Why doesn't everyone just move abroad? Part 2

One of the best things about being an expat is that often you really do not know much about what is happening in the UK. Is the sitaution really so bad back in Blighty? How is that things have fallen to pieces so quickly? Or has the present crisis been coming for a long while? Although Rishi Sunak seems to be a decent sort of chap and a big improvement on that useless Liz Truss, I suppose that the problems in the UK are just too big and there are so many of them. Oh yes and I heard that all of the driving test examiners are on strike as well. 

My friend Peter sent me a copy of my bank statement. Yes, it does look as though my TPS pension has gone up a bit. Maybe some inflation in the UK is not such a bad thing.  

Certainly here in Bulgaria the health service is NOT falling to bits. Okay, yes, it could be better and some of the hospitals and clinics are a bit shabby, putting it mildly, but really the doctors and the nurses seem to do a good job. Irena and I are still in the process of getting registered with the Bulgarian health system, as it is taking a bit longer than we thought it would. 

While everyone seems to be on strike in the UK, I do not think that anyone is on strike here in Bulgaria. The Bulgarians just don’t do strikes. It is just not part of their culture. Although the Bulgarians might eat some unhealthy salami and sausages, have a cigarette and a black coffee instead of breakfast, drink a lot of rakia (a sort of brandy) and have roads with big potholes, at least they don’t go on strike.  

Our apartment here in Veliko Tarnovo is rather nice, of course, and the new triple-glazed windows have made a big difference. The bad news is that living in VT is staggeringly boring and there is nothing much to do. Yes, we do have some nice walks and I can scribble things on the computer, write yet another email and play NAPOLEON TOTAL WAR for the thousandth time, but really things are pretty blooming dull. In Daveri, there were always things to do, such as preparing firewood or getting rid of the ash, not to mention doing things in my workroom, the building where I store all of my tools. Last winter, I spent ages re-painting all of the wooden cartwheels. We have been having some wonderful weather recently, so I could have gone out into the garden and made a start on the big job of replacing the wooden fence with the new metal one. Alas, my dear sweet wife has told me that she wants to stay in VT. She says that we will never make friends with anyone with anyone if we live like hermits way out in the countryside. 

Over Christmas I talked to a few people, including my brother Andrew. I finally (finally!) finished his book, DEAD DRIFT, and it really was rather well written. The second one in the series, BLOODY BUTCHER, is supposed to be coming out in February. So far he has not made any real money from his books and I wonder whether he ever will. Andy is now 65 and he is still working. He will probably have to continue working for as long as he possibly can.