I lived in Vancouver for 4 years and loved it. So, without wishing to derail this very interesting thread (again) I'll briefly explain why I decided to live abroad (i.e., back in the UK).
Basically the lure of the South East was overwhelming. I could never live longterm anywhere else. During a short visit in 84 (the only time I came home in 4 years) it was like summertime in Narnia - the quality of the light, the smell of Brighton sea front, Cuckmere haven, London, the theatres, pubs, unbelievable music, people with opinions they didn't mind sharing, the humour, the spirit. There was no way I wasn't going to come home (2 years later). I have had quite a torrid subsequent 33 years in many respects, but I have no regrets. None.
I had a recurring dream in the late 80s of flying (like a bird) over Rottingdene (where I grew up for the first 5 lears of my life) with people waving blue and white FA cup banners....the FA cup season I missed....and not being able to reach land....nightmare....the smells of the sea side. Horrible dream. After I bought the house in which I still live, in Faversham, the nightmare stopped. The Albion got better briefly, then very worse, but the football and my life eventually got better (I got divorced and had debts, and a shit poor work-life balance till around 96). Then there was Gillingham....Withdean....better food, better lifestyle, better relationships....all the while the local countryside and beaches always kept me smiling. And the people. Plenty of *****, but so many lovely people.
Being in Vancouver for 4 years made me feel a foreigner in my own land when I came back. For years. But I quite liked that, weirdly. I still feel a bit out of kilter. It's quite....ennervating.
Vancouver is stunning, though.
Gotta say, Maui is a spectacular place and the pace of life is well mellow. It's addictive. Lucky we live aloha, my braddahs.
During our Division 2 promotion season and after working at the UoS (and as bartend at K&Q and Brunswick Arms) I got a post at Columbia Uni in NYC. Spent 10 years on the Manhattan's Upper West Side before a planned trip permanently back to Brighton in 1988. This trip involved trekking through Mexico and South America first. After 3 weeks in Mexico I decided to make a side trip to Santa Fe, New Mexico to visit a girlfriend who was working at Coyote Cafe. Three days in I met the chef-owner there who needed an editor/co-author for his first cookbook. He also hired me as his AGM and one thing led to another -- by word of mouth I co-authored books with his celeb chef mates and 25 books later I moved to Hawaii (1998).
By this time I was working with two chefs in Hawaii and I wanted to raise my newly adopted kids here. They say the quality of life here is OK, and for sure it's a great place to raise multi-racial kids as Hawaii is a melting-pot historically. Now I've lived here 20 years, all the while following the ups and downs of our unique club, traveling back to see the occasional game -- sometimes in the erudite company of Harry Wislon's Tackle (funnily enough, HW was one of my fave players in the mid 70s).
Remarried last year, with the late-season Burnley away game as a honeymoon treat (Day 1) for the new 'Murrican Missus. Amazingly, we're still married. Day 3 of the honeymoon was spent taking the Amex tour and that's what hooked Mrs. KLS for life. We are able to watch the lads on NBC and our game highlights on NBCSN; she often drowns out the commentary with her chirrupy and quite adorable chanting. My roots are now here -- I've worked the Maui Economic Development Board for 10 years and I've had my real estate license for 18 years. We'll be back to visit often but I can't see moving away from paradise. Gotta say, Maui is a spectacular place and the pace of life is well mellow. It's addictive. Lucky we live aloha, my braddahs.
