how lucky you are to live in a country that has villages? With little pubs where you can have a meal on a patio?
In America there are small towns, but corporate stuff EVERYWHERE you turn and character few and far between.
I've visited Ireland, and that was what I missed the most when I returned. Having a fried breakfast on a balcony next to a river--for about 5 dollars.
It's gradually getting just as homogeneous here with the high streets all looking the same. There are also a few pub chains trying to dominate the market, making it harder for the genuine country pubs to stay afloat.
I'd like to live forever but only for a little while
Much of the English countryside is beautiful but with very bleak weather, often rainy and grey, damp and cold (even sometimes in summer!).
shareYou travel in all the wrong places. Take the road less traveled and you'll see that we have just what they do, only more. Avoid tourist traps and you'll do much better. Stay away from freeways and go way out from them.
Trust me, I've traveled all over the US and have discovered that we too have those small pubs and such with country folk and culture. The problem is the freeway. Try going to Americus, Georgia, for example, or Grove Hill, Alabama.
When we went to Pennsylvania, I wanted to see the real Amish country and not that touristy crap. Skip Intercourse, Pennsylvania (or really, all of Lancaster County) and go instead to Shamokin, Pennsylvania. Instead of visiting Jackson Hole, Wyoming go instead to Cody, Wyoming.
I've got many more suggestions too from Mt. Vernon, Maine to Bridgeport, California to McMinville, Tennessee. I can even make suggestions for Alaska (used to live there). Trust me, the UK has a limited amount of space and so is cramped. You have a greater expanse here and big box stores are only in the cities and along the freeways.
Random Thoughts: http://goo.gl/eXk3O