Where to go next to? Hungary?

cdw057 · 2022-01-23T14:02:27+01:00

As you know I love Hungary and their people Still I had a reason to move (largely financially), the grass can actually be greener on the other side (taxman can create an issue, no issue now, no income and just paying from what I saved, but in the time I will receive pensions I have to worry). Perhaps I am lucky and property in 5 years will have been exploded, I am also worrying and too soon, still if the tax hits my pension massively I will reconsider location AGAIN, I am not poor with my wife, but the occasional, restaurant concert, .. (I exclude real holidays apart from family visits already) would still be nice. I consider many locations, Namibia (Swakopmund), even Belize, but also even Hungary returning (if things are unchanged (which I doubt). Bottom line I want comfortable life, of course I am egoistic but I could even consider returning to Netherlands (taxes on what i saved is putting me off though) Everybody says me health and happiness are the most important, but finances help with both. Serious health issues will be no pleasure though no matter the country you will live in (for your companion (husband/wife) to afford to care for you with a part time nurse will be great) Lets be realistic, we DIE, women probably well over 80, men somewhere between 70 and 80, so 15 years to go? Lets enjoy what we have

Last activity 11 April 2022 by cdw057

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wavydavidMember24 February 2022 07:44:12

#41

fluffy2560 wrote:
wavydavid wrote:
....
We Kiwis still love hedgehogs but don't tell the NZ Department of Conservation...

My daughter currently lives in NZ and she found a hedgehog and as a UK person, brought up to love hedgehogs, was caring for it and asked me if she should take it to a wildlife centre. I said, give it some dog food, some water, then let it go. Wildlife centre would probably have to kill it as NZ DoC might have to become involved.

Instead of culling NZ hedgehogs, they could ship them back to the UK as we've got a shortage..

I am not sure when an invasive species become an accepted part of the local flora and fauna. Where is RadiumPotato in this forum when you need him?

BTW, I believe NZ hedgehogs are slightly smaller than UK versions. Darwin at work.

I plan to drill a hole in my fence so that hedgehogs can move freely in and out of our garden.

They were once much bigger and in my lifetime. However, they eat the eggs and young of endangered native birds. So do the other introduced "pests" like weasels, stoats and rats; they are far worse than hedgehogs but all fall victim to the traps and bait. As life expectancy for hedgehogs decreases, perhaps they are smaller because they are younger? Rabbits and possums are also cute but introduced "pests" too. Australia wants their possums back for the same reasons. They are a threatened species in Oz. Sad but they should never have been brought to NZ by our forebears. Our native (ground dwelling) bird and reptile species had no predators 200 years ago. Many have now become extinct, which is even sadder. Domestic cats are next on the list... Hopefully they'll "chip" them and only target feral cats or repeat feline offenders...

fluffy2560Hungary Expert24 February 2022 09:04:04

#42

11976

wavydavid wrote:
....
They were once much bigger and in my lifetime. However, they eat the eggs and young of endangered native birds. So do the other introduced "pests" like weasels, stoats and rats; they are far worse than hedgehogs but all fall victim to the traps and bait. As life expectancy for hedgehogs decreases, perhaps they are smaller because they are younger? Rabbits and possums are also cute but introduced "pests" too. Australia wants their possums back for the same reasons. They are a threatened species in Oz. Sad but they should never have been brought to NZ by our forebears. Our native (ground dwelling) bird and reptile species had no predators 200 years ago. Many have now become extinct, which is even sadder. Domestic cats are next on the list... Hopefully they'll "chip" them and only target feral cats or repeat feline offenders...

I can see where DoC is coming from. But all our (UK) culture is aimed at how cute they are Beatrix Potter and Mrs Tiggywinkle etc. Unlike rats which are not loved by anyone. I can say the same for weasels and stoats. They were responsible I think for the death of our last pet chicken. Shipping them back to the UK would be an ideal situation. I believe cats are being restricted in WA, Australia or somewhere. They can only be out on a lead. Maybe the indigenous species will start to adapt eventually. Hedgehogs in the UK now run if they see headlights and do not curl up in a spikey ball.

It might sound counter-intuitive, but Ascension island in the Atlantic is literally covered in invasive species. They have a man produced rain forest there. They did it to create water sources. It seems to have been a rather interesting success.

