There are currently 880 comments on here and you have taken the time to reply to everyone…that’s a lovely thing to do. Very insightful and interesting thanks
I really do try my best to respond. I'm working at getting all caught up this weekend. I truly appreciate your time watching and leaving us this comment. Cheers 🤍 Jess x
You are very kind in all your comments. It is so nice to hear positive comments on the UK. I hope you continue to have a very positive experience here.
Oh, we love it here. We will have a new video with culture shocks coming up. It's been such a wonderful time here and making great friends and memories that will last a lifetime. Thank you for the lovely comment! 🤍 Jesa
Just saw your vid. Welcome TSgt. I was at Lakenheath for several years, went back to the states and decided to come back for good. Once you get out more and clear the conditioned American mind you'll see the many pros we can implement back home...mainly work to live not live to work. Enjoy👍🏾
Marie-Elaine, they just make so much sense. I have no clue why the US wouldn't use them more often. England is just doing it right! Thank you for watching and leaving a comment. 🤍 Jess
@@DaydreamersBarn I saw a UA-cam video where it said that Roundabouts did not catch on Stateside because they used a different system to ours, which was more complicated and so it was not popular but if they had used Roundabouts like we do, then it , probably, would have seemed attractive.
Hi, my uncle is a British naturalised American, my U.S. cousins in their 50s in age now. One thing that completely jaw dropped, and astonished them was the history on their 'doorstep' when visiting the UK. Here in Hertfordshire, 30 miles north of central London, there are 1000+ years old still active churches within 10 minutes drive into the countryside. Worth researching where you are. Best wishes
Jason, it's very true that the history here is just fantastic to learn. Thank you so much for the fantastic recommendation and the story of your family. Thank you for sharing and watching the video. 🤍 Jess
Seems like there's a castle ruin on every street corner 😂 I love our history, there's so much to learn! I'm from Derby, which is a small city, but is jam packed full of history.
One difference I notice is that I havnt seen a moustache on a man under 50 since the 1990s . My grandpa had a moustache all his life but he was in the RAF.
I am moving to England, next year. The States, are so bad here. I have cousin's who were born and raised in London. I have some friends in all of The UK.
Bee Apple, sorry the US has been so bad. Hopefully, you can make the most of the time you have left in the US before moving to the UK. Thank you for your comment and for watching the video. 🤍 Jess
You will be welcomed in he UK , I hope that things work out for you. Be careful with traffic lights, we don’t turn left on a red light, you have to wait until you get the green light, sometimes there’s a filter lights to turn when the light goes green
Thanks for the kind words. We do our best, glad we can be considered great 'ambassadors' it means a lot. Thanks for watching and commenting. Cheers Chris and Jess.
Travelling to other countries/ cultures is the best education to realise there is more love than hate between different nationalities…. What a wonderful advert you 2 make of most Americans.. respect from 🇬🇧
Welcome to the UK. My husband is ex military and we retired here in the UK. We found food, especially fresh food more expensive in the USA. Wait until you explore the rest of the UK, you will see how beautiful it is. Figure you are in Suffolk, enjoy the area. Ely is nice, Cambridge and Biry St Edmunds.
M T, we love this beautiful island! I am looking forward to exploring even more. There is so much to see, and I feel like our time is not long enough. We're located in Norfolk and love it! Thanks for the support and lovely comment! 🤍 Jess
Sad thing is since we’ve left the EU our conservative government want to adopt US food standards, lowering our standards, quality and health, sad times
I have viisted the USA 14 times,been to 23 states.I find Americans way more laid back than people here in the UK.Amazing country.Your theme parks are the best ever.
I drive 650 miles north to south and the back again at least once a year and the behaviour of other drivers is mostly excellent. Once you realise other drivers are your teammates it works so well.
Edward, I guess I am. 😉 There is not much I don't love about England, Scotland, and the UK as a whole. Thank you for your comment and for watching the video. 🤍 Jess
What a lovely film. I suddenly realise its not such a bad place ! I do think British plugs and sockets are the best. Nice and secure and stable. Great that you are enjoying your stay. You are very charming people.
Petrol prices are crazy in the UK, as well as Gas and Electricity. As for pets (dogs) you will find that most places accept dogs, we're an animal loving Country. You're pretty spot on with your views.
I saw something that showed basically the scale between the amount petrol costs in the US vs the UK is almost exactly the same as the difference in road miles that people have to drive to do the regular stuff of life, work, shop etc.
One other thing, our 3 pin outlets wall sockets have switches. The earth pin is longer normally because it pushes up 2 little internal live and neutral outlet protectors to stop children inserting things into these more dangerous outlet holes. Enjoy your time in the U.K. My eldest son is a maths professor in Austin TX - he says that the standard of driving and basic car roadworthiness is terrible, but he’s married to a USA wife and has a good job in TX. He loves it there. Hates the health system but loves the enormous variety of choices that people have in the supermarkets.
My first time in the US was in 1982. When chatting to a guy onan internal flight he asked me about how big the UK was. I told him 'about 900 miles from each extreme North to South' he said "Oh, I can go and do that all in three days maybe four." I couldn't make him understand he could spend a week in any location and not see t all.
I agree. Even in our 3 years here, we will not see all that I want to see, unfortunately. Sad people have a hard time understanding. Thank you for your comments and for watching our video. 🤍 Jess
It's nice that you have been made welcome here. Thank you for your kind comments in return. We have our problems, of course, but you accentuate the positives and it's great to hear that you are happy here.
100%, it's been like a nice feeling! We have truly enjoyed this beautiful country and will continue to. Thank you so much for your comment and for watching our video. 🤍 Jess & Chris x
I really enjoyed this video. As a Brit, it's funny to hear these things that actually a lot of us take for granted! I love that you touched on the fresh, healthy food because that is for sure something that should be standard everywhere. In regards to the energy prices, I'm sure you've seen the outrage at them and it's an unfortunate time because they really are not 'normal' at the moment, like 300% higher is ridiculous. They will come back down eventually. I hope! So glad to see a lot of positivity and you both did great! Liked and subbed easily :)
Thank you, friend! I'm so glad you found us and enjoyed watching. That makes my heart so happy. We love it here and call this home away from home. 🤍 Jess
As a young brit dealing and watching the cost of living seeing these perspectives is really refreshing. Really lovely video from both of you and very interesting
I’m really glad you’ve enjoyed your time here. The UK like most countries has its problems but there are also a lot of good things that I think us Brits often don’t realise and take for granted.
Thank you so much. I completely understand. We are so blessed to have this option to call this slice of heaven home. Thank you so much for your comment and for watching the video. Cheers 🤍 Jess x
Nice to hear your comments. (PS 220 volts isn't wrong - it's not consistently 240). Thanks for diplomatically leaving out the things you don't like here. (We know we're far from perfect). Enjoy the rest of your stay.
ColdWater I have truly enjoyed learning so much. I love loads more, but I didn't want it to be an hour long video. Chris wouldn't have it. LoL I will be doing a video of things I miss about the US soon and adding more things I love about the UK. Thanks for watching and leaving a comment, my friend. 🤍 Jess
Good video. Thank you for the nice things you have to say about our weird old country. I hope you do well with your channel, and look forward to more of your stuff.
Archenemy GMB, Thank you. I just love it here! Everyone is so lovely. It's one of my favorite places I have lived. I have very lived all over and visited many places. Thank you for the support on the channel. It means so much to me! 🤍 Jess
Just stumbled across your channel. Some great insights in this video and I'm very happy to see you are enjoying your time in the UK. I look forward to binging your other videos very soon! Love and peace from Devon in the south-west. :)
Blue Cheese, I'm thankful you stumbled into our channel. Welcome, friend! Hopefully, you enjoy all our content and look forward to reading all your comments! 🤍 Jess
Great video 👍 Glad your experience is positive and hope you enjoy more of the UK. One of the take aways for you guys is how energy aware in everyday life you have become and will put into your future home updates 😊
Sean, I love it here, and everyone here has been so kind and lovely to me. We're learning so much for our English pals. You all are just the best! Thank you for the lovely comment and for watching our channel. Hopefully, you stick around and enjoy our videos. 🤍 Jess 🤍 Jess
Consider getting an EV, if you are able to charge the vehicle at home. It costs £5 to fill an EV tank from the home charger. It costs £60 to fill your car with petrol. Both will have the same 300 mile range! The UK is a very green country, lots of vegetation, which requires a lot of rain....lol. The Temperature swings are not as severe as the US but the high latitudes mean the length of day varies quite a bit.
The Groove Tube, Thank you. I'm so glad you enjoyed our awkwardness. I'm more of the talkative one working on getting Chris comfortable in front of the camera. We're a work in production and love the support for all you love people! Thanks for the comment and for watching the video. 🤍 Jess
Hi Jess, Chris, Shane and Collette. I’ve just recently found you on YT and have been working my way through your video stories, which are extremely good and the fact that you reply to each and every comment is amazing and very courteous…it must seem like a full time job. I still have many to see yet and looking forward to them all. So very happy to know that you are enjoying your time here in the UK and you are all a welcome addition. This is the first time I have commented and I just wanted to say, whatever you do, don’t leave a British appliance unplugged on the floor with the plug’s 3 prongs facing up..if you step on one barefooted or just in your socks you will experience pain like never before! Trust me, I know! 😂 Paul. P.S. I love your country too and have visited over the years around 16 times, I’m lucky to have American friends in Boston, NYC, Melbourne Fla, and New Hope PA.
Thank you so much for your kindness, and we absolutely love exploring this beautiful country! We hope you continue to enjoy all of our adventures. It's such a wonderful experience to learn and appreciate and to show our kids how great our world is. We have been welcomed with open arms and so much love. We hope you have a lovely day! Cheers 🤍 Jess & family x
Great comparison. The only thing I don't recognise is the pull cord to switch off all the lights together. That's an unusual feature in my experience, handy though!
