u/AcceptableError0726

I’m currently considering relocating for a new role in the BCP area. I’d essentially be looking in any of Christchurch, Bournemouth, Ferndown or Ringwood, or any places in between.

I don’t know too much about the local area so I’m looking for some general advice/guidance on what I can expect on the COL-front, and which areas are best to look at

I’d initially be looking at renting. I’m late 20’s and fairly active so I wouldn’t want to be too far removed etc

So, I’m a Mechanical Engineer who’s worked across Aerospace and Marine/Defence in the UK for a number of companies. Along the way I’ve seen a range of different working environments, from some that could be confused as a clinic to swanky modern offices.

Earlier this year I started at a new place and I’m ngl, the environment has thrown me off a little! It’s an incredibly beige office that looks like it hasn’t had even a slight refurb since the 90s. That coupled with desktops being standard issue has left me feeling like I’ve taken a journey back in time.

It’s got me thinking, what are all the other Engineering offices like out there? Are you in a nice, clean, and modern environment, or something that’s more akin to The Office? Are some industries more notorious for having ‘dated’ office spaces than others?

Probably worth noting that I’ve worked primarily in Design and Project roles too!

So, my old boss has recently been talking to me about potentially returning to my previous workplace. The position would be a step higher than the role previously held, and the salary would be significantly higher (~10k). I left on good terms with my reason being that the commute was a killer for days in the office.

My temptation to return would be increased if they were able to formally offer a training course which I have been interested in for years. The course + salary raise and subsequent career opportunities would probably sway me to relocate too.

My question: have you ever negotiated a job offer to include formal training and if so, how did you manage to do it? Was it included in the contract or was it a verbal agreement?

Note: this is all very informal at the moment but it’d be handy to know should the talks progress…

So I’ve just got back from visiting Bosnia & Herzegovina (via Split, Croatia) and I was amazed by the country, I’d recommend it to anyone thinking of visiting!

For those interested, below is a day-by-day breakdown of my time in Bosnia and some recommendations:

Day 1:
07:30 bus from Split to Mostar - return ticket cost ~£45 and was booked a few weeks in advance. It was not possible to make seat reservations so make sure to arrive early! I’d recommend sitting on the right side of the bus if possible, the views on the route between Split and Makarska are incredible.

We arrived in Mostar early afternoon and stopped at a random cafe for some lunch prior to checking into our Airbnb. We were located on the Bazar so had a great central spot. We later changed our Euros to BAM at ExclusiveChange in Mepas Mall - the rates and service here were pretty good.

We spent the rest of day 1 exploring Mostar and seeing the main sights. Bosnian coffee is a must try here! Pasha and Urban were both great.

Day 2:
Breakfast at Urban Cafe. Limited options here but the shared breakfast (min 2 people) was very good.

Collected a hire vehicle from CityRent. Now, this place is not your typical Hire Car vendor but the guy who runs it is extremely friendly and helpful. We picked up a car which had 150k on the clock but served us very well during our trip! (It cost £40 to refill after all the driving). Overall it was pretty cheap as far as hire vehicles go.

Visited Blagaj, Pocitelj and Kravica waterfalls. These are great spots to see in Herzegovina. I particularly liked Pocitelj due to the fortress and views. There’s also an incredibly cheap food place over the road - I think it was 70p for a hot dog!

Kravica Waterfalls is stunning. Make sure to visit here and take a swim. We visited in the afternoon and it was busy but not overcrowded.

We returned to Mostar in the evening and then headed out for dinner at Hindin Han which was rated one of the best in Mostar for Cevapi - it didn’t disappoint!

We finished with a coffee at Pasha. The venue stays open late, offering great views of Stari Most at night whilst enjoying a traditional Bosnian coffee. Gelateria5 is a must also.

Day 3:
Set off for Sarajevo via the Neretva River Valley. The drive through here is a must. I’ve been fortunate enough to drive from Phoenix to the Grand Canyon, and drive the Icefields Parkway in Alberta - the Neretva route sits alongside these two for me!

We pre-booked kayaking on the Neretva with Kayak Canoe Safari Neretva. Kayaking back upstream proved tougher than I had predicted but the views throughout were worth it.

We then stopped at a BurekKing for some food. I didn’t rate this place too highly but I may have just been unlucky.

We carried on to Sarajevo post-Burek. There are tolls here but the costs are minimal. We checked in to our air bnb located on the other side of the river from Bascarsija.