I'm waiting for the Dodo and Great Auk to come back. I've given up on dinosaurs.

wavydavidMember25 February 2022 03:19:12

#43

fluffy2560 wrote:
wavydavid wrote:
....
They were once much bigger and in my lifetime. However, they eat the eggs and young of endangered native birds. So do the other introduced "pests" like weasels, stoats and rats; they are far worse than hedgehogs but all fall victim to the traps and bait. As life expectancy for hedgehogs decreases, perhaps they are smaller because they are younger? Rabbits and possums are also cute but introduced "pests" too. Australia wants their possums back for the same reasons. They are a threatened species in Oz. Sad but they should never have been brought to NZ by our forebears. Our native (ground dwelling) bird and reptile species had no predators 200 years ago. Many have now become extinct, which is even sadder. Domestic cats are next on the list... Hopefully they'll "chip" them and only target feral cats or repeat feline offenders...

I can see where DoC is coming from. But all our (UK) culture is aimed at how cute they are Beatrix Potter and Mrs Tiggywinkle etc. Unlike rats which are not loved by anyone. I can say the same for weasels and stoats. They were responsible I think for the death of our last pet chicken. Shipping them back to the UK would be an ideal situation. I believe cats are being restricted in WA, Australia or somewhere. They can only be out on a lead. Maybe the indigenous species will start to adapt eventually. Hedgehogs in the UK now run if they see headlights and do not curl up in a spikey ball.

It might sound counter-intuitive, but Ascension island in the Atlantic is literally covered in invasive species. They have a man produced rain forest there. They did it to create water sources. It seems to have been a rather interesting success.

I'm waiting for the Dodo and Great Auk to come back. I've given up on dinosaurs.

Oh, we have dinosaurs...

fluffy2560Hungary Expert25 February 2022 07:10:21

#44

11976

wavydavid wrote:
....

fluffy2560 wrote:
I'm waiting for the Dodo and Great Auk to come back. I've given up on dinosaurs.

Oh, we have dinosaurs...

I'm convinced that Google etc are listening in via my phone and for sure are scanning the contents of my e-mails.

I'm mentioning dinosaurs on a random basis to see if I'm marketed a dinosaur from Amazon or other spammer type BS.

Despite doing this for more than a year, I've not been offered one.

I don't care about dinosaurs really so there's no disappointment. . I'm thinking of dropping dinosaur in favour of neanderthal. 'm looking for opportunities to insert it into conversation, text messages and e-mails etc to see if it's picked up.

wavydavidMember26 February 2022 04:29:42

#45

I think we have some Neanderthals too...

Actually, I think I saw one in the mirror one day...

fluffy2560Hungary Expert26 February 2022 10:41:28

#46

11976

wavydavid wrote:
I think we have some Neanderthals too...

Actually, I think I saw one in the mirror one day...

You too?! I usually see them in the morning. My teenagers are show signs of it but getting better.

Anyhoo, I'm willing to take anecdotal and spooky evidence of Google listening in on keywords. The more ridiculous the better.

gwynjBulgaria Expert09 April 2022 14:11:10

#47

2218

Bit late, sorry, but I'm putting in another shout-out for Bulgaria. Relatively low cost of living (statutory minimum wage 360 euros per month), relatively low property costs (around 1,000 euros / m2 for city apartments, maybe 50% more for Sofia, the capital). But the safety and security of being in the EU.

I spent many years in Latin America (Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Panama) and I was so pleased to get back to the EU!

I spent a couple of years in each of Cyprus, France, Germany and Spain (and still have valid residence permits for Cyprus and Spain)... and I am very content in Bulgaria.

With the economy/currency issues, I think Turkey is an interesting option cost-wise. But it's non-EU. Lovely beaches though.

cdw057ViP11 April 2022 13:07:32

#48

1925

@gwynj I am flexible myself, I do not like swimming (my wife does), Turkey indeed is not EU and it comes with its challenges, but lack of crime, abundance of young skilled people (including doctors) and clearly cost of living made me choose Turkey. Perhaps in a few years time, Turkey might have a chance to join (still Turkey is probably too big too swallow (on the other side the EU needs young people).

I think I mentioned that people are friendly (VERY), but also commercial (can be a plus and minus), a bit of money buy service (and good service).

Perhaps I will be lucky again with selling property (few years from now), in a way I miss Hungary and I might return.

Please note in my view even if Schengen or EU citizens might have the same rights, they definitely benefit from the hand-outs (apart for eg free Public Transport for pensioners). Somebody has to pay and expats are going to be part. (understandably).

Still city life and village life are different (both pluses and minuses).

My memory is not good as it was, but Bulgaria was on our list (but too old people to help), all the clever young people have already gone to Western Europe.

No doubt about it for comfortable living you need capital even in Turkey, having said that smoking 3 packages per day is much cheaper in Turkey then it is in Hungary, shopping on average 2x cheaper, if we wanted to our budget would easily allow for daily visit to restaurant every day.

Having said that, if Orban would not have ignored the contribution by expats (for example I had my own company also impacted by Corona) I would probably still be there, I like Hungarians, I liked where I lived, .....

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