What a lovely video. Welcome to the U.K. we’re new to your channel. Loved your views on driving, I drove once in Miami! Not gonna lied I was scared to death! We’re looking forward to checking out more of your videos. Cheers 🍻
Hello friends, welcome, and we love your channel! It's very scary driving in the US compared to here! Thank you for the support, and I am looking forward to further chats! 🤍 Jess
your are correct in saying 220volts, the UK has AC so the voltage fluctuates between 220 and 240,the USA has 110v DC it’s much safer to have higher voltage than any voltage delivered in DC
Hi, Guys just got back to the UK after 5 Years of living in the US with my wife and 2 Kids. I just wanted to address the Petrol price issue you raised (Gas Prices 😂😂). You are correct they are expensive here like crazy expensive, however, it's important to bear in mind most people drive in the US on average at least 4 - 5 times as many miles as regular people here do (obviously not including city driving). Also, most Cars in the US are much bigger gas Guzzlers than the UK. I would say depending on what you drive in the US you probably get between 12 and 20 miles per gallon whereas here it's probably more like 25 to 35 miles per gallon on average. Also not sure where in the States you guys are from but in South Florida where we were Food prices are at least 2 sometimes 3 times more than UK. For example, let's take a lower-end store like Walmart for a full trolly (Cart) of food you could probably get a full trolly at says marks and spencers food here for the same price. Also, car insurance prices are crazy there, and usually every 6 months which we were paying $1100 twice a year for Tundra and Explorer so $2200 per year. Here for similer cars here you would be paying approx $900 a year.
You're correct on "average." What I was speaking on was that what we're paying now is extremely higher than what we paid in the United States. We drove 2 cars daily, and the power bill was a lot lower with the aircon running full blast in the summer and heat on full time in North Dakota Winters. We are driving only one car here currently (due to be not working full time), and our power bill is hardly having it on, but still 2x more than we paid in the US. Just our observation. Not that it's a bad thing, just something we noted.
Most Americans I know live off base from USAF based at RAF Mildenhall and RAF Lakenheath. They love the roundabouts and quick pace of traffic. Also the electrical outlets are much safer than US ones. Yes energy prices are high BUT you can switch suppliers for a better deal. For petrol / gas, does go up and down and the government takes 60% in taxes for pertol /gas. Also the UK does have a wide range of places to visit and see within the country including our history and historic places. Enjoy the UK.
Thank you for the lovely comments and input! I feel more Americans should live off base, in my opinion, to enjoy their time here even more. Thank you for watching the video! 🤍 Jess
The only foreign country (as a Brit) I have driven in was the USA. This was in Florida some years ago. I found that other drivers were considerate, kept their distance and stuck to the speed limits. I got used to driving on the other side of the road after a couple of days. I saw some roundabouts at Gettysburg which seemed to be working well. Gas prices in the UK include a heavy excise duty plus VAT at 20%, which makes it very expensive. Gas stations make very little on each litre.
Hello friend, thank you for sharing. It's very different when you know it is only for a short while I sopposed. Then it is to stay for years, I guess, and one needs to learn all new road laws.. Hope you enjoyed the video. Thank you for your comment. 🤍 Jess
Here in Florida most of us were New Yorkers at onetime, people tell us that we are Rude. Well we have to many South Americans here and Brazillians that think that there shit don't think. These Brazillians need to go back to their Jungle.
You are right about courteous uk drivers. So polite. Let you in when you need to. and when 2 lanes narrow to one lane people move to 1 lane right away instead of using the soon to close lane to the very end then force yourself infront of everyone like we do in the US. Please note we traveled to Belgium right after living 6 weeks in the uk and the drivers in Belgium do not display the courteous characteristics- they are aggressively hostile like in the US.
You are very welcome in the UK. I am glad you are enjoying it. It is always nice to get the views of visitors to our country. I expect the lack of AC and small fridges are going to be things that are not so good here compared to back home, but I am sure you have adapted. You should visit Liverpool if you have not already done so. If you are here for a while, and love History, then it may be worth getting a family membership to The National Trust. It gets you into castles and stately homes / gardens without further expense. Anyway, enjoy your stay.
Andrew, thank you, my friend! I do miss my aircon, but it's ok. Just open a window. I don't mind the fridge here at all. Sometimes, I hate US fridges to large and stuff get pushed to the back. Thank you for your comment and recommendations. Hopefully, you stick around and enjoy more of our channel. 🤍 Jess
Perhaps as a serviceman here you might want to check out, The Battle of Bamber Bridge. An insight into how GIs were treated during WWII in Britain. Also how the Brits told the US Army to shove their rules.
To clarify, the locals refused to implement a colour bar and supported black troops against white GIs. They said: “We like you GIs but we don’t like the white soldiers you brought with you”.
Children can go in pubs but they very often want to play, do somersaults, and round around everywhere. So, yes, dogs, are more well behaved in pubs. I sometimes go into a pub just for coffee, as I find the ambience to be on a totally different planet to places like Starducks, AND I can take my coffee into the garden if I want to.
Just watched your video which I really enjoyed... I was surprised to hear that you both liked roundabouts, because in my experience most Americans develop a cold sweat with the idea of driving around them even after I've explained how to do so...😂 I truly hope that you manage to explore as much as the UK as possible during your deployment here including my part of the UK of Wales...🏴 Enjoy your stay...
Darren, We really like the whole idea about roundabout! Very useful and helpful, and the bigger cities in the US could do with some. Thank you for watching! 🤍 Jess
Welcome to the UK , Super Happy when Americans choose our country :) , theres loads of history and culture that are truely amazing :) dating back to the roman times {bath} for example, but just a note on the MOT, there are many shady testers that will fault your car just to get another test fee from you, so chat to some car ppl in ur area find a good one :)
Thank you, friend! We look forward to learning more about the culture and history the more we explore. I have heard that, so thank you for the advice. Thank you for your comment and for watching our video. 🤍 Jess
I'm so glad you enjoyed it. New video of other differences we have noticed coming out this week! Hopefully, you will enjoy it as well. Thank you for your feedback, my friend. Cheers 🤍 Jess
Hello Jess & Chris, I’m thoroughly enjoying your vids and now subscribed! Welcome to the U.K.! It’s fascinating finding out about your thoughts and experiences here, and I’m very much looking forward to seeing your future adventures! I come from Dorset on the south coast - I would heartily recommend a visit, particularly during the summer. You can go fossil hunting on the Jurassic Coast, see the most photogenic castle ruin at Corfe Castle, take a trip to a protected wildlife habitat on Brownsea Island, enjoy the wild ponies in the New Forest. All wonderful things to do. Are you going to try fresh scones with jam and clotted cream? What about a traditional Sunday Roast? So excited for you and what’s to come! With kindest regards, Andy
Andy, thank you, my friend! You paint such a lovely experience in Dorset. We will be planning a trip there. We appreciate and love all the recommendations! My heart is full of joy, and I look forward to all our adventures that wait for us. Thank you for your lovely comment and for supporting our channel. 🤍 Jess
Hi, glad your enjoying your life here. I think you're a great polite family, if you ever consider moving to this country I would find you all very welcome. 😁
Thanks for your service. Assume you are based at Lakenheath/Mildenhall. We visit regularly and love watching all your aircraft. Lovely to hear your positive thoughts about the UK. We have our problems but in general is a great place to live (and to raise a family).
I heard another American once talking about how 'polite' people are when driving in the UK and his conclusion was that our roads are so narrow, there are so many cars parked in small streets and with all the mini-roundabouts where people have to give way to traffic coming from the right that we can all only get from A to B if we co-operate with each other. Otherwise it would be chaos! I think he had a point. With cost of petrol, if you look at prices across Europe I think you'll realise it's not so much that it's expensive here but that it's really cheap in the USA.
Great you are travelling around the UK so much, I can see you're enjoying yourselves. BTW uk voltage optimum is 230volts. Have a great time working and living here.
We love sharing love for this wonderful country! I have definitely fallen in love with the UK. We love learning for you all. Want to take as much of the UK when we have to return to the US. So I can wake up and look back on such a beautiful place! We appreciate your kindness and support. Cheers 🤍 Jess x
You did it! These videos often get a lot of views, but you can't count on it. I'm happy for you that you've published just a couple days ago and had a huge number of views! Perfect timing to help you get that 1K subs goal... happy early birthday! I'm an American who has been visiting the UK for 30 years and have spent the last 3 summers living here. I agree with your observations. Love grocery shopping here and love that the food prices are lower but the quality is usually better! The switches on the outlets are a great idea... it is just a learning curve to remember to switch them on. So annoying to "charge your phone" all night and realise you didn't turn it on! haha Fun video, y'all! XX Dara
Dara, I really appreciate your kindness! I love it here so much. It was such a great experience. There are so many things I love about England! Do you live here? My husband and I look forward to enjoying your channel. Thanks for being so amazing! 🤍 Jess
@@DaydreamersBarn my husband and I live near Dallas Texas in the winter and in Cheltenham Gloucestershire in the summer. He is a dual citizen and I just love being here in England! But also love spending time in the US with our extended family and our friends.💕 When are you due to move back to the states?
@Magenta Otter Travels how wonderful it is to be able to spend time in both places each year. We're not due to go back to the US until 2025. I'm so excited about exploring all of the UK has to offer. 🤍 Jess
@@DaydreamersBarn that's awesome! I know several Americans families in my town who get stationed here for 2-3 years and they always hate to leave. 🇬🇧❤️🇺🇸 Looking forward to seeing your future videos!
The light switch by the bed isn't universal. It part depends on the age of the building and any rewiring that's been done. For example, I only have a light switch by the bedroom door, so I can't turn the light out without walking across the room. You will find that there are more level crossings (railroad crossings) on lines where the 'line speed' or maximum speed is less than 100mph generally speakng. Chris, I've seen the condition of some of the vehicles that some of your compatriots drive. They'd have an 'unfit' ticket and not be allowed on the road unless on a trailer or recovery vehicle if it were here in the UK. I have 'fallen foul' of American traffic lights. I mistook the green for 'ahead only' for the left turn and had to stop and reverse. Fortunately the 'big rig' behind me realised that I'd 'got it wrong' and didn't move! Glad you're enjoying your time here. There is some lovely countryside here in the north east, including the historic Hadrian's Wall from the time of the Roman invasion.
