ruggedness & couldn't care about the weather (it adds to the charm) I'm English so somewhere in the North would be nice for family ties. Spain for ease of access to somewhere warm (with good food) Canada...just because.
Other than West of England, then possibly Shetland or the inner Hebrides, Oregon, or maybe Eire.
France pretty much has it all but whether it will fare well over the next 50 years is debatable.
If I was 20 I would be looking at Canada or Australia I think. More vibrant economies and fear that UK / Europe is wrecked for good.
First choice? Germany, either very close to Aachen, or in the North East, close enough to Berlin, but more up Mecklenburg way.
If I could, I would also have a another home back in my native Canada. Somewhere around Montreal, or more specifically the Eastern Townships.
France. Great skiing, mountain biking, wine, cheese and supermarkets. Oh, and it's close to both Spain and Italy.
economic issues aside I would live on a moderately sized yacht mostly spending my time island hopping around the med.
Something like this
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I like the idea of following the summer round the world. So May-Sept in UK, then off somewhere sunny - Oz/California? for Oct-Apr...
Tbh, still Marple just me own place with land - preferably steep. But plenty of holidays
The one I'm in - or I'd move.
Canada or Australia. But more realisticly I'm happy in this country apart from the scrubbers that plague the town centre with 5 kids in tow, the weather's crap and the roads are worse than roads in Eastern Europe. I'd like to have a holiday home in Rhodes tho. Relaxing way of life, beautiful summers, very friendly locals, a couple I keep in contact with year round. And some amazing roads for riding motorbikes on.
I feel so much more relaxed and safer riding/driving in Rhodes than even my small town Darwen.
Currently in [s]Tasmania[/s] Australia and going fine.
Probably Nepal.
I've got limited experience but again, the Mediterranean is very appealing..
Greece, or maybe Portugal
France, in part because it has everything I like. In part because I can fly back easily to visit family.
Just to compromise, somewhere very near the Italian border.
Met a guy yesturday who lives on a 40ft ketch in the caribean for most of the year ,
Rents out a house and a flat him + Gf own , mid 40's with grown up kids.
sounded idylic , wi-fi from cafe on beach , PVC power and a wind turbine 200AH battery pack.Buys in 5ltr bottled drinking water though.
I could handle some of that.
Otherwise South of France , Montpellier area probably . Not too hot in summer, near enough to ski and the med . Although Santander and surrounding area if I had £ to retire on .
If all the English people left, England.
If all the English people left, England.
😀 😀
Most days anywhere but the UK (except Scotland of course).
Winter house in the var. Summer house, ordino in Andorra.
Yorkshire, gods country (any god you choose).
Finland.
Only a free country.
No country is free unless it has open access to the outdoors.
So that's Scotland and some of the Scandanavian countries - any others?
Edit: I could handle Yorkshire though - that's a country isn't it? 🙂
Either Spain or Germany for me but mountainous regions.......
Im a Yorkshire man, so that's always first, but love living in Spain, the way of life is amazing, and Madrid has surprised me with some stunning biking.
North of Norway.
Language and economics aside?
Assuming I had enough money and plenty of friends there, then southern France, possibly the Roanne. Or the Caribbean for the warmth & water sports.
DEfinitely not Scotland!
Canada for me especially the east coast
Madrid has surprised me with some stunning biking.
Good innit?
Main thing is money and a stress-free job. I'd quite like a villa somewhere north of Barcelona, Girona area - near the Pyrenees, nice weather in summer, etc. Though where I live outside Madrid isn't bad.
Canada, New Zealand or Spain probably. Got a couple of mates with a bar out in Tenerife so it'd be very tempting to move out there if they have any work come up 🙂
Havent been yet, but California looks like it would be a good place to live. (assuming I can get over the language problems)
if youre living in California then Id recommend San Francisco, the Cow Hollow area near the Presidio, or Id like to live in Tahoe, that place is nice.
If I could have a home with a garden and view, then Hong Kong, friendly locals, great food and some amazing trails 😉
There are places I'd like to live for a year or so. Not yet though as junior is in his exam years. Germany and Quebec appeal. If they really appealed I'd already be there.
A friend looked into living in the US and realised that health care insurance costs would drive him back to Europe sooner or later.
If you move to France then Montpellier is one of the last places I'd suggest. People from Seine-Saint-Denis dream of moving there and many do. It's also cold and windy in Winter and hot and mosquito infested in Summer.
