60 Things We Love About The IOM

The Isle of Man often gets all sorts of beef for being a so-called tax haven. Apparently, we’re overflowing with tax-dodging gazillioniares and money-laundering criminals. But, that’s not really true. We’re actually bigger swots than lots of countries when it comes to following the rules…Let’s take a moment to consider all the things that makes the Isle of Man such an awesome place to live, work and play:

1. Our local food & drink produce is top notch
2. You never have to queue for anything (except Gary Barlow tickets)
3. Our dark skies are amazing
4. The Isle of Man is so Gef-in’ pretty it’s been awarded Unesco world biosphere status
5. The Bee Gee’s were born here, and therefore so was pop music
6. We’re one of the few places in the world where you can watch world class racing from a hedge row with a beer in hand, close enough to feel the wind off the bikes
7. Once a year we get to channel our Viking ancestors and race longboats absolutely trousered on ale – pillaging of villages not essential
8. We also race in tin baths
9. We’ve got the Fonz on our £20 notes
10. We’re home to a talking mongoose called Gef 😉
11. We have the most beautiful sunsets
12. We invented the world’s first Hipster burger – we’re looking at you The Big Grid
13. Sam Barks is from here, and she’s best pals with Julia Roberts – so we are too
14. Full time facebook entertainment #shitshopsandservice
15. Home of that little car – the Peel P50
16. Amazing creative talent in every corner of the island
17. Home to one of the world’s best fiddlers
18. We invented Black Eye Friday
19. We have some brilliant young entrepreneurs
20. Saddleoke. Enough said.
21. We have ‘Blue Planet’ style sightings – basking sharks, seal pups, dolphins…!
22. A higher % of world class cyclists per capita than any other country are from the IoM
23. There are exactly three ways to settle an issue:– there’s a boat in the morning– bring back the birch (reserved only for when you’ve been a total bastard)– traa dy liooar yessir
24. Award-winning nightclubs like the Outback, of course.
25. If you lose your friends on a night out you’ll most likely bump into someone you know within 30 seconds
26. HEY BAHHHHH is a common greeting, usually shouted as loudly as possibly from across the street
27. Everyone knows someone who can get them mates rates/discounts/fast tracked for something
28. Locals are very proud and patriotic residents, especially when the Island is under attack *cough panorama cough*
29. The world’s best eggs and honesty boxes!
30. It’s so expensive to get here it *almost* feels like you’re going on a trans-Atlantic tropical holiday, but without the 12 hour flight times!
31. There’s a 36% chance you’re inbred…..
32. BUT, you have Viking ancestors so it’s all cool
33. We have the highest number of accountants per square metre in the northern hemisphere, followed closely by white van men.
34. We also have the highest number of sports shops on one street than any other nation
35. The longest commute is about 4 minutes 26 seconds
36. We regularly experience four seasons in one day – talk about spoiling us!
37. There is genuinely fresh air here. Go on, take a deep breath
38. Everyone knows everyone (or someone that knows them)
39. Where else can you literally be 10 minutes from anywhere to a beautiful beach, glen or forest
40. Our sheep are bad@ss
41. We invented chips, cheese & gravy – Canada, let this one go pal
42. We get around. Wherever you go in the world, you’ll spot a Manxie
43. We defeated the Romans (well, they didn’t make it here anyway)
44. We can all fit inside Wembley football stadium
45. Pilates was invented here during the First World War
46. We don’t just have one claim to the world’s best ice cream, we’ve got three… Davisons / Smoo / Gelatory
47. Our flag featured on ‘Fun with Flags’ on the Big Bang Theory
48. We have our own Mr. Men man: ‘Mr.Isle of Man’
49. Every single one of us has conquered a mountain
50. You can complete Tinder
51. Gimli from Lord of the Rings loves it here
52. And some Game of Thrones actor and member of the Night’s Watch lives here (saw him in Tesco m8)
53. We stood up to Jeremy Clarkson – a hard task indeed
54. Kit Harrington (Jon Snow, swoon) has been here…. And Zac Efron <3
55. We can choose to support any ‘home nation’ in any sport…. “Yaaaay go the winners!” – except when the IOM is competing – we’re patriotic as f*ck then
56. John Lennon came here on holiday as a child… SO taking the credit for inspiring his legendary songs
57. We have a sky bridge!
58. We get an extra 3.4ml of gin in our tonic… â…• gill=28.4ml – sound fella!
59. It’s genuinely a safe place to live, lowest crime levels in the UK
60. We have the IOM Pure Beer Act. That’s some pure tasty beer there, fella.

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