Phillip Penaluna, Thank you for all the lovely insight and information. Some of the cars on the road in the US are very embarrassing, to say the least. We will definitely be checking that out. I love the amount of history this country has. Thank you for taking the time to watch our video and leave a comment. Hopefully, you will stick around and enjoy more of our videos. 🤍 Jess
Wow - your video has gone viral! Congratulations 🎉 This was such an interesting and positive video. It was great to hear you say that we Brits are kind to other drivers. We are Brits living in America and it was quite a shock to find out that in the US other drivers wouldn't let you in if you (often) found yourself in the wrong lane, LOL! Oh yes, the public bathrooms in the US with the big gaps - what's that all about?!! 😂 I'm now back in the UK for the summer and I'm always forgetting to press the switch down on the outlet when charging my phone. It's annoying to return to it and realize there's still not charge! We're looking forward to watching more of your videos!🤗❤
Thank you so much! We love creating content for people to enjoy and share our experiences. It's been quite a learning curve for us here, but we love it. The US can learn so much from England. Thank you for the support and the lovely comment! 🤍 Jess
I hope that you used the US gallon for your fuel conversion as the UK gallon is substantially larger. The US gallon is around3.8 litres while the UK gallon is 4.6L With resect to eleectricity the 'Power' is a combination of Voltage and current (A) it is the total that counts, if you have a lower voltage you'll need a higher current to do the same job . It's not the Voltage that kills, I've often had an electric shock from the ignition system when working on my car and that runs at 12,000 to 15,000 volts but very loww current so jou just get a sudden tingle which is a bit painful but not dangerous (unless you have a pacemaker)
Glad you are enjoying the difference. On driving, many Brits go to France and other countries where they drive on your side of the road. We get used to it after half an hour. Admittedly it's a bit scary at first, but there's more worry than difficulty.
Peter, thanks, we love it here! I understand that, but I have been to many other countries, but none left side of the road for 22 years driving. So it's quite a learning curve. I'm glad you Brits are so good at learning how to drive in another country so fast. That's fantastic. Me, on the other hand, like many other Americans, it's quite a shock because laws are different. The gear shifts I have to use the opposite hand I'm accustomed to for 22 years. Not that it can be easy, just a learning curve, for sure. Thank you for your comment and for watching the video. 🤍 Jess
Regarding fuel prices, when you think about it theres not much difference. In the US you travel longer distances and usually have larger engines, in the UK most cars are economical and travel less mileage, so it tends to cancel out the price at pump difference.
DomingoDeSantaClara, I get that because we have more space in the US. Things are spread out, unfortunately. I love being within walking distance from a store or pub very convenient. Thank you for your time watching and leaving a comment. 🤍 Jess
I totally agree with you guys regarding the trains i went to America on holiday once with my parents and we were travelling from Niagara Falls by train and I can’t quite remember where we were heading to but I do remember the train being quite slow and I remember at one point the train completely stopped near a bridge and we were sat on the train for probably over half an hour I Can’t quite remember but I know it was a very long time and we were thinking what the hell is going on. When I went to New York and this is probably just something that New York City does and that is dog play areas a bit like children’s play ground and you saw people meeting up and their dogs would be playing in these mini playgrounds. It may have something to do with not many places for dogs to go, but it was interesting.
Friend, trains are crazy long in the US. Most dogs are not allowed to be most places in the US unfortunately. Also they have to be on a lead at all time when not in their yard. It's wild for me as a dog owner they're family. They're called dog parks in the US. Thanks for the story! 🤍 Jess
As a British person that has lived in the states for 10 years this video has got me quite excited about my first trip to the Upper Peninsula, Michigan in August!
Sidewinder, Fantastic! Where are you going to be visiting if you don't mind me asking? I hope you have a lovely time and everyone is kind on your adventure. 🤍 Jess
@@DaydreamersBarn 5 nights in Marquette, flying to the city itself in late August, looks like there is plenty to see and do around there. Thank you. Enjoy the UK.
"Cats Eyes" are the names for the reflective pods in the road lanes. Mainly motorways but some smaller roads too. Welcome and glad you've found some things you like (and don't - fuel prices - we are all in agreement!!)
Glad you're enjoying being in the UK. It's always a great pleasure to visit the States and enjoy the warm welcome Americans bestow upon us, so it's a privilege to be able to return some hospitality :-)
I'm so glad you enjoy the US. Our countries are so different but so wonderful and welcoming! I'm so glad you enjoyed the video and left this fabulous comment. 🤍 Jess
Nice to know you're enjoying your time here in the UK, and thanks for the positive feedback. I also acknowledge what you're too polite to say - there are plenty of negatives too. I have had the same experience in the US, where there were lots of things I liked which we don't have in the UK, and some things not so good. Like you, I didn't mention those!
Hi guy's it's happy to no that you enjoyed our lovely country and the positive kind words, as for another person here saying about the cost of gas and electricity it's the same in every country across the world it's not just the UK or the EU.
Sean, that is correct prices are going up acrossthe globe. The price we're paying here in the UK is significantly more than we paid in the US, even in the hot months with an aircon full blast. That is what we're referring to. Thanks for the comment and for watching. 🤍 Jess
Your video popped up in my YT recommendations. You two come across as very courteous, thoughtful, decent people. Interesting comments too. I visited the USA several times every year during the '90s. Then lived and worked there (MA, TX, then MA) for part of the 2000s. This may seem like a weird suggestion, but I'll recommend visiting Europe. It's on your door step. Outside the summer holiday season, travel becomes more affordable. A train ride through the channel tunnel to Paris, Brussels or Amsterdam might be an experience. You might even take your car. Flights, booked well in advance or last minute can be very reasonable (beware of Ryanair, who charge for extras in flight). Like the US, staying a Saturday night usually reduces ticket prices down from inflated weekday business travel prices. A small suggestion, which you might already know. However, you might be accustomed to Air Conditioning, and not tried it before. If your house doesn't have them, you might consider getting thermal curtains (drapes). They have obvious value in the winter, keeping heat in. However, if you want to keep bedrooms cooler on hot days through the summer, you might close the curtains (drapes) during the day. It looks a bit gloomy, but hopefully not an issue through week days. Closing heavy thermal curtains (drapes) during the day will reduce the temperature of a room by nightfall. Maybe Initially try on one bedroom if it's south facing. A rough guide is 1kW per square yard per hour of sunlight. So large windows could easily allow 16kW hours of heat to build up in a room through the day. (Imagine a 2kW heater blasting into a room for 8 hours.) Just some thoughts. Best Wishes. ☮ PS - I forgot to press "Save" on this one, so my comments will arrive out of order.
Hello friend! Thank you for all the lovely suggestions. It is very kind of you to take the time to give such great recommendations. Hope you have a fantastic week. 🤍 Jess
@@DaydreamersBarn Thank you for replying. I'm just trying to repay some of the help and time Americans lavished on me when I lived and worked in the USA. You might want to look out for festivals over the summer, for example Cambridge Folk Festival. There are many much more modest events. "Bonfire night" on November the 5th might be interesting too. It's also called Guy Fawkes night and "The Gunpowder Plot". After 1776, celebrating it petered out in your country. 😀 Essentially, a bunch of Catholic conspirators tried to blow up Parliament and the Protestant King. They planned to install their choice of King. Guy Fawkes was the 'trigger man' who was caught preparing to light the fuse. There are many Fireworks displays and bonfires across the UK, even in peoples gardens. It might make an interesting video. Many Brits forget we had a revolution, and lots of political chicanery, well before 1776. Guy Fawkes night is one of the few universally remembered and celebrated. Take care. Best Wishes. ☮
Being originally from London,but having lived in the U.S for 23 yrs,of course there's many,many differences!.And one thing has to be factured in each State basically is run like a separate Country! U have State Laws,which vary from State to State and of course u have Federal Laws..So in essence these are like different Worlds! So when u travel,u have to learn to adapt,some people manage it,others not so well!
Jerry, yes, each state has it own government state laws, and we all have federal laws in the US. So, on the US base, we still have to follow our federal laws and the UK government laws here. I completely understand fully. When traveling, we do our best to research laws that will impact us. It is always a good practice to know where you're going and the laws you need to follow. Thank you for your comment and for watching our video. 🤍 Jess
Oh, you're so kind, my sweet friend! We just love it here. We will be making another video with more things we love or find better here in the UK. It's such a blessing to get to call this home for a while. 🤍 Jess
That second ? should have been a ! 😂 Glad you're enjoying it here, make sure to take a trip to the lake district if you get chance. If you need a Manchester guide let me know. Enjoy the rest of your trip. Looking forward to more videos x
Will definitely! Thank you for your kindness. Would love to make it up to Manchester very soon. We're going to travel as much as we can we just love it here. 🤍 Jess
Our fuel prices are high and that is mostly due to tax. But I think its kind of seen as a general money raising tax because broadly speaking transport applies to all goods and all people, so if it wasn't on fuel they would just get it some other way 😀
The reason petrol and diesel prices are far higher here is because we try to get people out of cars and its why we have a pretty good public transport systems. Having said that mileages are far higher in the USA so the volumes of 'gas' are higher and therefore the tax per gallon can be lower. Basically you cannot live without a car in the USA but here we are not so tied.
Very true! The US is much larger. I love how small this island is and with everything so close for convenience. I believe it's fantastic to cut down on the need for cars, but unfortunately, it wouldn't work as well for the US with so much land from one city to the next. The US does have public transportation, trains, and buses. It would take longer than just doing the driving ourselves. Thank you for the lovely insight. 🤍 Jess
I don't view a car as something that one is tied to, it gives one the freedom to go where one wants when one wants. Public transit does not. In some parts of the USA one can live without a car such as New York City. It does make it tough, though, if one wants to go upstate or what have you. It is also problematic if one lives in the states west of Iowa. The population is so sparse that there is no way to support mass transit. You did hit on it about the high mileages. The USA alone is about as big as the continent of Europe, and Mexico and Canada are not small countries either. There are 11 states, taken separately, that are bigger than the UK. There are two adjacent counties in California that are about as big as Scotland. Using tax policy to influence behavior (such as getting people out of cars) is not a proper thing for government to be doing. Sadly, we do more than enough of that here in the USA as well. Taxes should not be used to influence behavior.
I always find it interesting listening to Americans speak about their experiences of UK life as someone who over the years has travelled extensively in the US in fact the only places States not visited are Alaska, Hawaii and the protectorate of Puerto Rico. The thing that always bugs me in the US is your grocery stores is the large range of the same item on offer it's too larger a choice I usually walk away not getting what I went for as the selection is overwhelming..
Tommy, I agree! You go in for one thing and leave with way too much and miss what you went in for. I get it fully. Thank you for your comment and for watching the video. 🤍 Jess
Welcome to the UK. You'll find a few things you're not used to or familiar with, but you'll be fine. Here on UA-cam there is a lady from the US, - Amanda Rae - who moved to the UK ten years ago, when she married a British guy. She has had 2 children here, and she now considers Britain her home. She has also developed a taste for some of the foods we have here, and are not available in the US. Maybe you'll meet her here on UA-cam? I think you'll fit in just fine..... If you're here for 3 years, try to take in the Highlands of Scotland, the Lake District in Northern England, North Yorkshire, and Devon and Cornwall......