We then walked on up to the Yellow Fortress, grabbing pizza on the way. The views were pretty but this is very much just a TikTok trend. It’s nowhere near the top of my recommendations. Following pizza and watching the sunset, we head for some Bosnian coffee at one of the cafes in Bascarsija. The vibes here are brilliant - due to the history and culture, this part of town has such a unique feel for a European capital.

Day 4:
This day was spent entirely on foot. We had initially planned to visit the Tunnel of Hope but decided to skip it to avoid moving the car.

We took the Trebevic cable car mid morning before walking around the Olympic bobsleigh track. The views from trebevic are impressive I’d recommend it to anyone visiting. We then walked for approx. 1 hour to Sunnyland to go on the Alpine Coaster. Lunch here was cheap but good.

From Sunnyland, we ventured back to the city centre to visit the Museum of Genocide. For those interested in the history of Sarajevo and Bosnia, the museum is a must. It’s extremely eye opening and touching.

Before heading back to the Airbnb, we enjoyed a drink at Bar Tesla and then headed back through Bascarsija via the west meets east point.

We had dinner at a restaurant in Bascarsija before enjoying some baklava from Baklava Ducan (amazing, recommend).

Day 5:
Breakfast at City View Sarajevo - great spot with nice food and epic views of the city. Oddly, they didn’t take cash though!

Following breakfast, we set off to ‘Sniper Alley’ to take a look around. For those interested in history, and the siege of Sarajevo, I recommend this. It’s incredibly eye opening.

Around midday we set off Jajce, stopping off at Travnik on the way. The Cevapi in Travnik really is the best! I recommend paying the 5BAM fee for the fortress too.

When we arrived in Jajce, we visited the Watermills and Pliva Lake. This is a beautiful spot. If we had arrived earlier in the day and had more time, we’d have taken a kayak out on the lake. We then ventured into town to soak up the local atmosphere and grab some dinner. Jajce seemed a vibrant, small town with a good atmosphere! We also went to see the waterfalls in the evening - a must when in Jajce.

Day 6:
We left Jajce in the morning, setting off for Rama Lake. Rama Lake is an incredibly beautiful place and I’d highly recommend it. Here, we had lunch at a restaurant in Scit before heading into the water for a dip. The entry points are not clear, especially not if you’re not a frequent lake swimmer. However, we entered just behind the Rowing Club. The water was a nice temperature. I really enjoyed swimming here with wonderful views all around me.

After swimming at Rama Lake, we headed back towards Mostar to return our hire vehicle. After returning the vehicle, we checked in to our accommodation before venturing out for our Burek Class. The class was fantastic and it was brilliant to learn a little more about one of Bosnia’s main foods, and how to make it! I’d certainly recommend this.

We then spent the evening (our last in Bosnia) relaxing in the old town whilst enjoying a local beer.

I recently bought my first pair of wrist wraps, and I’m looking forward to putting them to use for the first time later today for bench (and maybe dips too).

Curious to hear whether people tend to use the wraps during warm up sets and on higher rep/lower weight sets if doing anything like a ‘pyramid set’, or for their heavier lifts only.

What’s your approach?

I’m looking for gym recommendations in Portsmouth, or between Portsmouth and Whiteley, that aren’t ridiculously overcrowded between 17:30 and 19:30.

My current gym is cheap and cheerful but due to the amount of members it does often mean that I have to wait until later in the evening (which id rather not do).

Where would you recommend?

Hi! My partner and I are planning our itinerary for our trip to Bosnia next month. Below is what we currently have mapped out but I’m curious to hear about any additional things that would be worthwhile whilst on our travels. Any tips on places to avoid, or where to allow more time for would be appreciate also 😊

Day 1:
Fly to Split, Croatia and stay the night (due to it being a late flight)

Day 2:
Morning bus from Split to Mostar.
Explore Mostar Old Town and Stari Most.
Finish with a nice evening meal (recommendations welcome).
Night spent in Mostar.

Day 3:
Collect hire car.
Visit and explore Blagaj, Pocitelj, Kravica waterfalls for a swim.
Return to Mostar.
Night spent in Mostar.

Day 4:
Visit and explore Konjic and Neretva Valley. Swim stop planned for Boracko Lake.
Continue to Sarajevo and spend the evening exploring Bascarija.
Night spent in Sarajevo.

