War Memorial Moved for new trams in Edinburgh

So Many People have been moaning about the new Edinburgh trams and although I do not live in Edinburgh anymore and I am not inconvenienced about it, I think that its a great idea and a worthwhile project. People need to accept a little inconvenience in the name of progress, no?

Work is due to begin later to remove a famous Edinburgh landmark to make way for work on the city's tram network.

The Heart of Midlothian Memorial Monument will be removed from the busy Haymarket junction and put in to storage for the next two years.

BBC NEWS | UK | Scotland | Edinburgh, East and Fife | War memorial moves for tram works

Moving Back to Scotland from New Zealand

I left Scotland in 2002 when I met my other (Canadian) half. We now Live in Auckland, New Zealand.



We love it, but after visiting back home to Scotland twice in the last few years, I find that I miss it and could easily move back.



In a few years time, due to family reasons we probably will move to the northern hemisphere again either to my partners home of Nova Scotia in Canada, or my home of Edinburgh, Scotland.



I was one of those people who always wanted to emigrate and I did. I feel really happy about emigrating and I have amazing adventures to show for it. Once we hit retirement (we are only 30 at the mo) we will probably end up coming back to Aotearoa (NZ)



Is Scotland a good place to move back to? obviously there is the family links and amazing social scene which I have to admit, is far better than anything in NZ or even Australia for that matter. There is the culture, history and festivals which all fall in the correct season for my northern sensibilities (I hate a warm Xmas).



One thing that I discovered after I left Scotland is when there is a show on TV here in NZ about Scotland or even the UK in general is how bloody amazing it looks from the other side of the fence. New Zealand and Australia have the beaches and the warm weather (although don't get me started on NZ winter) and Scotland definitely lacks in consistent blue skies and high temperatures, but what about Scottish Winter?



Winter in Edinburgh is absolutely amazing! having lived through some very hot summers I can tell you, if it has to be cold in winter, I would prefer the nice crisp and clean air that we get in a lovely winters day in Scotland than the wet, uncomfortable winters day in Auckland.



Another thing that looks great from the other side of the fence is the nature and history. NZ has amazing scenery but then so does Scotland. The thing Scotland has in addition to the amazing scenery is the history and stories that go with it. One thing I find it hard to comprehend is that New Zealand is actually slightly larger than the island of Great Britain, but with only 4 million people it seems that even after my initial 6 week tour, I basically saw the majority of the place.



The UK however is somewhere that you could explore for many years and you would still never see it all.



When we move, I will miss New Zealand. Its an easier and perhaps slower pace of life here. People are friendly and the beaches and the weather are amazing. But once upon a time I would have placed weather and exotic isolation near the top of my list on places to go, I guess they have lost the top spot to things like culture and family and the proximity of Europe.



It is an interesting reversal that probably comes with getting older.



So, in a few years time, we will leave NZ to move back to Edinburgh or Nova Scotia and then I will discover if all those things we get nostalgic for are worthwhile or not.



I'd love to hear from anyone who has done this!



Muzzerino

Most Amazing Youtube Video Ever! Danny MacAskill Bike Stunts

This has to be probably the best video I have seen on Youtube so far and if ever Youtube needed a justification for its exsitence, then this video is it. Danny MacAskill performs Incredible gravity defying Bike Stunts, but not the usual MTV kind, this video has a certain grace and art to it that I think anyone will appreciate. Amaing footage, editing and a superb soundtrack by Seattle band, "Band of Horses"

It is an absolute must-see!

it also makes the Fine city of Edinburgh look 'fine!'

Dear Mr Key, NZ house prices are still too high!

In order to stem the flow of Kiwis leaving New Zealand for a better life elsewhere, New Zealand has to actively attract immigrants such as myself from the UK and many other from all over the world, specifically many parts of Asia, Canada and South Africa.

I came to New Zealand as a backpacker in 2003 and got the chance to stay on and gain permanent residency.

New Zealand summers are amazing, the flora and fauna is exotic (compared to UK) and the people are friendly, helpful and overall New Zealand is a very safe country to live in.

There is of course however, no such thing as a free lunch.

New Zealand, like many places does have its "cons" and one of these is the unavoidable fact that NZ has a low wage economy. Jobs in NZ pay far less then their counterparts in other countries such as the UK or Canada and this seems to be generally accepted by many people, because the New Zealand lifestyle is much better and this is what makes up for it.

Or does it?

Yes the Summers are warm and long, eating out is very cheap and petrol costs far less than in the UK, but there is one very important component in the New Zealand lifestyle that remains unattainable for many people including myself.

Owning our own home.

New Zealand house prices, especially those in Auckland are hideously expensive and I have no idea why. Yes many houses in NZ are fully detached, something that people in UK terraced housing can only dream about, but consider this, for approx $350,000 NZD in Auckland you will maybe be able to buy a small 1 or 2 bedroom unit in a decent area. This unit will not be detached (obviously) no central heating or double glazing and may not even have proper insulation.

