The United Kingdom really sucks?

Moma,
that was a brillant post on the pros and cons of London. If one were to visit or spend a month or so in London, which area of the city would you recommend in terms of both affordability and not being far from the action while still be safe? I wouldn't want to end up in the ghetto areas if you know what I mean.

Cheers man.

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Moma broke it down very well I must say. I lived in London from 2006 - 2010 and it was a learning experience to put it mildly.

The reason the OP friends love London is because there is a large Brazilian population living there, so I am sure they do not get homesick. There are many Brazilian restaurants, grocery stores and bars/clubs, also being a Brazilian in London would score them points with almost any girl they meet.

As a black man I am even shocked how many parts of London you do not see a true english white person. There are boatloads of Eastern European, Afghani's, Pakastani's, Africans etc. England use to have a great culture but that is quickly evaporating, the main shopping areas are starting to look like any other city in the world with all the chain stores. The joke is you can hardly find a fish and chip shop in London, the new fad is American style fried chicken and french fries crap.

The weather is simply dismal, I have counted months where the sun did not come out.

Yes there are alot of foreign girls there but they are not easy to game, a girl that would be invisible in her native land will get more attention in London. Alot of these girls simply turn there backs on there native countries.

Having a American/Canadian accent will score you points, but the men are some real haters. I met my dream girl there and was sadly cockblocked by my own cousin. Cockblocking can be a major problem there and you really have to know who your friends are.

Oh and finally the place is wildly expensive, you better have money if you want to have a good time there. Prior to me moving there I visited on a regular basis with money in my pocket. Living there was a different matter and alot of people would be shocked to see how people really live there. Do you know the term couchshare?

Gavin 1234 - I hear you with the music and the classic tv shows, but what have they produced lately?

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(06-06-2011 10:03 AM)Moma Wrote:  

(06-06-2011 09:26 AM)thegmanifesto Wrote:  "The UK really sucks?"

No.

I think London is dope. Hell, there are honestly only a couple of American cities that even hold a candle to it.

The class and quality of the place makes America look cheap in comparison.

Expensive though.

G no offense but you have never lived there. Going to somewhere as a tourist is an ENTIRELY different perspective.

You are just quoting travel brochure talk. You went there with money, you went to Marylebone, they oo'd and ahh'd your American accent and your swag and you made your mind up.
Work there, live there for years and then I'd love to hear your song.
You'll run back to the U.S with tears in your eyes.

You try living there for five years and I'll see you sing the same tune when you have to buy a rainjacket to prevent your custom suit from Saville Row from being destroyed by the incessant downpours. When you find out that there is hardly any sun and when you see the level of hater-ism in London.

I remember playing ball once, these guys both jumped this guy from NYC just because they were hating on America. The British culture is about hating.

For an interesting and accurate depiction of London, obtain and watch the two films called Kidulthood and Adulthood. It's based on the West London lifestyle (West London is the most affluent part of London, Madonna and Gillian Anderson have a house there and you will often see Hugh Grant milling around).
When you absorb that film, you will see what the deal is with London.

Lived in London for two years. I fucked my lungs out. Eastern Europeans, South Americans, English girls. You are spoiled for choice, and there are so many women passing through that its not hard finding ladies who are down to fuck.

If you cant get laid in London, you are a lost cause. Seriously, I have never been in a city where its easier and I have travelled a great deal. Its ridiculous how easy it is there.

Money helps, but I had friends who were working as barmen on working holidays and they were crushing ass. Its one of the party capitals of the world man. Everyone is pissed, high, tweaking or screwing Thursday to Sunday.

Would I live there? No, not in a million years. But its hardly a bad place to spend a few weeks, thats for sure. I have never matched the social life I had in London over those two years.

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long time lurker here, born and raised in london

London does stink , I only realise when I went to the countryside for several months and then came back. But I guess thats the same for most big cities around the world

Birmingham is definitely a shithole, if youre coming to the uk to have a look around dont pick going there over London, or Manchester even.

on a whole, english women ie white english ones are belowe average, theres a real dearth of 8s and 9s. But they are easy, very easy.

in london though theres a lot of very attractive english born women of different ethnicities so its still a good place to go to, just not for english women really.