I will look them up! Thank you for sharing. I love it here and will be sad to leave in 2025. Thank you so much for the support and for watching our video. 🤍 Jess
The US has always had really cheap Petrol (Gas) prices compared to Europe. It's only since our recent 'energy crisis' thanks mainly to the war in Ukraine that our Natural Gas and Electricity prices have become exorbitant. Prior to this I was paying £90 per month for gas and electric - now that has pretty much trebled!
If you go to Mercia/ Costa Blanca (in Spain) where they drive on the right, like Americans, they started installing roundabouts in the early 2000s. Not sure if locals were happy with this, though.
I like how you mention the sales tax and how you need to add on the tax yourself to figure out what you have to pay at the till ..Strangely that does happen in the UK by an American company called Snap on lol..So just like in the US their brochure shows the price they charge and then they add on the tax once you buy it...
It is because Snap-on is not regarded as a retailer selling to consumers, but rather dealing primarily with tradespeople who would be claiming back any VAT they pay. It is the same with any company selling mainly to businesses.
@@grahvis I can claim the tax back on tools from Halfords for example ,but the price they show includes TAX .so there is no reason Snap on can not do the same ..They show a price of £100 for example then all of a sudden it is £120 ,There is no reason what soever why they can not show the price including VAT ..as i can claim the tax back no matter who i buy a tool from..Snap on are just doing it the american way ...When i was in the army i could claim the tax back on boot polish ,starch etc ,but the NAAFI didn't show the price minus tax ,they showed it with the tax
@@norb0254 . The Price Marking Order 2004 is consumer protection legislation, and so only applies to consumer contracts. A company which primarily trades with businesses is not affected by such legislation other than if they do sometimes sell to consumers, they are required to show VAT will be charged at whatever rate is applicable. Halfords sells primarily to consumers and so have to comply with all consumer protection legislation and thus include VAT. I manufactured items for sale to businesses for years and did not include VAT in my prices.
@@grahvis To be honest i was just replying to an american couple to say that an american company uses the same methods in the UK as they do In the US ....That was al l..why they do it ,i don't really care ,consumer rights i don't really care ..it is an american company who operates in the uk the same way it does in america..I don't know of other companies from america who operate that way here
Pull cord switches are common here in the USA on ceiling fans but that is normally all. Once in a while you'll see a pull cord switch on a light socket in a closet.
I'm surprised you mentioned kind and courteous drivers. Frankly, most people think there has been a marked decline in driving standards in the UK over the last 10 or 15 years.
Del Boy, Comparatively speaking, from what I dealt with in the United States. The UK is a lot more courteous when driving hands down. If that was a battle of who does it best, the UK would win in my book. Thanks for watching and leaving a comment. 🤍 Jess
I've been in the UK almost 20 years and, comparing my US driving experience to here, UK drivers are terrible! 😂 Not courteous, half of them don't use turn signals, they rarely let you out or let you cross a road. I've never seen a UK driver pull over to help someone, but have experienced it stateside more than once. Maybe things have changed there, too (I haven't been there in over a decade), but that's been my experience.
Agree with you both! Our bathrooms in the US are horrible. In the US, we need unisex or one person restrooms would fix all the craziness. Well, at least the bathroom part.. lol
Courtesy is a world language. Many years ago my friend was driving through Hammersmith in London when we approached a small roundabout. A car already on the roundabout which of course had right of way, instead stopped on the roundabout at our junction where we were waved on by a grinning Richard Gere.
I agree! Courtesy in the US is found in lot more in the small towns, but in big Cities its lost for the most part, unfortunately. I love how courtes everyone here is while driving. Thanks for watching! 🤍 Jess
Here in the USA, when I am on a round about, provided I can do so and give others sufficient stopping time, I stop if a big rig is attempting to enter. It can be difficult for them, and many truck drivers are not overly fond of them. In a car, though, they are great to navigate. They are superior to traffic lights and four way stops in my opinion even though they come at a cost of taking up more space.
Loved this! I agree with the gas prices, while i haven't been to the UK in a very long time, they're still very expensive. Thank you for making this video! It was very enjoyable to watch.
Fuel prices generally are similar to the UK across western Europe. What you wont find in the UK, apart from a short section near Birmingham, are any toll roads so there's savings there. The tax on fuel goes towards things like the free at point of use National Health Service (NHS).
Thank you so much! Where do you currently live? I'm glad you enjoyed the video it means the world to us that we have such amazing supporters! You Rock!! Always Jess
Interesting that as a Brit alot of things I take for granted and think nothing of, seem to be very good which is pleasing to learn. The only one I`d question is `courteous driver`....I live near London and we don`r have those lol. Keep enjoying
Tommy, I'm so glad you enjoyed our video. We don't drive into London very often. So I understand where you're coming from. It's like driving in LA or Atlanta. That's a big nope for me. Thank you for watching and leaving a comment. 🤍 Jess
I would say that when you're driving you should use your indicators (turn signals) in all situations. Sadly too many motorists in the UK don't bother signalling their intentions and expect you to be a mind reader and know what they intend doing - especially at roundabouts. Never let it be able to be said that you never let other drivers know what you intended.
Chris, you're correct. Always use indicators while driving. Thanks for the insight and information. Thank you for the comment and for watching our video. 🤍 Jess
There are currently 880 comments on here and you have taken the time to reply to everyone…that’s a lovely thing to do.
Very insightful and interesting thanks
I really do try my best to respond. I'm working at getting all caught up this weekend. I truly appreciate your time watching and leaving us this comment. Cheers 🤍 Jess x
You are very kind in all your comments. It is so nice to hear positive comments on the UK. I hope you continue to have a very positive experience here.
Oh, we love it here. We will have a new video with culture shocks coming up. It's been such a wonderful time here and making great friends and memories that will last a lifetime. Thank you for the lovely comment! 🤍 Jesa
it's so easy to get used to slagging off the country (britain) isn it..
so it is nice to hear
thankyou
Welcome to the UK, its great to have such nice-seeming people here
Well, thank you, Tom! It's so lovely to have fantastic friends like you all leaving kind comments! 🤍 Jess
Mass immigration & illegals terrorism migrant criminals & free loaders
Yes, you are genuinely really welcome here! Wishing you a happy stay. Great channel too!
Not nice "seeming", just nice!
Please look at local at the local organisations like the WI or other regular groups.
It is good to know that you are liking your life in the UK.
Archie,
I love it here and look forward to exploring even more. Thanks for watching and leaving a comment. 🤍 Jess
Just saw your vid. Welcome TSgt. I was at Lakenheath for several years, went back to the states and decided to come back for good. Once you get out more and clear the conditioned American mind you'll see the many pros we can implement back home...mainly work to live not live to work. Enjoy👍🏾
We love it here and call this our home away from home. Thank you for your comment and support. 🤍 Jess & Chris
Lakenheath is near me I’m in Norwich 👍🏻
I think you are the first American couple who appreciate roundabouts.😂
Marie-Elaine, they just make so much sense. I have no clue why the US wouldn't use them more often. England is just doing it right!
Thank you for watching and leaving a comment. 🤍 Jess
@@DaydreamersBarn I saw a UA-cam video where it said that Roundabouts did not catch on Stateside because they used a different system to ours, which was more complicated and so it was not popular but if they had used Roundabouts like we do, then it , probably, would have seemed attractive.
Remember that a British gallon is larger than a US gallon when comparing prices.
@@ivandavies1388 Ironically a US Gallon Hat is bigger than the British equivalent...........:)
Oregon is introducing roundabouts to save power.
Hi, my uncle is a British naturalised American, my U.S. cousins in their 50s in age now. One thing that completely jaw dropped, and astonished them was the history on their 'doorstep' when visiting the UK. Here in Hertfordshire, 30 miles north of central London, there are 1000+ years old still active churches within 10 minutes drive into the countryside. Worth researching where you are.
Best wishes
Jason, it's very true that the history here is just fantastic to learn. Thank you so much for the fantastic recommendation and the story of your family. Thank you for sharing and watching the video. 🤍 Jess
Seems like there's a castle ruin on every street corner 😂 I love our history, there's so much to learn! I'm from Derby, which is a small city, but is jam packed full of history.
One difference I notice is that I havnt seen a moustache on a man under 50 since the 1990s . My grandpa had a moustache all his life but he was in the RAF.
Oh, Chris rocks that mustache well, right?? Thanks for the comment. It made me smile. 🤍 Jess
I am moving to England, next year. The States, are so bad here. I have cousin's who were born and raised in London. I have some friends in all of The UK.
Good for you, try going up north as well.
Bee Apple, sorry the US has been so bad. Hopefully, you can make the most of the time you have left in the US before moving to the UK. Thank you for your comment and for watching the video. 🤍 Jess
You must be off your bonnet marra. I'm English. At least the yanks have some back bone left
600'000 into the UK last year!
You will be welcomed in he UK , I hope that things work out for you. Be careful with traffic lights, we don’t turn left on a red light, you have to wait until you get the green light, sometimes there’s a filter lights to turn when the light goes green
What a lovely couple - and such great 'ambassadors' for their country. Americans like this are ALWAYS welcome here: they're 'family', after all!😉😉😉
Thanks for the kind words. We do our best, glad we can be considered great 'ambassadors' it means a lot. Thanks for watching and commenting. Cheers Chris and Jess.
Travelling to other countries/ cultures is the best education to realise there is more love than hate between different nationalities…. What a wonderful advert you 2 make of most Americans.. respect from 🇬🇧
Thank you so much. We're loving this adventure for sure. Loved read your comment. 🤍 Jess
What delightful people you are. I hope you have the most wonderful time while you're here.
Thank you so much for your kindness and for watching the video! 🤍 Jess
Welcome to the UK. My husband is ex military and we retired here in the UK. We found food, especially fresh food more expensive in the USA. Wait until you explore the rest of the UK, you will see how beautiful it is. Figure you are in Suffolk, enjoy the area. Ely is nice, Cambridge and Biry St Edmunds.
M T, we love this beautiful island! I am looking forward to exploring even more. There is so much to see, and I feel like our time is not long enough.
We're located in Norfolk and love it!
Thanks for the support and lovely comment! 🤍 Jess
Sad thing is since we’ve left the EU our conservative government want to adopt US food standards, lowering our standards, quality and health, sad times
@@0KiteEatingTree0that was the left/remoaners scare mongering.
I have viisted the USA 14 times,been to 23 states.I find Americans way more laid back than people here in the UK.Amazing country.Your theme parks are the best ever.