Colorado would be great as well.
The US is problematic. Trail access isn't great, you're lucky if you don't have to drive somewhere to ride. Health insurance is a disgrace too, it's not just a case of insured or not - most people have limits on what's covered, and a maximum value.
If you're minted of course then it's not so bad, you can buy your holiday home near the federal or state lands and ride away, but I'm not sure I'd like being part of a rich community of second homers in some outdoor recreation hotspot. Places like California can also be very very busy.
I lived for a while near the German Alps, and whilst pretty they weren't that great for biking, nothing like France. Even the road biking wasn't so good until you got to Austria - the mountains don't seem to have passes quite like the French Alps. Also not sure about trail access - I seem to recall there being a rule about only riding on fire-roads, but not sure how well enforced it is.
[i]Colorado would be great as well. [/i]
When I worked in Denver we got an interesting insight into how they treat the outdoors. All week everyone works away in the city, come Friday afternoon there's this mass exodus out to the mountains. Everyone gets on the Freeway and heads upwards. As molgrips says though, this is probably just for the rich.
All week everyone works away in the city, come Friday afternoon there's this mass exodus out to the mountains.
So, so true. When we went boarding to Colorado, we spent Mon-Fri on the mountain and Sat-Sun, resting, shopping, cinema, generally doing anything other than go near the slopes. Worked out well for a couple of weeks.
If I could have a home with a garden and view, then Hong Kong, friendly locals, great food and some amazing trails
You mean something like this home with a garden...
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And with this view...
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I do miss my house in Hong Kong sometimes, but then I remember why I moved to Australia 😀
I seem to recall there being a rule about only riding on fire-roads, but not sure how well enforced it is.
depends on which german land or country you're in. Plus in many cases it's a made up rule. 2m track is generally accepted as equivalent to a bridleway or BOAT etc. in UK
In Hessen, the rule is... "If there's a path put there by the landowner or whomever manages the land, then it's free to use by anyone on foot, wheelchair or bike, and that all users must give priority in a sensible manner" (so much like Scotland).
Where would I want to live... anywhere in Europe will do. Or Canada.
Slovenia.
8)
French Pyrenees - got it all.
depends on which german land or country you're in
Fair play, I was in Bavaria. I seem to remember hearing a similar 2m rule.. but what singletrack is 2m or more wide?
New Zealand. South Island in particular. Like Scotland but on a larger scale. Friendly people.
South of France. Good wine, food, climate and access to the Alps.
I live in Norway and aint thinking of moving
Belgium (Gent for preference, or perhaps the Ardennes) or Greece (specifically Western Crete or the Peloponnese)
@ molgrips... not Bavaria. they have the 2m rule in the Black Forest, but realistically no-one adheres to it. and you simply didn't get out enough! loads of top trails south of Munich.... yes, there aren't many lung busting road climbs; for that you need to go to Allgäu (south west) or to Bertechsgarden (south east), but then again, isn't road riding what you do when you need to get somewhere? 😉
for me it would be South Tirol, perhaps around Meran or in the Vinschgau valley. the laid back attitude of italy combined with the fact that they're not corrupt and everything works (that would be the german influence, then). brilliant weather - 315 sunshine days in Vinschgau! winters in the valley are short yet there are 3000m peaks so plenty of snow sports, but you can still ride your bike up to around 1000m (Meran lies at 350m).
strong economy, too....
Süd Tirol ist nicht Italien!
^^ woudln't say no to Vinschgau or Karwendel for that matter.
Süd Tirol is ace in winter. Youtube vids make it look busy ni summer though. But looks like the top Via Ferrata destination. Will put that on my list too.
Iceland sounds like a fun place to live for a while.
and you simply didn't get out enough!
Tell me about that! Those two rides were just about the only two proper good days I had there 🙂
As for the road riding - well you do have a point except for big mountain stuff, which is pretty classic I reckon. Berteschgaden was great, it looked a lot more like the French Alps I'm used to, so I can well imagine there'd be good road passes there.
Northern Italy, Lakes, Mountains, Coffee, Food, Ice cream, Coffee, Food, Ice cream.
Then move back to the UK so the NHS can be burdened with my Obesity related illnesses 🙂
I can put a stone on in two weeks with my Italian friends cooking. Living there would kill me.
When (not if) I win the lottery, I'll split the summer between Whistler and the French Alps and winter in southern Cali.
Might pop back to Blighty for a bank holiday once a year....