And i cosign what hooligan harry said, if you cant get laid in london then you must have shit on your back or something.

Also I would reccomend going to nottingham, its overlooked a lot but theres a lot of hot women there and the ratio is favourable.

And never ever go to a place called Derby.Ugliest place in England imo, and thats saying something.

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I just moved to London about 4 months ago and although I havn't quite cracked it yet, I think its really a great city. There is so much going on all the time and it doesn't matter what scene you are into, you will find it here.

Living here really tests your patience though - you have to que for everything. Just this morning I stood on the tube platform while 5 completely rammed tubes went passed with no possible way for any of the hundreds of people at my station to get on. So I decided to walk instead and be 30 mins late to work. Transport in peak hour is beyond a nightmare. Going to get a bike if I can finally work up the courage.

I have to say the weather really hasn't been as bad as most people make it out to be, I can only remember it really raining a couple of days since I have been here and there have been plenty of glorious days. The vibe on a warm day is unbeatable as well, everyone has a smile on their face and is outside in the parks, squares, by the river, by the canal and on the streets drinking and bantering away. Just head to Hyde Park or London Fields with a 6 pack of beers and you will have a great afternoon.

Like my friend says - Screw Disneyland, London on a warm sunny day is THE happiest place on earth.

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Summers in the UK are awesome. They are short, but the whole place comes alive

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(06-06-2011 03:57 PM)Vacancier Permanent Wrote:  Moma,
that was a brillant post on the pros and cons of London. If one were to visit or spend a month or so in London, which area of the city would you recommend in terms of both affordability and not being far from the action while still be safe? I wouldn't want to end up in the ghetto areas if you know what I mean.

Cheers man.

In my eyes, somewhere in West London would be a strong bet, maybe rent a room somewhere in Ealing or maybe Bush. Let me hit up my international wingman and get back to you on that in terms of prices.

However, he no longer goes out (London has worn on him and he is more bitter than homegrown Cerasee) so he may be five years removed from the clubbing action.

During my final years there, I enjoyed going to Ion Bar in Ladbroke Grove. It had a nice crowd there, mixed with Swedes, Danes, etc and nice change to the grimey South London crowd who would flood venues with their Avirex jackets and be mono-focused on 'chirpsing' the gyals wid batty and bress...

What do you consider reasonable in terms of weekly, monthly rent?

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From What I've been reading on this thread London(and some other places in the UK) does not seem like a bad place at all.Yeah It's big,dirty,crowded,rainy , but it fells like a hell of a interesting place to Be.The part about how easy is to get laid doesn't feel bad either

Like previously said here,maybe its because I'm from a huge,overpopulated, messy and far from perfect city like São Paulo, Brazil I will not have the same experience as a guy who is used to the living standards of ,lets say, a well-developed and spacious Canadian or American city.

He will miss the large house,big car, cheap consumer goods and other stuff.
Maybe that's why some of my South European/Latin friends like to live there.

Moma , +1. I'll search for those movies that you recommended.

Any info on Southall, Middx?I have a contact to visit there when i'm in Europe.I know that is an Indian area but someone here knows the place?Is it crappy/dangerous?Too far from the action? Could save me some serious cash if I stay in the region.

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[attachment=1757][attachment=1758]You'll save money,but you won't learn any English
Pretty British Indian girls around.
And you'll eat well!
You'll Need a train into Central London for entertainment,unless you like Bollywood movies
Compared to Sau Paulo,you'll feel you're in a much more "open" city landscape wise,and much less chaotic..but I'm sure you know that.
I liked Sau Paulo's vibe..the parts my friend showed me around Rua Augusta for nightlife.
You won't see as much "streetlife" in London unless it's licenced.
Boa sorte!

Here's two pictures of London:

One is gaining ground (in Southall etc) and one's slowly dying..i'll let you guess which!
Just to say in some areas,if there wasn't terraced houses or red post office pillar boxes you'd have a hard time knowing you were in England.