I agree that theme parks are top-notch in the US!! Some places I agree are laid back in the US, like the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. Cheers 🤍 Jess
Glad you are enjoying your time in the U.K. ❤
Us too! Thanks for watching and leaving a comment, friend. 🤍 Jess
I drive 650 miles north to south and the back again at least once a year and the behaviour of other drivers is mostly excellent. Once you realise other drivers are your teammates it works so well.
Don, I agree. It's such a lovely drive experience here. Such a pleasure. Thanks for watching and leaving a comment. 🤍 Jess
You 'enjoyed' the traffic lights!!! Bloody hell, you're easy to please! :)
Ha! This made me laugh.
Edward, I guess I am. 😉 There is not much I don't love about England, Scotland, and the UK as a whole. Thank you for your comment and for watching the video. 🤍 Jess
What a lovely film. I suddenly realise its not such a bad place ! I do think British plugs and sockets are the best. Nice and secure and stable. Great that you are enjoying your stay. You are very charming people.
Thank you for watching and leaving a comment. Cheers 🤍 Jess
Petrol prices are crazy in the UK, as well as Gas and Electricity. As for pets (dogs) you will find that most places accept dogs, we're an animal loving Country. You're pretty spot on with your views.
Petrol prices here are pretty typical actually. It's more that America prices are ridiculously cheap
But people in the US typically spend more on fuel as they are forced to drive further
@@charlesunderwood6334 infrastructure in the US is designed so that you have to have a car
I saw something that showed basically the scale between the amount petrol costs in the US vs the UK is almost exactly the same as the difference in road miles that people have to drive to do the regular stuff of life, work, shop etc.
@@djohnson6585 I know- stayed with someone in Chicago recently and was surprised that even local shops didn't exist
It's great that you're enjoying yourself and like so much about being here. Never be afraid to do the opposite though and tell us what you miss. 😀
That's a fantastic idea!! Got that added to my diary of ideas. If we do it, I will give you a shout-out! 🤍 Jess
One other thing, our 3 pin outlets wall sockets have switches. The earth pin is longer normally because it pushes up 2 little internal live and neutral outlet protectors to stop children inserting things into these more dangerous outlet holes. Enjoy your time in the U.K. My eldest son is a maths professor in Austin TX - he says that the standard of driving and basic car roadworthiness is terrible, but he’s married to a USA wife and has a good job in TX. He loves it there. Hates the health system but loves the enormous variety of choices that people have in the supermarkets.
Every place has it's advantages and disadvantages. Glad he looks for the positive
If you don't like switched sockets in the UK then you can always get unswitched ones...
My first time in the US was in 1982. When chatting to a guy onan internal flight he asked me about how big the UK was. I told him 'about 900 miles from each extreme North to South' he said "Oh, I can go and do that all in three days maybe four." I couldn't make him understand he could spend a week in any location and not see t all.
I agree. Even in our 3 years here, we will not see all that I want to see, unfortunately. Sad people have a hard time understanding. Thank you for your comments and for watching our video. 🤍 Jess
Really interesting to hear your views about UK but also what you have to tell us about US. Fascinating.
Thank you for the lovely idea! Will add that to our the list of videos coming up. I'm glad you enjoyed it, and thanks for watching. 🤍 Jess
It's nice that you have been made welcome here. Thank you for your kind comments in return. We have our problems, of course, but you accentuate the positives and it's great to hear that you are happy here.
100%, it's been like a nice feeling! We have truly enjoyed this beautiful country and will continue to. Thank you so much for your comment and for watching our video. 🤍 Jess & Chris x
I really enjoyed this video. As a Brit, it's funny to hear these things that actually a lot of us take for granted! I love that you touched on the fresh, healthy food because that is for sure something that should be standard everywhere.
In regards to the energy prices, I'm sure you've seen the outrage at them and it's an unfortunate time because they really are not 'normal' at the moment, like 300% higher is ridiculous. They will come back down eventually. I hope!
So glad to see a lot of positivity and you both did great! Liked and subbed easily :)
Thank you, friend! I'm so glad you found us and enjoyed watching. That makes my heart so happy.
We love it here and call this home away from home. 🤍 Jess
Absolute pleasure listening too your observations.All the best from Ironbridge, Shropshire.....you should come here ...tea is on me 👍
Mark, thank you, friend! It would be awesome to explore Ironbridge, Shorpshire. 🤍 Jess
As a young brit dealing and watching the cost of living seeing these perspectives is really refreshing. Really lovely video from both of you and very interesting
RiriTokisaki, I'm glad you enjoyed it! I hope you have a lovely week. Hopefully, you stick around and enjoy more of our channel and videos. 🤍 Jess
This is true
I’m really glad you’ve enjoyed your time here. The UK like most countries has its problems but there are also a lot of good things that I think us Brits often don’t realise and take for granted.
Thank you so much. I completely understand. We are so blessed to have this option to call this slice of heaven home. Thank you so much for your comment and for watching the video. Cheers 🤍 Jess x
Nice to hear your comments. (PS 220 volts isn't wrong - it's not consistently 240). Thanks for diplomatically leaving out the things you don't like here. (We know we're far from perfect). Enjoy the rest of your stay.
ColdWater
I have truly enjoyed learning so much. I love loads more, but I didn't want it to be an hour long video. Chris wouldn't have it. LoL
I will be doing a video of things I miss about the US soon and adding more things I love about the UK. Thanks for watching and leaving a comment, my friend. 🤍 Jess
Good video. Thank you for the nice things you have to say about our weird old country. I hope you do well with your channel, and look forward to more of your stuff.
Archenemy GMB,
Thank you. I just love it here! Everyone is so lovely. It's one of my favorite places I have lived. I have very lived all over and visited many places.
Thank you for the support on the channel. It means so much to me! 🤍 Jess
Just stumbled across your channel. Some great insights in this video and I'm very happy to see you are enjoying your time in the UK. I look forward to binging your other videos very soon! Love and peace from Devon in the south-west. :)
Blue Cheese, I'm thankful you stumbled into our channel. Welcome, friend! Hopefully, you enjoy all our content and look forward to reading all your comments! 🤍 Jess
I love your UA-cam handle and I love cheese! Also, love Devon... as I say "Devon is Heaven". We live in Gloucestershire, but love to visit!!
I'm glad you think that we British drivers are courteous - we seem far less so since I learnt to drive in 1973!
I definitely do with what I'm comparing it to with what I'm used to in the US. Thank you for the comment. 🤍 Jess
Depends where you are in the Uk, you know what i mean.
more cars on the road now its easy to lose it! I'm only a passenger and I get barshit crazy
@@flybobbie1449 If you know, you know ;-)
Great video 👍 Glad your experience is positive and hope you enjoy more of the UK.
One of the take aways for you guys is how energy aware in everyday life you have become and will put into your future home updates 😊
Sean,
I love it here, and everyone here has been so kind and lovely to me. We're learning so much for our English pals. You all are just the best! Thank you for the lovely comment and for watching our channel. Hopefully, you stick around and enjoy our videos. 🤍 Jess
🤍 Jess
welcome our friends from the USA. we respect you more than you know. all the best good luck and enjoy being in your new place of life. respect.
Well, thank you, friend! We love it here and look forward to exploring even more of what the UK has to offer. Thanks for all the support! 🤍 Jess
Consider getting an EV, if you are able to charge the vehicle at home.
It costs £5 to fill an EV tank from the home charger. It costs £60 to fill your car with petrol. Both will have the same 300 mile range!
The UK is a very green country, lots of vegetation, which requires a lot of rain....lol.
The Temperature swings are not as severe as the US but the high latitudes mean the length of day varies quite a bit.
Thank you for the insight. Cheers 🤍 Jess x
I loved the slight awkwardness throughout - perfectly suited to the UK! Shame you're going to be leaving us.
The Groove Tube,
Thank you. I'm so glad you enjoyed our awkwardness. I'm more of the talkative one working on getting Chris comfortable in front of the camera. We're a work in production and love the support for all you love people! Thanks for the comment and for watching the video. 🤍 Jess
I shall drag them back.......if they listen to CURE...... l trust them..,.......Caroline/will...........xx
Be wary of rich, spoilt Americans........l am!
Hi Jess, Chris, Shane and Collette. I’ve just recently found you on YT and have been working my way through your video stories, which are extremely good and the fact that you reply to each and every comment is amazing and very courteous…it must seem like a full time job. I still have many to see yet and looking forward to them
all. So very happy to know that you are enjoying your time here in the UK and you are all a welcome addition. This is the first time I have commented and I just wanted to say, whatever you do, don’t leave a British appliance unplugged on the floor with the plug’s 3 prongs facing up..if you step on one barefooted or just in your socks you will experience pain like never before! Trust me, I know! 😂
Paul.
P.S. I love your country too and have visited over the years around 16 times, I’m lucky to have American friends in Boston, NYC, Melbourne Fla, and New Hope PA.
Thank you so much for your kindness, and we absolutely love exploring this beautiful country! We hope you continue to enjoy all of our adventures. It's such a wonderful experience to learn and appreciate and to show our kids how great our world is. We have been welcomed with open arms and so much love. We hope you have a lovely day! Cheers 🤍 Jess & family x
Great comparison. The only thing I don't recognise is the pull cord to switch off all the lights together. That's an unusual feature in my experience, handy though!
It's very handy, but understand it's not common in most homes. Thank you for your comment and for watching the video. 🤍 Jess
What a lovely video. Welcome to the U.K. we’re new to your channel. Loved your views on driving, I drove once in Miami! Not gonna lied I was scared to death! We’re looking forward to checking out more of your videos. Cheers 🍻
Hello friends, welcome, and we love your channel!
It's very scary driving in the US compared to here!
Thank you for the support, and I am looking forward to further chats! 🤍 Jess
Glad you are loving your UK experience. Take care.