I am comparing this to two other places that I know very well. Nova Scotia, in Canada and Edinburgh, Scotland. Nova Scotia in particular is also quite a low wage economy and the prices of houses, fuel, food reflect this. Scotland is a high wage economy by comparison and the house prices, fuel, food also reflects it, makes sense.

For $350,000 (approx 131,000 British Pounds or 238,000 Canadian Dollars) you could buy a regular semi detached house in Edinburgh or and incredible 3 bedroom fully detached home in Nova Scotia, Canada both of which will almost always offer solidly built, well insulated and with economic central heating. Take a look at this startling comparison.

New Zealand Average Price in NZD = $405,235
United States Average Price in NZD = $369,839
United Kingdom Average Price in NZD = $347,992
Australia Average Price in NZD = $623,107

I have already ranted on about the need for New Zealand homes to have decent heating and insulation through the NZ winter, see here >>

So, in summary, NZ is exotic to many people, including myself and I love it here, but when it comes to the basics, lets think about it, low wages + high priced housing = more people will be leaving!

John Key, the new Prime Minister of NZ had said throughout his election campaign that the National Party would address the issue of people leaving NZ, I desperately hope that this issue of extortionately prices New Zealand housing will be high up on his list.

(the image is of a fully insulated, double glazed, dry and warm house in Nova Scotia, Canada)

Muzzerino

Scotland - A Shamless Plug

I thought I'd drop a wee plug for Scotland in this post since living in New Zealand I often have to convince people that we dont just sit around in cold houses drinking beer while it rains outside.

I think these Visit Scotland ads are just the ticket for the doubters...

Highlands


Surfing, Boat Rides, Hill Walking, Concerts...

A Perfect Day


Kayaking, Landing a Plane on the Beach, Crabs, Driving, Beaches and Sunsets...

Adventure


Windsurfing, Abseiling, Mountain Biking, Snowboarding, Paragliding, Surfing...

Edinburgh


Check out VisitScotland.com >>

In Wir Ain Leid : A Blog Post in the Scots Language

So ah thought ad bettur write a blog fur yince in ma ain language / Leid an dialect, so here goes.

The spelling in the Scots Leid / Language is still much tae debate aboot so ah make nae apologies fur any o the spelling that ye might disagree wi.

Mah Ain Dialect wid said tae be that o the south o Edinburgh wir ah'm fae (Embra) incase yer wunderin. The map oan the right will tell ye roond aboot where this language is spoken.

Ah Grew up speakin whit ah thought wiz jus "slang" but its turns oot thit mah slang is mair o a dialect than jist some kindae Bastardized version o English. Maist o the time ah wid speak like this tae ma pals when ah wiz wee, but yed aywis git pulled up fur it in school! Mair than likely, ye wouldnae git away wi it when ye wur auld enough tae wurk. Ye could nivur get a joab if ye went intae an interview speakin like this, ken?

Ma Mither and Faither wid have both spokin a bit like this tae when they wur wee, coz they are also frae roon aboot the same place o each ither, that being Edinburgh (Embra)

Ah've bin bloggin for aboot 3 months noo and ahm still trying tae get tae grips wi it. Ah've blogged oan politics, wurld news and various ither hings, an so far ah've managed tae git a guid few hits fae you guid folks oot there on the web, so ta very much fur that.

Mair recently uh've bin bloggin aboot the US Elections, even tho ahm no a yank, ah still find it interestin. Ah've also bin bloggin a guid bit aboot the political situation goin on here in bonny NZ tae, coz oor elections are cumin up soon anaw.

Ah've also written aboot military issues such as thae daft Russians an their huge Warships. Aye, ah've goat a bit o a ship fetish yin could say.

Then yeh've goat the mair abstract subjects thit ah've blogged aboot, likesay the price o Brocolli and "how come were still waitin oan mair Freeview channels in NZ?".

Anither yin that stuck me wis the plight o the brave Gurkhas in Britian, ah hid tae write a few wurds oan that yin, fur its a right injustice!

Then ye've goat yer daft blog posts like the Aussies who blew up "hole in the wa" in Melbourne and then what aboot the blog oan the Kiwi Drivers eh? Ah thought that wiz a guid yin even if ah do say so masel, especially the bit aboot the roondaboots.

What aboot the moon? There wiz a guid few comments oan that yin, especially fae ma blogger pal "Ken", ah still dinnae ken, if Ken got it though. Ken what ah mean?
(Music Monkey will ken though, even through she's a Weegie)

By the way for those o you who dinnae ken, ah've goat two ither Blogs, yin oan Sci Fi and Yin oan Widescreen Wallpaper so away an take a wee look if ye can be bothured.

Well thats aboot it fae me on this, ma inagural "Scots Leid" post, ah hope ye wur able tae decipher it enough tae understand whit ahm sayin.

Bear in mind noo that "Scots" is an Auld language, its a derivative o Auld an Middle English. If yer interested in readin mair aboot the Scots Leid, take a wee look at the links below.

• Dicionar O the Scots Leid
• Scots Online - Pittin the Mither Tongue on the Wab!
• A Braw Airticle oan the Scots Leid @ Wikipedia
  

By Fur noo.