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(06-07-2011 09:01 AM)Mr.GM Wrote:  Any info on Southall, Middx?I have a contact to visit there when i'm in Europe.I know that is an Indian area but someone here knows the place?Is it crappy/dangerous?Too far from the action? Could save me some serious cash if I stay in the region.

From Southall it will take about 1.5 hours to get into central london. There is no tube to Southall. You have to take a bus from there to Ealing Broadway and then take the subway into London. It might be ok for a few days for you to figure things out. But, it is a little too far from the action. Ealing Broadway is the closest place you will find anything decent. There are quite a few restaurants, bars, a nightcub, a mall and even a strip club. So that might satisfy you for a bit, but really you want to be as close to Central London as possible. Southall used to be an Indian area, but other ethnicities are moving in, specially Somalis. It's not particularly dangerous, you should be OK specially if you are coming from Brazil. It is not the pretty picture postcard London though, that's for sure.

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(06-07-2011 09:35 AM)Pilgrim37 Wrote:  Here's two pictures of London:

The picture on the left is of a procession during a religious festival. If you post up a picture of a BNP march on the right, that might be more appropriate. You seem like a Daily Mail reader.

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(06-07-2011 09:54 AM)ManAbout Wrote:  

(06-07-2011 09:35 AM)Pilgrim37 Wrote:  Here's two pictures of London:

The picture on the left is of a procession during a religious festival. If you post up a picture of a BNP march on the right, that might be more appropriate. You seem like a Daily Mail reader.

Southall is so Indian the local street signs are not even in English.

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Yea I heard about Southall but never had anyone to visit there.

Unless you are really into the South Asian culture, you may be overwhelmed by it.

The same applies as going to stay in Harlesden, Brixton (although I heard it's more Metropolitan now) or Peckham. If you are not into the Jamaican culture, you won't enjoy Harlesden and Brixton. If you don't like Nigerians and Ghanians, then Peckham won't tickle your fancy.

For those trying to get the best taste of what London has to offer, positioning yourself in West London or Central London (expensive) will do the trick.
However, I am operating from memory. Even though London changes at a crawling rate, I will hit up my dude from London for a more relevant update.

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Don't forget about East London! I personally think around Shoreditch/Brick Lane etc is the best place to go out in London at the moment. Its not as trendy and underground as it used to be and people from all over the city head there to go out there now and not just the fashion types. There are countless bars and nightclubs with plenty of girls from everywhere.

Central London is pretty good too but its dam expensive and a lot of the places are filled with Rich banker wankers buying £2k bottles of Belvedeere. I was in Chine White (in the centre off Oxford St) a few weeks ago and I had to pay £20 just to get in, then £14 for a vodka Red Bull! Dam ridicolous and there wasn't even many hot girls in the club.

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I dont think its a great place to try and meet women. Indians tend to be conservative and these are very traditional Indians. If anything, there would be arranged marriages in Southall.

My suggestion if in London is to

1) Hit up the dance clubs. When I was there, Farrigndon used to have 4 super clubs that were wall to wall ass of hot bishes rolling their tits off.

2) Consider pubs and bars in "backpacker" areas. These are places like Wimbledon, Ealing, Putney. Large Australian, South African, New Zealander and Canadian populations of working holday makers. Chicks on holiday want the meat injection.

3) London central is best avoided, a bit too touristy and expensive

4) Consider hitting up places like St Albans or Stevenage which is 20 minutes out of London. Lots of bars and smaller clubs, more local english women who are fun and pretty easy too. A lot of them are pretty rough, but there are a plenty of good looking english women too.

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(06-07-2011 11:01 AM)Hooligan Harry Wrote:  

(06-07-2011 09:54 AM)ManAbout Wrote:  

(06-07-2011 09:35 AM)Pilgrim37 Wrote:  Here's two pictures of London:

The picture on the left is of a procession during a religious festival. If you post up a picture of a BNP march on the right, that might be more appropriate. You seem like a Daily Mail reader.

Southall is so Indian the local street signs are not even in English.

And off Leicester Square in Chinatown the street signs are not in English either. What is your point?

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To the London G's:

What do you think about staying in the Earl's Court tube area?