Thank you. We love the opportunity to live here! 😃 Also, thanks for watching and leaving a lovely comment. 🤍 Jess
your are correct in saying 220volts, the UK has AC so the voltage fluctuates between 220 and 240,the USA has 110v DC it’s much safer to have higher voltage than any voltage delivered in DC
Thank you, my sweet friend! 🤍 Jess
Hi, Guys just got back to the UK after 5 Years of living in the US with my wife and 2 Kids. I just wanted to address the Petrol price issue you raised (Gas Prices 😂😂). You are correct they are expensive here like crazy expensive, however, it's important to bear in mind most people drive in the US on average at least 4 - 5 times as many miles as regular people here do (obviously not including city driving). Also, most Cars in the US are much bigger gas Guzzlers than the UK. I would say depending on what you drive in the US you probably get between 12 and 20 miles per gallon whereas here it's probably more like 25 to 35 miles per gallon on average. Also not sure where in the States you guys are from but in South Florida where we were Food prices are at least 2 sometimes 3 times more than UK. For example, let's take a lower-end store like Walmart for a full trolly (Cart) of food you could probably get a full trolly at says marks and spencers food here for the same price. Also, car insurance prices are crazy there, and usually every 6 months which we were paying $1100 twice a year for Tundra and Explorer so $2200 per year. Here for similer cars here you would be paying approx $900 a year.
You're correct on "average." What I was speaking on was that what we're paying now is extremely higher than what we paid in the United States. We drove 2 cars daily, and the power bill was a lot lower with the aircon running full blast in the summer and heat on full time in North Dakota Winters.
We are driving only one car here currently (due to be not working full time), and our power bill is hardly having it on, but still 2x more than we paid in the US.
Just our observation. Not that it's a bad thing, just something we noted.
The reason the fuel was/is so expensive here is the amount of tax the government puts on the price of fuel.
@@RobG001 Which in turn lets the government pay for a hell of a lot of "stuff" that you would have to pay for yourself in the US.
Don't forget the US gallon is less than the UK gallon, 3.8 ltrs compared to 4.5 ltrs ,so "gas mileage " will be different?
Most Americans I know live off base from USAF based at RAF Mildenhall and RAF Lakenheath. They love the roundabouts and quick pace of traffic. Also the electrical outlets are much safer than US ones. Yes energy prices are high BUT you can switch suppliers for a better deal. For petrol / gas, does go up and down and the government takes 60% in taxes for pertol /gas. Also the UK does have a wide range of places to visit and see within the country including our history and historic places. Enjoy the UK.
Thank you for the lovely comments and input!
I feel more Americans should live off base, in my opinion, to enjoy their time here even more. Thank you for watching the video! 🤍 Jess
I think a year or two ago the prices were not too different, we've just been affected differently by the various things going on
The only foreign country (as a Brit) I have driven in was the USA. This was in Florida some years ago. I found that other drivers were considerate, kept their distance and stuck to the speed limits. I got used to driving on the other side of the road after a couple of days. I saw some roundabouts at Gettysburg which seemed to be working well. Gas prices in the UK include a heavy excise duty plus VAT at 20%, which makes it very expensive. Gas stations make very little on each litre.
Hello friend, thank you for sharing. It's very different when you know it is only for a short while I sopposed. Then it is to stay for years, I guess, and one needs to learn all new road laws.. Hope you enjoyed the video. Thank you for your comment. 🤍 Jess
Here in Florida most of us were New Yorkers at onetime, people tell us that we are Rude. Well we have to many South Americans here and Brazillians that think that there shit don't think. These Brazillians need to go back to their Jungle.
@@DaydreamersBarn that Stink
What a lovely video. As a Brit it was great to hear your thoughts! I'm glad you enjoyed your time here 😃.
Thank you, friend. We look forward to sharing more of the things we learn while here in the UK. 🤍 Jess
You are right about courteous uk drivers. So polite. Let you in when you need to. and when 2 lanes narrow to one lane people move to 1 lane right away instead of using the soon to close lane to the very end then force yourself infront of everyone like we do in the US. Please note we traveled to Belgium right after living 6 weeks in the uk and the drivers in Belgium do not display the courteous characteristics- they are aggressively hostile like in the US.
I completely agree! One thing I will miss once we return to the US in 2025. Thank you, friend! 🤍 Jess
For car fuel costs keep in mind a European diesel car with a full tank should do around 650 miles before refuelling, sometimes even better.
John, very true! Thanks for the comment, friend!
You are very welcome in the UK. I am glad you are enjoying it. It is always nice to get the views of visitors to our country. I expect the lack of AC and small fridges are going to be things that are not so good here compared to back home, but I am sure you have adapted. You should visit Liverpool if you have not already done so. If you are here for a while, and love History, then it may be worth getting a family membership to The National Trust. It gets you into castles and stately homes / gardens without further expense. Anyway, enjoy your stay.
Andrew, thank you, my friend!
I do miss my aircon, but it's ok. Just open a window. I don't mind the fridge here at all. Sometimes, I hate US fridges to large and stuff get pushed to the back. Thank you for your comment and recommendations. Hopefully, you stick around and enjoy more of our channel. 🤍 Jess
According to this page, I am your 1,000th subscriber. And I love the wooden jetski on the wall.........
Woohoo!! Welcome, my friend, and thank you for subscribing to the channel! 🎉 🤍 Jess
Perhaps as a serviceman here you might want to check out, The Battle of Bamber Bridge. An insight into how GIs were treated during WWII in Britain. Also how the Brits told the US Army to shove their rules.
Warren, thanks for the recommendation! We will definitely have to check it out. Thanks for watching and for the great input. 🤍 Jess
To clarify, the locals refused to implement a colour bar and supported black troops against white GIs. They said:
“We like you GIs but we don’t like the white soldiers you brought with you”.
Children can go in pubs but they very often want to play, do somersaults, and round around everywhere.
So, yes, dogs, are more well behaved in pubs.
I sometimes go into a pub just for coffee, as I find the ambience to be on a totally different planet to places like Starducks, AND I can take my coffee into the garden if I want to.
I love the pubs here over the bars in the US! So much more laid back and welcoming.
Just watched your video which I really enjoyed... I was surprised to hear that you both liked roundabouts, because in my experience most Americans develop a cold sweat with the idea of driving around them even after I've explained how to do so...😂
I truly hope that you manage to explore as much as the UK as possible during your deployment here including my part of the UK of Wales...🏴
Enjoy your stay...
Darren, We really like the whole idea about roundabout! Very useful and helpful, and the bigger cities in the US could do with some. Thank you for watching! 🤍 Jess
Very interesting round up, thanks. Glad you're enjoying yourselves in dear old Blighty!❤
Oh, thank you. We love it here! I'm so glad you enjoyed the video. 🤍 Jess
Welcome to the UK , Super Happy when Americans choose our country :) , theres loads of history and culture that are truely amazing :) dating back to the roman times {bath} for example, but just a note on the MOT, there are many shady testers that will fault your car just to get another test fee from you, so chat to some car ppl in ur area find a good one :)
Thank you, friend! We look forward to learning more about the culture and history the more we explore.
I have heard that, so thank you for the advice.
Thank you for your comment and for watching our video. 🤍 Jess
It's great hearing you talk about the small things which are different. Bravo.
I'm so glad you enjoyed it. New video of other differences we have noticed coming out this week! Hopefully, you will enjoy it as well. Thank you for your feedback, my friend. Cheers 🤍 Jess
Hello Jess & Chris,
I’m thoroughly enjoying your vids and now subscribed!
Welcome to the U.K.!
It’s fascinating finding out about your thoughts and experiences here, and I’m very much looking forward to seeing your future adventures!
I come from Dorset on the south coast - I would heartily recommend a visit, particularly during the summer. You can go fossil hunting on the Jurassic Coast, see the most photogenic castle ruin at Corfe Castle, take a trip to a protected wildlife habitat on Brownsea Island, enjoy the wild ponies in the New Forest. All wonderful things to do.
Are you going to try fresh scones with jam and clotted cream? What about a traditional Sunday Roast?
So excited for you and what’s to come!
With kindest regards,
Andy
Andy, thank you, my friend! You paint such a lovely experience in Dorset. We will be planning a trip there. We appreciate and love all the recommendations! My heart is full of joy, and I look forward to all our adventures that wait for us. Thank you for your lovely comment and for supporting our channel. 🤍 Jess
Hi, glad your enjoying your life here. I think you're a great polite family, if you ever consider moving to this country I would find you all very welcome. 😁
Oh, thank you, dear friend! We love calling this slice of heaven home for a while. Will definitely be missed when we have to leave. 🤍 Jess x
Thanks for your service. Assume you are based at Lakenheath/Mildenhall. We visit regularly and love watching all your aircraft. Lovely to hear your positive thoughts about the UK. We have our problems but in general is a great place to live (and to raise a family).
Thank you. Yes, Chris is stationed at RAF Lakenheath. We love exploring this beautiful island. Thank you for your kindness. 🤍 Jess
I heard another American once talking about how 'polite' people are when driving in the UK and his conclusion was that our roads are so narrow, there are so many cars parked in small streets and with all the mini-roundabouts where people have to give way to traffic coming from the right that we can all only get from A to B if we co-operate with each other. Otherwise it would be chaos! I think he had a point.
With cost of petrol, if you look at prices across Europe I think you'll realise it's not so much that it's expensive here but that it's really cheap in the USA.
Bob, that is very true. Thanks for sharing that insight. Is he on UA-cam?
Thank you for your lovely comment! 🤍 Jess
Great you are travelling around the UK so much, I can see you're enjoying yourselves. BTW uk voltage optimum is 230volts.
Have a great time working and living here.
Yes, we're loving our time here exploring. Thank you for letting me know about the voltage. Cheers, my friend. 🤍 Jess
Thank you for your kind words about my country x it’s always nice to hear ❤
We love sharing love for this wonderful country! I have definitely fallen in love with the UK. We love learning for you all. Want to take as much of the UK when we have to return to the US. So I can wake up and look back on such a beautiful place! We appreciate your kindness and support. Cheers 🤍 Jess x
You did it! These videos often get a lot of views, but you can't count on it. I'm happy for you that you've published just a couple days ago and had a huge number of views! Perfect timing to help you get that 1K subs goal... happy early birthday!
I'm an American who has been visiting the UK for 30 years and have spent the last 3 summers living here. I agree with your observations. Love grocery shopping here and love that the food prices are lower but the quality is usually better!
The switches on the outlets are a great idea... it is just a learning curve to remember to switch them on. So annoying to "charge your phone" all night and realise you didn't turn it on! haha
Fun video, y'all! XX Dara
Dara, I really appreciate your kindness! I love it here so much. It was such a great experience. There are so many things I love about England!
Do you live here? My husband and I look forward to enjoying your channel.
Thanks for being so amazing! 🤍 Jess
@@DaydreamersBarn my husband and I live near Dallas Texas in the winter and in Cheltenham Gloucestershire in the summer. He is a dual citizen and I just love being here in England! But also love spending time in the US with our extended family and our friends.💕
When are you due to move back to the states?
