I’ver got some friends relocating there from London next month (having factored in a 2 week quarantine hotel stay when they get there). One of them is a Kiwi anyway, so it’s no great surprise, but they’d originally planned to wait for retirement in about 20 years’ time. I think covid has hastened their decision - not so much running from the pandemic as pining for open space. London doesn’t have much going for it when you shut down the culture and nightlife.
Actually visiting would be a good start. It only took me a week to know that I could not happily live in the UK forever (although it’s a wonderful place to visit, YMMV).
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Well, if you’re asking why, I don’t think the UK is nearly as diverse as the US (which obviously is not possible). I’m not saying that’s a bad thing, it’s charming actually, and I hope they never change. It’s just not something I would want to give up on a semi-permanent basis. It probably didn’t help that the where I live contains a lot of similar geography, so I was not going to be ooh-ing and ah-ing over the pretty rolling green landscapes.
Now, you might ask how I could know that in only a week. That’s a good question, and I only spent time in a few cities (although they were spread out by a several hour train ride). I intend to visit more often, which should confirm or refute that. I am an anglophile that constantly watches brits on youtube talking about their own experiences and it seems to line with that up though.