Pros/Cons?

Any hot tips?

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Quote:Summers in the UK are awesome

The only problem with UK summers is there's hardly any sun and they last about a week.

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(06-07-2011 11:35 AM)thegmanifesto Wrote:  To the London G's:

What do you think about staying in the Earl's Court tube area?

Pros/Cons?

Any hot tips?

Backpacker central. There is plenty of budget accomodation and cheap restaurants around to feed the budget travellers. It is grungy and not very pretty. But, it's very central, with good tube connections, which is probably what attracts travellers in the first place.

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And what about Seven Sisters? There is this guy who was in my class at college who is currently living in the area.

SouthHall doesn't seem the right place to be after a week or 2.

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(06-07-2011 11:29 AM)ManAbout Wrote:  

(06-07-2011 11:01 AM)Hooligan Harry Wrote:  

(06-07-2011 09:54 AM)ManAbout Wrote:  

(06-07-2011 09:35 AM)Pilgrim37 Wrote:  Here's two pictures of London:

The picture on the left is of a procession during a religious festival. If you post up a picture of a BNP march on the right, that might be more appropriate. You seem like a Daily Mail reader.

Southall is so Indian the local street signs are not even in English.

And off Leicester Square in Chinatown the street signs are not in English either. What is your point?

I think his and definately my point is multiculturalism is a complete fuck up!
What's your point while we're at it?You seem to have a problem with other people holding an opinion.

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(06-07-2011 09:54 AM)ManAbout Wrote:  

(06-07-2011 09:35 AM)Pilgrim37 Wrote:  Here's two pictures of London:

The picture on the left is of a procession during a religious festival. If you post up a picture of a BNP march on the right, that might be more appropriate. You seem like a Daily Mail reader.

A procession through?....yes...Southall!
I read The Independent usually .

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(06-07-2011 02:49 PM)ManAbout Wrote:  

(06-07-2011 11:35 AM)thegmanifesto Wrote:  To the London G's:

What do you think about staying in the Earl's Court tube area?

Pros/Cons?

Any hot tips?

Backpacker central. There is plenty of budget accomodation and cheap restaurants around to feed the budget travellers. It is grungy and not very pretty. But, it's very central, with good tube connections, which is probably what attracts travellers in the first place.

Serious?

It is super close to Chelsea, which I thought was the opposite of that.

Either way, any hot tips?

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I won't go into the pros/cons in much detail. I love it there. Yes, the weather is awful and it's expensive. But if you go to the right places there are very few cities of its size that can compete. It's a big hub, attracts a lot of Russians, Arabs, etc. As for how English it is - not very. But that's not the point. Go somewhere else if you want the typical fish, chips, cup 'o tea, bad food, worse weather, Mary fucking Poppins experience.

I wrote up some data on London during a recent visit.

One of the most common reasons for newcomers disliking London is that they don't find the right spots with a crowd that they can work with. There are lots of different scenes, and if you're comfortable in scruffy rock venues ending up at Maddox with the popped collar crowd won't be much fun. Or vice versa. This quickly becomes a problem in London because it's very spread out with poor public transport (at night) and extortionate cab fares.

It's important to know where you're going. Otherwise prepare to walk a lot or blow your budget on cabs. It's not like NYC where you're almost always walking distance (or a < $10 cab ride from a lot of other venues).

It was to address this and point new arrivals in the right direction that I wrote up this mini sheet:

/thread-64-pos...l#pid49618

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(06-07-2011 11:35 AM)thegmanifesto Wrote:  To the London G's:

What do you think about staying in the Earl's Court tube area?

Pros/Cons?

Any hot tips?

Dude, there are a lot of bars in the area. The Walkabout is an aussie place, the Maple whatever around the corner (one of my fave bars in the city, Canadian bar) just around the corner.

Full of backpackers cruising for cheap booze and sex. Its a bit of a hub actually and I had some good times there.

Walkabout is a bit of a hole, and the women are a mixed bag, but easiest place in the world to pickup.

I would go there for a laugh these days though, if I was chasing tail it would be more clubs and bars than pubs.

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