@Magenta Otter Travels how wonderful it is to be able to spend time in both places each year. We're not due to go back to the US until 2025. I'm so excited about exploring all of the UK has to offer. 🤍 Jess
@@DaydreamersBarn that's awesome! I know several Americans families in my town who get stationed here for 2-3 years and they always hate to leave. 🇬🇧❤️🇺🇸
Looking forward to seeing your future videos!
@@MagentaOtterTravels thank you for the support! I know it's going to be hard to leave when we have to.
🤍 Jess
The light switch by the bed isn't universal. It part depends on the age of the building and any rewiring that's been done. For example, I only have a light switch by the bedroom door, so I can't turn the light out without walking across the room. You will find that there are more level crossings (railroad crossings) on lines where the 'line speed' or maximum speed is less than 100mph generally speakng. Chris, I've seen the condition of some of the vehicles that some of your compatriots drive. They'd have an 'unfit' ticket and not be allowed on the road unless on a trailer or recovery vehicle if it were here in the UK. I have 'fallen foul' of American traffic lights. I mistook the green for 'ahead only' for the left turn and had to stop and reverse. Fortunately the 'big rig' behind me realised that I'd 'got it wrong' and didn't move! Glad you're enjoying your time here. There is some lovely countryside here in the north east, including the historic Hadrian's Wall from the time of the Roman invasion.
Phillip Penaluna,
Thank you for all the lovely insight and information. Some of the cars on the road in the US are very embarrassing, to say the least. We will definitely be checking that out. I love the amount of history this country has. Thank you for taking the time to watch our video and leave a comment. Hopefully, you will stick around and enjoy more of our videos.
🤍 Jess
The whole outlet design is special and safety orientated. There's a video on this that you might like to have a look at
Terence, I will look into that! Thank you for watching and leaving your recommendation. 🤍 Jess
Great video. My friend in Arizona loved having more than green beans and sweetcorn as vegetables when he was here .
Glad you enjoyed living here in the uk 🇬🇧 👊😃
Thanks, friend! Welcome to the channel 🤍 Jess
@@DaydreamersBarn Jess always welcome in the uk 🇬🇧 ❤️
@Milan Djukic , really appreciate all the kindness! It's been so lovely. Thank you for being so kind and watching the video. 🤍 Jess
There are a lot of shops that will leave water bowls outside so dogs can get a drink .
Pauline, we love that about the UK so much being a dog family. Thank you for your comment and for watching the video. 🤍 Jess
Wow - your video has gone viral! Congratulations 🎉 This was such an interesting and positive video. It was great to hear you say that we Brits are kind to other drivers. We are Brits living in America and it was quite a shock to find out that in the US other drivers wouldn't let you in if you (often) found yourself in the wrong lane, LOL! Oh yes, the public bathrooms in the US with the big gaps - what's that all about?!! 😂 I'm now back in the UK for the summer and I'm always forgetting to press the switch down on the outlet when charging my phone. It's annoying to return to it and realize there's still not charge! We're looking forward to watching more of your videos!🤗❤
Thank you so much! We love creating content for people to enjoy and share our experiences. It's been quite a learning curve for us here, but we love it.
The US can learn so much from England.
Thank you for the support and the lovely comment! 🤍 Jess
I hope that you used the US gallon for your fuel conversion as the UK gallon is substantially larger. The US gallon is around3.8 litres while the UK gallon is 4.6L With resect to eleectricity the 'Power' is a combination of Voltage and current (A) it is the total that counts, if you have a lower voltage you'll need a higher current to do the same job . It's not the Voltage that kills, I've often had an electric shock from the ignition system when working on my car and that runs at 12,000 to 15,000 volts but very loww current so jou just get a sudden tingle which is a bit painful but not dangerous (unless you have a pacemaker)
Thank you for the insight. Cheers 🤍 Jess
Glad you are enjoying the difference. On driving, many Brits go to France and other countries where they drive on your side of the road. We get used to it after half an hour. Admittedly it's a bit scary at first, but there's more worry than difficulty.
Peter, thanks, we love it here! I understand that, but I have been to many other countries, but none left side of the road for 22 years driving. So it's quite a learning curve. I'm glad you Brits are so good at learning how to drive in another country so fast. That's fantastic.
Me, on the other hand, like many other Americans, it's quite a shock because laws are different. The gear shifts I have to use the opposite hand I'm accustomed to for 22 years. Not that it can be easy, just a learning curve, for sure. Thank you for your comment and for watching the video. 🤍 Jess
Not really been 240 Volts for years but 220 is now the norm but it can fluctuate in the evenings but anything between 220 and 240 is ok.
Thank you for the insight, my friend! 🤍 Jess
Regarding fuel prices, when you think about it theres not much difference. In the US you travel longer distances and usually have larger engines, in the UK most cars are economical and travel less mileage, so it tends to cancel out the price at pump difference.
DomingoDeSantaClara,
I get that because we have more space in the US. Things are spread out, unfortunately. I love being within walking distance from a store or pub very convenient. Thank you for your time watching and leaving a comment. 🤍 Jess
I totally agree with you guys regarding the trains i went to America on holiday once with my parents and we were travelling from Niagara Falls by train and I can’t quite remember where we were heading to but I do remember the train being quite slow and I remember at one point the train completely stopped near a bridge and we were sat on the train for probably over half an hour I Can’t quite remember but I know it was a very long time and we were thinking what the hell is going on. When I went to New York and this is probably just something that New York City does and that is dog play areas a bit like children’s play ground and you saw people meeting up and their dogs would be playing in these mini playgrounds. It may have something to do with not many places for dogs to go, but it was interesting.
Friend, trains are crazy long in the US.
Most dogs are not allowed to be most places in the US unfortunately. Also they have to be on a lead at all time when not in their yard. It's wild for me as a dog owner they're family. They're called dog parks in the US.
Thanks for the story! 🤍 Jess
As a British person that has lived in the states for 10 years this video has got me quite excited about my first trip to the Upper Peninsula, Michigan in August!
Sidewinder,
Fantastic! Where are you going to be visiting if you don't mind me asking? I hope you have a lovely time and everyone is kind on your adventure.
🤍 Jess
@@DaydreamersBarn 5 nights in Marquette, flying to the city itself in late August, looks like there is plenty to see and do around there. Thank you. Enjoy the UK.
"Cats Eyes" are the names for the reflective pods in the road lanes. Mainly motorways but some smaller roads too. Welcome and glad you've found some things you like (and don't - fuel prices - we are all in agreement!!)
Thank you for the comment and for watching. Appreciate your time 🤍 Jess x
Glad you're enjoying being in the UK. It's always a great pleasure to visit the States and enjoy the warm welcome Americans bestow upon us, so it's a privilege to be able to return some hospitality :-)
I'm so glad you enjoy the US. Our countries are so different but so wonderful and welcoming! I'm so glad you enjoyed the video and left this fabulous comment. 🤍 Jess
Nice to know you're enjoying your time here in the UK, and thanks for the positive feedback. I also acknowledge what you're too polite to say - there are plenty of negatives too. I have had the same experience in the US, where there were lots of things I liked which we don't have in the UK, and some things not so good. Like you, I didn't mention those!
Thank you so very much. We appreciate you watching our video and leaving us a comment. Cheers 🤍 Jess &Chris
If we could adopt the best bits from each country to each other wouldn’t that be great.
Eddie Boy, I come agree. Thank you for your comment and for watching the video. 🤍 Jess
Hi guy's it's happy to no that you enjoyed our lovely country and the positive kind words, as for another person here saying about the cost of gas and electricity it's the same in every country across the world it's not just the UK or the EU.
Sean, that is correct prices are going up acrossthe globe.
The price we're paying here in the UK is significantly more than we paid in the US, even in the hot months with an aircon full blast. That is what we're referring to. Thanks for the comment and for watching. 🤍 Jess
Your video popped up in my YT recommendations. You two come across as very courteous, thoughtful, decent people. Interesting comments too. I visited the USA several times every year during the '90s. Then lived and worked there (MA, TX, then MA) for part of the 2000s.
This may seem like a weird suggestion, but I'll recommend visiting Europe. It's on your door step. Outside the summer holiday season, travel becomes more affordable. A train ride through the channel tunnel to Paris, Brussels or Amsterdam might be an experience. You might even take your car.
Flights, booked well in advance or last minute can be very reasonable (beware of Ryanair, who charge for extras in flight). Like the US, staying a Saturday night usually reduces ticket prices down from inflated weekday business travel prices.
A small suggestion, which you might already know. However, you might be accustomed to Air Conditioning, and not tried it before. If your house doesn't have them, you might consider getting thermal curtains (drapes). They have obvious value in the winter, keeping heat in. However, if you want to keep bedrooms cooler on hot days through the summer, you might close the curtains (drapes) during the day. It looks a bit gloomy, but hopefully not an issue through week days. Closing heavy thermal curtains (drapes) during the day will reduce the temperature of a room by nightfall. Maybe Initially try on one bedroom if it's south facing. A rough guide is 1kW per square yard per hour of sunlight. So large windows could easily allow 16kW hours of heat to build up in a room through the day. (Imagine a 2kW heater blasting into a room for 8 hours.)
Just some thoughts.
Best Wishes. ☮
PS - I forgot to press "Save" on this one, so my comments will arrive out of order.
Hello friend! Thank you for all the lovely suggestions. It is very kind of you to take the time to give such great recommendations. Hope you have a fantastic week. 🤍 Jess
@@DaydreamersBarn Thank you for replying. I'm just trying to repay some of the help and time Americans lavished on me when I lived and worked in the USA.
You might want to look out for festivals over the summer, for example Cambridge Folk Festival. There are many much more modest events.
"Bonfire night" on November the 5th might be interesting too. It's also called Guy Fawkes night and "The Gunpowder Plot". After 1776, celebrating it petered out in your country. 😀
Essentially, a bunch of Catholic conspirators tried to blow up Parliament and the Protestant King. They planned to install their choice of King. Guy Fawkes was the 'trigger man' who was caught preparing to light the fuse. There are many Fireworks displays and bonfires across the UK, even in peoples gardens. It might make an interesting video.
Many Brits forget we had a revolution, and lots of political chicanery, well before 1776. Guy Fawkes night is one of the few universally remembered and celebrated.
Take care. Best Wishes. ☮
@@DaydreamersBarn Sorry, I've just realised you've been in the UK long enough to have seen Guy Fawkes Night aka Bonfire night. Ooops!
