I'm sure you speak from experience.

 

I've lived all over the World.. 17 different countries, including Scotland (where I'm from) Holland, France, all over Africa, The Middle East, Far East (including Singapore, Hong Kong) etc and in a few places in the USA including Alaska, Texas and Arizona.

As far as I am concerned, you can't beat Northern California, specifically the San Francisco Bay Area. If you like City life, then San Francisco is amazing.. probably the best food of any city in the World (I'm a major foodie). Tons of stuff to do..

If you like the country, then live in Marin.. Tiburon if you are worth a ton of money and want World class views...


Mill Valley if you like scenery, hills, mountain biking and the best schools in the country... Fairfax if you're a hippie/veggie/maniac cyclist/tree hugger. Sausalito if you're a boater and the views are quite nice as well.


From here, we have 5 amazing race tracks.. Sears Point/Infineon, Thunderhill, Laguna Seca, Willow Springs and Button Willow... You can always drive a bit further and get to Miller Motorsports park in Tooele Utah as well.

The weather is good enough to drive your car all year long.. Hell, I RIDE all year long..



Within 3 hours drive, we have Lake Tahoe where there is World class snowboarding/Skiing in the winter and in the summer, it's a water playground for adults.. Hiking, biking, swimming.. If you're a Triathlete, it's a perfect place to train.

The roads around here are just incredible. Ranging from twisty, windy challenging 2nd and 3rd gear stuff, all the way up to places where you can keep up 100 mph plus if you so desire.

I'm in the same position as you.. I own an IT related company/Business consulting group. Probably the deepest pool of IT talent in the World here... (Silicon Valley 25 miles to the south).

The Women here are smart, hot and stylish. If you like your Women flashy and blond, then Texas has us beaten.. Blond, big *****, big hair in Texas..

It's a VERY, VERY liberal place to reside.. Live and let live.. Pot is widely available and I haven't hear of anyone being done for pot possession in over a decade... There are a ton of really smart people living here, also a ton of very strange people living here, but I like that.. No matter how weird you think YOU are, there are 50,000 people who are considerably weirder than you could even comprehend.. All in all, it's a bohemian, pleasure seeking crowd and whatever your pleasure is, you will find it here.

It's quite expensive to live here, but completely worth it if you have an open mind.. If you are a conservative, religious type, then you'll HATE it here.. Too much sex, too much fun, too many smart educated people, not enough hate...

 

SF is an amazing city (lived there for 10 years) and it is by far my favorite city, absolutely beautiful, while Texas is consistently ugly, until you get inside or perfect little gated communities. SF... forget about it if you love cars and want to raise a family I remember some of the things the kids would experiment with when they were barely 13 years old and to be honest I would prefer my son to stay away from that sort of thing.

One thing I will say about the mighty SF is it has the highest percentage of available women in the Universe. When I first moved there I could not understand why the women were all dressed up and the men (straight) went out in jeans and a tee shirt.

I soon realized that a guy didn't really have to try to hard there.

 

80Shilling - that sounds awesome, thank you for the extensive info! ...nice roads contrasted by weird people, beautiful sceneries contrasted by expensive properties - but I get everything you said and its nice to have another place to consider, however, the part that REALLY threw me off is - what?! - no blondes with big *****?! - hec, you were trying to sell me SanFran but instead you've convinced me to go toTexas?!

 

The drug Cartels let us have unlimited access as long as we bring drugs out and cash in.

 

The women in SF are generally very well educated and understated. They are also much slimmer than they are in Texas although Texas gals are pretty.

I will say that women in SF do not have the level of commitment to marriage and family as the women in Tx have...that is a sweeping generalization, but true. SF women typically come from top schools and are very career driven.

I hear that Florida really has the best overall package when it comes to looks.

 

Also, to the two Ozzie guys responding earlier to my choice of car if I moved to the US. Well, the story is a rather interesting one. Why I would buy a 996TT again? (probably a 997TT over in the US)

Because when I drove the 360 with only 18K on the clock, the problems and wear on that car were incredible. But I didn't just drive one 360, I drove 4 of them. Hoods wouldn't close properly, mechanisms getting stuck, switches looking old and worn, with F1 gearbox, gears wouldn't go in (my dad was driving and at the lights, the car just wouldn't go into gear - horns tooting behind us and all, very embarrassing).

But, just a day after I made a killer deal with one of the dealers here (from 220K down to 183K!), I realised that I was making a mistake because I needed to look at my "dream" car (since 15 years of age) instead of a Ferrari.

My dream car: a Lambo Diablo. So I started looking around, test drove one in Melbourne and then found the absolute best looking Diablo around a dark blue roadster with cream interior leather and only 17K on the clock. Incredible car, but when I drove it this time, things just didn't feel right.

Why I say this time? - because when I was 18 I flew to the UK, got my self a limo and got escorted to the main Lambo dealership there ..tested 2 Lambo's (Diablos) and was absolutely in love with them (went there especially for that), but at that time I was driving Alfa Suds and Fiats!

So fast forward now to 2010 and after driving a 996TT, I just don't think I can like anything else..

Here's a story that adds weight to my stance:

Here's a clip of me racing at Oran Park just before they closed it:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JygHyzK4ZKc

I bought my car second hand and always felt that something was strange with the rear suspension (but I put it down to a faulty shock absorber), well..... we pulled the rear apart after that race and what I found was absolutely amazing. The rear arms that bolt to the chassis holding the suspension in the back.............on both sides, the bolt was missing.

Now how many brands can make cars that take that sort of punishment without the suspension falling apart? - I'd say just one.

 

No.. we DO have blonds with big ***** here, just not as many fine examples as Texas.. I will say that my tastes run to the slightly understated type of Woman, but I do sometimes miss the Texas Women...

 

You can find them in the South Bay, San Jose, Milpitas, etc.

I had a gf from SJ, a Budweiser gal in fact.

 

NICE!!!

In Texas though, it's like they have a factory somewhere that produces 5'7" blonds with 36 D's, big hair and legs that go on forever...

 

SOoo Texas it is. Next problem.

 

Sun Diego, CA.

 

Texas it is - thanks very much guys for everything, you're contribution to my decision making has been enormous.

There's a natural respect for other owners of such fine cars, so your opinion is very important and highly valued.

I can't wait now to go to Texas and take a look!

 

Thats the best arguement for a move yet!