Reflections on England upon Leaving her

Tea
There's a reason there's a stereotype about the English being tea-swilling types. They are. I have never been offered tea so many times as in the month we've been in England. Also, there is no way a pub would advertise itself as having tea, but I have seen them do so in England. Plus, tea often comes before coffee in the list of things offered by a cafe/bar/whatever. However, while there are some lovely Twinings blends and some other interesting brands, the ordinary tea we've been given in many B&Bs has been just that. Entirely Ordinary.

Property
Can't find a house to buy in Australia? Come out here! I don't think we've been through a single small town without there being multiple houses for sale. No idea of the prices, but it can't be that bad, surely...

Hoons
We've only seen them once... and they were driving hatchbacks...

Fashion
If you can call it that. Girls in skimpy little outfits, even/especially on freezing cold days... and it just doesn't look good.

Animals
Sheep: white sheep, black sheep, black-faced white sheep. Sheep with tails, sheep with horns, sheep with both. Sheep on the beach.
Cows: hairy cows. Cows with horns (and udders). Cows close to cliffs...
Pigs: showing how urban(e) I am, I'd never seen pigs actually on a farm before...
Rabbits: they don't have rabbits here; they have bunnies, because they are so cute! Now, before you renounce my Australian citizenship, don't worry: I still hate the blighters for the plague they are, it's just that the English ones are such cute blighters! Makes me appreciate Flopsy, Mopsy and Cottontail all the more.
Wild: squirrels, deer... pheasants. Dead hedgehogs. No badgers.

Old stuff
There's a lot of it. And it's old.

Traffic
We have basically been very impressed with our experience of traffic over here. Having ridden largely on back roads, when on roads at all, we have almost always been treated with respect and courtesy: oncoming traffic has pulled over, often right into a hedge - and sometimes even stopped; traffic behind us has usually slowed right down and waited for a sensible point at which to overtake. There have been a few exceptions, but they only stick in the memory because they are just that. I think this is a result of two things: their habit of using roads that in Australia would be one-way only, due to width, not just as two-way, but allowing parking on them; and the number of 'traffic calming' points where traffic is forced to be one-way due to a chicane. Drivers get used to giving way. Also, we've taken to calling 4WDs 'light commercials'.

Roads
They're crap.

Beer
It's just better here. The real ales, that is: those that are properly cellared, and hand-pulled, and made in this country. There's just no comparison with bottled beer.

Pubs
Connected to the real beers. Real pubs rarely serve food, generally don't look that trendy, and usually don't have young whippersnappers behind the bar, unless they're related to the proprietor. They do have interesting stuff on the walls - mostly genuine memorabilia; their furniture is wooden and well-used; and the regulars will generally make strangers welcome, especially once they discover you're Australian and therefore fair game for insults.

Stinging nettles
We hates them, precious. Yess.