Hardest things to adjust to in UK?

For all you expats. What was the hardest thing to adjust to in the UK? I've been to England a few times and absolutely adored the country. Although, I can imagine living there is completely a different thing. My honey is always asking me if I think I'm going to like living there and of course I always answer with an "of course honey" But, really I'm wondering just how easy it will be to adjust and leave all my American comforts behind. What are the advantages versus disadvantages? I guess I'm just trying to prepare myself. Moving is never easy. Much less to another country. At least, I'll be with my honey and can put all this long distance relationship stress in the past forever! Anyhow, I'd love to hear from all you fellow expats about life in the UK.

I know I'm only answering part of your question, but... the hardest things for me to adjust to were:
not driving
being away from my family, especially when they were/are seriously ill
feeling dependent on my partner
not being able to work for a long, long time
therefore not having my own money
not having things at my fingertips, like a drug store at 11 pm, or other conveniences I'd had for a lifetime
the medical system
feeling like a baby when i didn't understand simple things, like my washing machine
entering the eternal world of "which country do we choose"

Every single thing marlespro said!   

Before I came to the UK, I never really thought of myself as an "independent woman", but being here for a while made me realize how independent I was in the US.  For the first several months I was here (and still, to a lesser degree), I felt like a toddler.  I couldn't go anywhere without having a map drawn for me.  I didn't understand cultural references.  Nothing was familiar with the exception of some music and TV shows.  I didn't have money of my own.  I felt very strange, being so dependent on my husband for everything. 

I'm just now getting to the point where I feel like I can survive here without much hassle.  I have my first job interview tomorrow (yay!) and, though it's just a part-time secretarial deal, I hope I get it because I want money of my own and I want to be able to contribute to our household income.  I can come and go as I please without having to ask for directions from my husband quite so often.     In short, after almost 8 months, I'm just starting to feel "at home".

So basically, get ready to re-learn lots of things.  Get ready to meet a whole new side of yourself.  As long as you're willing to roll with the punches and have a couple of boxes of Kleenex at hand, you'll be fine.  It just takes a while!

Modified to say that you're right--visiting here and living here are two very different things.  Living here isn't at all what I thought it would be--in some ways it's better, in others it's worse.  I wish I had come with more of an open mind when I first arrived--my past visits messed with my expectations of what living here would be like.

Reading past posts, I don't plan on driving for a long, long, long time!!!!!!!!!  Maybe if I walk everywhere I'll lose a few pounds in the process

Wow, some pretty insightful answers already.

I too will say that the biggest hurdle to overcome was losing my independence for a while.  That being said, I had my own bank account within a week, my own mobile within 2 weeks, and was driving on my own within 4 weeks. I started driving lessons my 2nd week here.

Driving lessons were a lifesaver in two ways:
A) They provided an excusion from the house.
B) Once I felt comfortable driving (after around 3 lessons), I could drop my husband at work and feel free to explore my new area.

I highly recommend them.

Good luck to you.

The language.   That sort of talking around in circles and expecting you to read between the lines thing that British people do and my American directness which is often taken for rudeness.  Still gives me a headache after all these years. 

I think Marlespo hit the nail on the head with

entering the eternal world of "which country do we choose

I would also add that I have found working styles very different with people sticking religiously to their hours, not willing to go the extra mile and very little passion and excitement about what they do (but then I do work for Government and the Health Service)

I have also found it difficult to make friends here

how full and busy everything is ALL THE TIME

No good pplaces to eat out for breakfast

Oh and I still get lost in grocery stores because I can never remember that the sugar here is kept next to the coffee and not the flour

My hardest thing to adjust to is all the closing hours. I sooo miss 24 hour stores. They just don't exist in Leeds.

The thing I love most (well not most, but pretty close) is the water pressure in the toilet. Lived here 1.5 years and haven't had a clogged toilet yet! I know this sounds really funny and I swear it's not like I use a ton of loo roll or anything, but it's oddly comforting knowing that if you use a strangers toilet or a public toilet, it's not going to overflow.

It's the little things in life.

The weather... 

The way they drive here
Short grocery store hours on Sundays
Language
Council Taxes
petrol prices
paying for a TV license
so many people smoke here

The thing I love most (well not most, but pretty close) is the water pressure in the toilet. Lived here 1.5 years and haven't had a clogged toilet yet! I know this sounds really funny and I swear it's not like I use a ton of loo roll or anything, but it's oddly comforting knowing that if you use a strangers toilet or a public toilet, it's not going to overflow.

It's the little things in life.

Hee hee - I have often found myself so utterly thankful for this, too, Ashley!  Especially as in the US I was a single woman with two small children and it was me to whom the dubious honour of unclogging toilets fell! 

Oh and I still get lost in grocery stores because I can never remember that the sugar here is kept next to the coffee and not the flour

Maybe this is different from store to store?  Because in both Sainsbury's I shop in (a local and a large one) the sugar is in near the baking and dessert stuff, not the coffe/tea.

Marlespo could not have said it any better.  It is a comfort to know I'm not the only one!   

I'd like to add, having to offer coffee and tea to everyone that comes through the door.  And rarely having real coffee vs. instant coffee. I suppose with the amount they drink here, it wouldn't make sense to brew up a fresh pot every time!
I miss flavored Coffeemate!!!

How about answering the question 'are you alright?'  For the longest time I thought that meant I looked like I had a fever or something and I would answer with 'why???'

I miss American shopping and SALE RACKS!!!  They do exist here, but they're not the same.

Gosh, where to begin?! I have to say, don't be afraid to drive. If you don't drive a manual already, pay the bit extra and get an automatic. It takes one huge hurdle out of the way and you can always go back and learn it. Don't start driving in a city, go out to the suburbs or even the countryside. In general the public transport is very impressive here but speaking from personal experience, if you aren't walking distance to anything, relying on it can really get you down. There's  nothing worse than waiting for a late bus in the cold winter rain! IMHO!

Other things I miss/need to get used to;

frozen blueberries (only ever found them in Newcastle)
decaf (but not diet) coke
struggling to meet people
window screens

Oh, I could go on and on! Overall I really like it here, but as has been posted by others in other threads, I'm not sure where I will ever feel really 'at home'.

I miss American shopping and SALE RACKS!!!  They do exist here, but they're not the same.

With all due respect, how do you mean they're not the same?