Best Wishes. ☮
The flashing of lights isn’t actually legal in our Highway Code but most drivers do it
Being originally from London,but having lived in the U.S for 23 yrs,of course there's many,many differences!.And one thing has to be factured in each State basically is run like a separate Country! U have State Laws,which vary from State to State and of course u have Federal Laws..So in essence these are like different Worlds! So when u travel,u have to learn to adapt,some people manage it,others not so well!
Jerry, yes, each state has it own government state laws, and we all have federal laws in the US. So, on the US base, we still have to follow our federal laws and the UK government laws here.
I completely understand fully. When traveling, we do our best to research laws that will impact us. It is always a good practice to know where you're going and the laws you need to follow. Thank you for your comment and for watching our video. 🤍 Jess
*you.
Glad you like the uk always welcome 🇬🇧
I love the UK! Thanks for the kind welcome, my friend. 🤍 Jess
Can we keep you guys in the UK? You both seem lovely?
Thank you for reminding me of some of the good things in this country ❤
Oh, you're so kind, my sweet friend! We just love it here. We will be making another video with more things we love or find better here in the UK. It's such a blessing to get to call this home for a while. 🤍 Jess
That second ? should have been a ! 😂 Glad you're enjoying it here, make sure to take a trip to the lake district if you get chance. If you need a Manchester guide let me know. Enjoy the rest of your trip. Looking forward to more videos x
Will definitely! Thank you for your kindness. Would love to make it up to Manchester very soon.
We're going to travel as much as we can we just love it here. 🤍 Jess
Very insightful, thanks for visiting us!
Thank you. We love it here. Can't wait to continue to explore all the UK has to offer. Thanks for watching and leaving a comment. 🤍 Jess
Our fuel prices are high and that is mostly due to tax. But I think its kind of seen as a general money raising tax because broadly speaking transport applies to all goods and all people, so if it wasn't on fuel they would just get it some other way 😀
Chris, that's true. Thanks for the comment, my friend. 🤍 Jess
The reason petrol and diesel prices are far higher here is because we try to get people out of cars and its why we have a pretty good public transport systems. Having said that mileages are far higher in the USA so the volumes of 'gas' are higher and therefore the tax per gallon can be lower. Basically you cannot live without a car in the USA but here we are not so tied.
Very true! The US is much larger. I love how small this island is and with everything so close for convenience. I believe it's fantastic to cut down on the need for cars, but unfortunately, it wouldn't work as well for the US with so much land from one city to the next. The US does have public transportation, trains, and buses. It would take longer than just doing the driving ourselves. Thank you for the lovely insight. 🤍 Jess
I don't view a car as something that one is tied to, it gives one the freedom to go where one wants when one wants. Public transit does not. In some parts of the USA one can live without a car such as New York City. It does make it tough, though, if one wants to go upstate or what have you. It is also problematic if one lives in the states west of Iowa. The population is so sparse that there is no way to support mass transit.
You did hit on it about the high mileages. The USA alone is about as big as the continent of Europe, and Mexico and Canada are not small countries either. There are 11 states, taken separately, that are bigger than the UK. There are two adjacent counties in California that are about as big as Scotland.
Using tax policy to influence behavior (such as getting people out of cars) is not a proper thing for government to be doing. Sadly, we do more than enough of that here in the USA as well. Taxes should not be used to influence behavior.
I always find it interesting listening to Americans speak about their experiences of UK life as someone who over the years has travelled extensively in the US in fact the only places States not visited are Alaska, Hawaii and the protectorate of Puerto Rico. The thing that always bugs me in the US is your grocery stores is the large range of the same item on offer it's too larger a choice I usually walk away not getting what I went for as the selection is overwhelming..
Tommy, I agree! You go in for one thing and leave with way too much and miss what you went in for. I get it fully. Thank you for your comment and for watching the video. 🤍 Jess
Welcome to the UK. You'll find a few things you're not used to or familiar with, but you'll be fine. Here on UA-cam there is a lady from the US, - Amanda Rae - who moved to the UK ten years ago, when she married a British guy. She has had 2 children here, and she now considers Britain her home. She has also developed a taste for some of the foods we have here, and are not available in the US. Maybe you'll meet her here on UA-cam? I think you'll fit in just fine..... If you're here for 3 years, try to take in the Highlands of Scotland, the Lake District in Northern England, North Yorkshire, and Devon and Cornwall......
I will look them up! Thank you for sharing. I love it here and will be sad to leave in 2025.
Thank you so much for the support and for watching our video. 🤍 Jess
The US has always had really cheap Petrol (Gas) prices compared to Europe. It's only since our recent 'energy crisis' thanks mainly to the war in Ukraine that our Natural Gas and Electricity prices have become exorbitant. Prior to this I was paying £90 per month for gas and electric - now that has pretty much trebled!
Ged,
Yes, I completely understand that. Thank you for your insight and all the information.
Thank you for watching and leaving a comment. 🤍 Jess
If you go to Mercia/ Costa Blanca (in Spain) where they drive on the right, like Americans, they started installing roundabouts in the early 2000s. Not sure if locals were happy with this, though.
I like how you mention the sales tax and how you need to add on the tax yourself to figure out what you have to pay at the till ..Strangely that does happen in the UK by an American company called Snap on lol..So just like in the US their brochure shows the price they charge and then they add on the tax once you buy it...
Oh, how unfortunate! If in the UK they should do as other company do. In my opinion. Thank you for sharing. 🤍 Jess
It is because Snap-on is not regarded as a retailer selling to consumers, but rather dealing primarily with tradespeople who would be claiming back any VAT they pay.
It is the same with any company selling mainly to businesses.
@@grahvis I can claim the tax back on tools from Halfords for example ,but the price they show includes TAX .so there is no reason Snap on can not do the same ..They show a price of £100 for example then all of a sudden it is £120 ,There is no reason what soever why they can not show the price including VAT ..as i can claim the tax back no matter who i buy a tool from..Snap on are just doing it the american way ...When i was in the army i could claim the tax back on boot polish ,starch etc ,but the NAAFI didn't show the price minus tax ,they showed it with the tax
@@norb0254 .
The Price Marking Order 2004 is consumer protection legislation, and so only applies to consumer contracts. A company which primarily trades with businesses is not affected by such legislation other than if they do sometimes sell to consumers, they are required to show VAT will be charged at whatever rate is applicable.
Halfords sells primarily to consumers and so have to comply with all consumer protection legislation and thus include VAT.
I manufactured items for sale to businesses for years and did not include VAT in my prices.
@@grahvis To be honest i was just replying to an american couple to say that an american company uses the same methods in the UK as they do In the US ....That was al l..why they do it ,i don't really care ,consumer rights i don't really care ..it is an american company who operates in the uk the same way it does in america..I don't know of other companies from america who operate that way here
Lovely video guys. Pull cords in bedrooms aren’t the norm in the UK though. More likely to find them in bathrooms. 👍🏼
I'm so glad you enjoyed the video, and thank you for the insight! 🤍 Jess
Pull cord switches are common here in the USA on ceiling fans but that is normally all. Once in a while you'll see a pull cord switch on a light socket in a closet.
I'm surprised you mentioned kind and courteous drivers. Frankly, most people think there has been a marked decline in driving standards in the UK over the last 10 or 15 years.
Del Boy,
Comparatively speaking, from what I dealt with in the United States. The UK is a lot more courteous when driving hands down. If that was a battle of who does it best, the UK would win in my book. Thanks for watching and leaving a comment. 🤍 Jess
I've been in the UK almost 20 years and, comparing my US driving experience to here, UK drivers are terrible! 😂 Not courteous, half of them don't use turn signals, they rarely let you out or let you cross a road. I've never seen a UK driver pull over to help someone, but have experienced it stateside more than once. Maybe things have changed there, too (I haven't been there in over a decade), but that's been my experience.
Gen Z.
Nuff said.
Hi. Welcome to the UK and glad that you are enjoying yourselves. Have Fun 🙂
Thank you! We love exploring your lovely country. Thank you for your time watching and leaving a kind comment. 🤍 Jess
Yes - public bathroom in the US are horrendous. I believe you are the only country that gives you so little privacy.
American bathrooms seem to be the biggest contributory factor in many of today's most toxic debates in the US
Agree with you both! Our bathrooms in the US are horrible. In the US, we need unisex or one person restrooms would fix all the craziness. Well, at least the bathroom part.. lol
Courtesy is a world language. Many years ago my friend was driving through Hammersmith in London when we approached a small roundabout. A car already on the roundabout which of course had right of way, instead stopped on the roundabout at our junction where we were waved on by a grinning Richard Gere.
I agree! Courtesy in the US is found in lot more in the small towns, but in big Cities its lost for the most part, unfortunately. I love how courtes everyone here is while driving. Thanks for watching! 🤍 Jess
Here in the USA, when I am on a round about, provided I can do so and give others sufficient stopping time, I stop if a big rig is attempting to enter. It can be difficult for them, and many truck drivers are not overly fond of them. In a car, though, they are great to navigate. They are superior to traffic lights and four way stops in my opinion even though they come at a cost of taking up more space.
Loved this! I agree with the gas prices, while i haven't been to the UK in a very long time, they're still very expensive. Thank you for making this video! It was very enjoyable to watch.
Fuel prices generally are similar to the UK across western Europe. What you wont find in the UK, apart from a short section near Birmingham, are any toll roads so there's savings there. The tax on fuel goes towards things like the free at point of use National Health Service (NHS).
@@nevillemason6791 Ohh, thank you for this information!
Thank you so much! Where do you currently live?
I'm glad you enjoyed the video it means the world to us that we have such amazing supporters! You Rock!!
Always
Jess
Neville Mason, Thank you for the information. I appreciate the insight!
Always
Jess
Interesting that as a Brit alot of things I take for granted and think nothing of, seem to be very good which is pleasing to learn. The only one I`d question is `courteous driver`....I live near London and we don`r have those lol. Keep enjoying
Tommy, I'm so glad you enjoyed our video. We don't drive into London very often. So I understand where you're coming from. It's like driving in LA or Atlanta. That's a big nope for me.
Thank you for watching and leaving a comment. 🤍 Jess
I would say that when you're driving you should use your indicators (turn signals) in all situations. Sadly too many motorists in the UK don't bother signalling their intentions and expect you to be a mind reader and know what they intend doing - especially at roundabouts. Never let it be able to be said that you never let other drivers know what you intended.
Chris, you're correct. Always use indicators while driving. Thanks for the insight and information. Thank you for the comment and for watching our video. 🤍 Jess