Day 5:
Tunnel of Hope
Trebevic Cable Car
Museums
Olympic Bobsleigh
Old town
Night spent in Sarajevo.

Day 6:
Drive northwest towards Jajce via Travnik.
Explore Pliva Lakes and Jajce waterfalls.
Night spent in Jajce.

Day 7:
Drive south to Mostar.
Scenic driving with stop off at lakes.
Return hire car.
Evening and night spent in Mostar.

Day 8:
Bus return to Split.
Full day and night spent in split.

Day 9:
Return home

I’m curious to learn about the career paths of those engineers who have stepped in to either contractor or consultant roles, or both, and some more general info.

- What roles did you hold prior to making the switch?
- Did/do you use third-parties to find work, or do you manage it yourself?
- How did you find the first role where you weren’t employed directly by the business delivering the project?
- How have you found the trade-off between company benefits vs higher rates (employed vs contracting)?
- How much have you had to work on your ‘personal brand’ to ensure a continuous flow of work?
- Is networking considered a necessity to ensure future opportunities?
- How often has ‘word of mouth’ been enough to get you in to a role?
- What sort of businesses/projects are you providing consultancy for, or supporting?

For info, my background spans mechanical engineer, design engineer, product manager, and project manager roles across aerospace, defence and marine. Contract and consultancy roles are something that I’m interested in learning more about for a later stage in my career (+ 5 years)

My partner and I are looking to visit Bosnia mid-July/end of July. We will be travelling from the UK and have found, after a little research, that direct flights to Split are significantly cheaper than Sarajevo. Flights to/from Split with bus transfer between Split and Mostar seem to be the most cost-effective option.

Noting that this will be in, or at least nearing, peak holiday season in Europe, I was wondering if anyone has any experience with the border crossing and can advise how long it may take this time of year?

Any tips for places to visit in Bosnia & Herzegovina are also much appreciated! We will be picking up a hire car once inside Bosnia.

My girlfriend and I are currently going through a bit of phase. She is pushing for the next thing in our relationship with the reasoning that we have now been together just shy of four years. We have a house together and take holidays frequently. Life is good on that part.

I am still very much at the stage where I enjoy my freedoms in life (i.e., things that don’t necessarily become impossible when a or child is on the cards but certainly become more restricted). Going to the gym whenever I want, being able to travel freely and explore, sit down and read or go for a walk as I please. I know that, with my GF, these things will become less doable when we hit the next stage. And to be honest, if anything, I want to do more of those things. As I get older I am realising what I enjoy doing, and what makes me feel good.

In the midst of all this, my GF has noticed me liking a lot of posts relating to exploring new places. Nothing insane, not backpacking or anything like that. Just visiting new countries, experience new cultures. In essence, using my ‘free will’ to live. During a recent convo she asked “do you think you’ll go and see all these places if we break up? Because I don’t think you would”.

It almost feels as though she’s doubting me and my passion, and I don’t fully know how to take that. I guess it’s almost having the opposite impact that she’d like, making me feel as though I now have a point to prove that I’m capable of doing all the things I want on my own.

What’s the best way to respond to this and communicate that these are genuine wants that I have in life?

Note: a lot of the places I show interest in we do not have a shared interest in. I like to properly experience places and take it all in. My GF is not so much an ‘in the moment’ person.

Looking for any tips for travelling the Balkan nations and recommendations for number of days in cities/countries!

I’ve recently finished the book ‘Shadowplay’ by Tim Marshall which explores before, during and after the Kosovo War of 1998-99. It’s really spiked my interest in the region and left me wanting to learn more about its history. The scenery of the Balkan nations looks incredible too!

Any tips on cities/countries to group together, off the track places to visit, best times of the year etc are all appreciated!

Having worked for a couple of Tier 2 aerospace companies (supplying parts to Tier 1 companies and occasionally OEMs), I’ve noticed that a primary pain point is typically legacy product/paperwork/processes which consume time, effort and resource across departments.

I’m curious as to whether a start-up in the Tier 2 space (i.e., sensors, valves) could potentially disrupt the market and take market share, leveraging the fact that legacy headaches are essentially ‘eliminated’.

Do you think that there’s a chance for a start-up in this space to be successful?

Would the gambling on a new supplier be above the risk appetite for Tier 1s and OEMs?

Would the initial capital required for product design, development and qualification present too much of a barrier?

Would customers welcome a modern supplier who can leapfrog to Industry 4.0, IoT etc?

Curious to hear thoughts on this!